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Wake

This short song was created near the end of the album
writing process. Since a great deal of the gear they
were experimenting with was from the 70’s and 80’s,
the band thought the drop of a turntable needle onto
vinyl was the best way to start the album. The dualmeaning
of the word “wake” seemed an appropriate
introduction to the record.

Given Up

Many of the demos in the
beginning of the album were
quieter, more introverted songs.
This song, originally entitled
“21 Stitches,” was the first heavy
song that the guys were sure would
make the final cut. In it, the band
found a new way to combine their
new sound with the loud guitars
that had been missing. To add a
unique twist on the punk/industrial
theme of the guitar, Brad added
the sounds on the intro of this
song: multiple tracks of claps –
and keys jingling.

Leave Out All The Rest

The final version of this track is
virtually the same as the first
demo of the song. Very little
changed between the first
incarnation of the music, and the
final version that appears on the
album. The lyrics, however, were
one place where the most work
took place. The chorus of this
song, working-titled “Fear,” went
through over 30 lyric variations
before arriving at this version.

Bleed It Out

One of the band’s goals on this record was to enjoy it. This
track is one of the places that it is most evident. With its
80’s-inspired guitar and bass, roadhouse blues piano and
clapping, Motown-style drums, irreverent death-party rap
verses, and punk chorus, this song is a party (albeit a
strange one) from beginning to end.

Shadow Of The Day

The keyboard loop in “Shadow Of The
Day” went through many different
changes during the song’s creation.
For months, the song’s place on the
album remained undecided; the band
agreed that it wouldn’t make the
album unless the right introductory
sound was discovered. Dozens of
options were created on piano,
acoustic guitar, marimba, xylophone,
and even electric banjo before finally
writing the reversed/edited keyboard
version that appears here.

What I've Done

At the end of over one year in the studio, the band
felt that the album was finished. After initial
listening, however, they were devastated to hear
from friends that the album felt like it was missing
a piece—one more song. The band was horrified.
Many of the songs on the record had taken months
to write, so throwing a new one together that could
stand up to the rest was unlikely. To complicate
matters, any further writing meant they might miss
deadlines that had been set up for album release
and touring. In spite of risks, the band decided to
take this challenge of character. A little over a week
later, the record was officially ready for release with
the addition of “What I’ve Done.”

Hands Held High

Early in the writing process, Rick suggested the band experiment
by contrasting together unexpected elements. For example, if a
musical idea sounded like it needed rapping, he recommended
Mike or Chester try singing over it. Likewise, because the
instrumental idea known as “Song Q” sounded primed for melodic
singing, Rick suggested the opposite be done. The song’s pipe
organ and marching snare proved the perfect musical bed for two
of the most inspired verses Mike had ever delivered. Ultimately
titled “Hands Held High,” the song was completed by layering all
six of the band member's voices together to create the sound of the
men’s choir heard in the refrain.

No More Sorrow

While the band was recording at the
Laurel studio, Rick suggested that
Brad try adding ebow to “The Little
Things Give You Away.” The ebow is a
hand-held device that vibrates guitar
strings by generating an electric pulse.
Although Brad ultimately decided not
to add ebow to “The Little Things,”
his experimentation produced the
introductory sound around which
“No More Sorrow” was built.
Originally titled “Ebow Idea,” “No
More Sorrow” was loosely constructed
that same night, though the band
went back and cut the song live on
their last day at Laurel.

Valentine's Day

Searching for a collective space to
write and do pre-production, the band
set up shop in a Hollywood rehearsal
space known as the Korn Studio.
There, the band hired engineer Ethan
Mates to help them record rough song
ideas. Although it was finished at the
Laurel Studio, “Valentine's Day”
retains most of the original music and
vocals that were created at the Korn
Studio. In fact, although the band
experimented with re-recording most
of their early demos, the earliest
recordings were often chosen to make
the album.

In Between

Rick encouraged the band to lay rough
vocals on their demos as early as possible,
believing that sometimes a sparse song
can become great with the right vocal
melody. “In Between” was a perfect example.
The band connected with it immediately
from the first demo. Even with just
Mike’s vocal and a bass line, this song
remained on the band’s “favorites” list, as
many songs with a lot more production
were voted off of the album. During the
process, the band tried many different versions
of this song, adding sampled drums,
live drums, and other instruments, but
finally returned to the simplest form, the
form closest to the “seed.” At one point,
Chester sang the song, but ended up voting
for Mike’s vocal over his own.

In Pieces

This song began as a keyboard and beat loop,
along with the staccato guitar in the second
verse. In that early form, Chester put down a
rough vocal, with words that came relatively
effortlessly. The vocals that appeared in those
early stages remained virtually unchanged
throughout the growth of the song. As the
song grew, it became obvious to the band
that a special point of interest was needed in
the bridge. On past albums, Brad had never
been interested in doing guitar solos. With
their encouragement, he dove head first into
the bridge, creating a part that instantly
energized the song.

The Little Things Give You Away

Many songs on previous LP albums began
from demos by Mike and Brad. In the
making of Minutes To Midnight, the band
experimented with their writing process in
an attempt to break comfortable patterns.
This album saw all members of the band
generating demos, or “seeds.” The seed for
“Little Things” was from Rob Bourdon,
based around the drum pattern heard in
the bridge. The working title was “Drum
Song.” Later, the vocals were finished after
the band visited New Orleans following
Hurricane Katrina.