By Susie Salva
Grammy award winning Linkin Park’s much anticipated third studio CD release, “Minutes to Midnight,” on Machine Shop Records/Warner Brothers records finds the band stepping out of their comfort zone and incorporating melodic sounds with industrial and rap music that defines their unique sound.
Linkin Park maintains their integrity on this their third effort finding themselves exploring themes and metaphors about depression, freedom, art and absurdity of war.
“Minutes to Midnight” says frontman Mike Shinoda commenting on the title as a reference to the Doomsday Clock, the Apocalypse, a metaphor for death and rebirth, but it could also be applied to the music industry, sort of tongue-in-cheek.
Linkin Park is comprised of Mike Shinoda, (vocals), Chester Bennington, (vocals), Dave “Phoenix” Farrell (bass), Rob Bourdon, (drums), Brad Delson, (guitar). Working with legendary 2007 Grammy producer of the year, (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dixie Chicks, Beastie Boys) Rick Ruben was able to get the best out of the band. Co-producing with band frontman, Mike Shinoda, the CD took 14 months to write and record resulting in an intense process recording over one hundred rough ideas for songs before netting the final twelve for the disc. “We have put more into the new album than anything we have ever done before,” says bassist Dave “Phoenix” Farrell. “Minutes to Midnight” is a breakthrough in the development of the bands sound. “We wrote in new ways and used instruments and equipment we hadn’t experimented before,” explains Shinoda.
Linkin Parks first released single, “What I’ve Done” explodes on the charts debuting at #1 at the Alternative charts and #3 on the Active charts making that track the sixth #1 single at radio. Lead vocalist Chester Bennington explains, “We wouldn’t have touched these writing subjects a few years back,” the band set its sights on “surpassing anything we had done before to being able to craft this amazing record.”
As a way to allow their fans to get insight into their thoughts and expression of their thoughts they provided notes on their liner copy allowing their fans to see just what they were thinking and why they were expressing such ideas through their lyrics. That was a novel and noble effort allowing fans to connect with them actually and metaphorically.
“Minutes to Midnight,” reveals its more experimental moments in song such as, “Given Up,” dealing with the theme of depression and merging punk/industrial guitar with multiple clap tracks and sound effects such as jingling keys, as well as “In Pieces” whose intro keyboard-and-beat loop lead into a staccato guitar before opening into a blistering guitar solo. “Shadow of the Day,” again deals with the depths of depression with minimalist guitar that crescendos, and “Leave Out All the Rest,” with Chester Bennington’s sweet voice also rising. “Bleed It Out,” is an arena rock-inspired guitar and bass, blues piano, Motown-style drums and irreverent death-party rap verses.
Fans may know that Linkin Park choose their name in 1999 out of a wry variation of a local park in Santa Monica, California. Park has also established Music for Relief an organization dedicated to helping those affected by natural disasters to help victims recover and rebuild. In the coming weeks you will be able to see the launch of LPTV, a series of webisodes that can be viewed on www.linkinpark.com . The series will focus on “unseen footage of the history of Linkin Park, building up to an inside look at the studio experience of the new album,” says Farrell. “Minutes to Midnight,” seems to be the natural progression for the band. It’s amazing that they were able to pair down one hundred songs to just twelve tracks, but the result is both exciting and inspirational. Their fans won’t be disappointed and my feel that they were able to get a special insight into the making of this new disc. Check them out at: www.linkinpark.com.
