For most people, Linkin Park will begin and end with their first two full-length albums--Hybrid Theory and Meteora. They were unique for their time (a time in which rap and metal were experimented with other acts--Kid Rock, KoRn, Crazytown, etc) and they remain distinctive in their sound and emotional lyrics. Subsequent albums have deviated a lot from the formula as the band experimented and became more alternative metal than nu-metal. Just earlier this year, 2017, the band released One More Light. It is such a radical change--gone is all semblance of metal, leaving only the beat and far softer vocals. It's essentially a pop album. And yet, it still bears the emotional weight of their earlier work--pain, sorrow, and regret.
Just a few months later, lead singer Chester Bennington passed away--he was found in his home, having hung himself. Only recently did I hear about all the pain and depression he endured--abuse as a child, followed by years of substance abuse and addiction. I never realized there was so much suffering behind the music, but in retrospect it all makes sense. Nearly every LP song reflects something Chester must have felt or experienced. Perhaps each song was some cry for help. After 15 years of following the band and clinging to every piece of music I could find of theirs, news of his passing was a genuine shock to me. I know some folks who have decried this as a waste of a life--it is indeed sad knowing Chester left behind six children, a successful career, and a huge fanbase that genuinely loved him. I wondered what could have pushed him to such an extreme end.
From the beginning, LP inspired a vast number of story ideas I've conjured. Even the most outlandish of ideas hinged a lot on the sharp beats, melancholy atmosphere, and intense vocal power of the band. While Hybrid Theory and Meteora are each loaded with songs I could never skip, I was also drawn to the energy and tone of Minutes to Midnight. A Thousand Suns alienated many listeners, but despite the filler tracks I found it a particularly excellent conceptual listening experience. I'm a casual fan of Living Things and The Hunting Party. And while One More Light is a far cry from anything else the band's done, it has merit.
That's not all though--remix albums like Reanimation have been very enthralling. They did a very solid collaboration with Jay-Z around 2004, successfully mashing up their hit songs sublimely. Their fan club (Linkin Park Underground) has released a treasure trove of exclusive albums--16 iterations to date that includes B-sides, live songs, and a plethora of demo tracks. With few exceptions, their demos are just as spectacular as their fully-realized songs. The first volume of LPU is the same as their very first EP, which has been out of print for years--the Hybrid Theory EP (different than the Hybrid Theory album), which is very raw and intense.
Chester Bennington's done work outside of the band--before Linkin Park, he was the lead singer for Grey Daze (I've never heard their songs and their albums look like they're hard to find). Chester teams with Amir Derakh and Ryan Shuck for the band Dead By Sunrise (I only just downloaded it, and it sounds okay). And he did one EP for Stone Temple Pilots (High Rise, with "Out of Time" as the main single I caught on the radio repeatedly--it's pretty decent). If you happen across the soundtracks for Queen of the Damned and Underworld: Evolution, you can catch a couple of solo tracks he made: "Sysem," which is very dark and wicked, and "Morning After," which is very groovy.
Mike Shinoda is the rapper from Linkin Park throughout its career, although he's featured more prominently in the first few LP albums. In 2004, he kicked off a side project called Fort Minor, which is a very excellent brand of hip-hop. Shinoda's also been involved with bands like Styles of Beyond (one of their songs can be heard on the Transformers soundtrack). He's also worked with a few composers for soundtrack music (including the score for The Raid: Redemption). He also did a very loud and powerful remix for Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence."
Linkin Park's music has been everywhere in my life, even in the most unexpected of places. Just a few years ago, I visited Bangkok and I happened to hear an acoustic version of "New Divide" playing in a taxi driver's car. Even as a tribute, it sounded exquisite. I've heard LP's songs on the radio, in films, I've heard Fort Minor's music on the air, I've caught the band member's solo acts on various albums--it's been a far-reaching career and it's always excited me when I saw Bennington, Shinoda, or LP's name anywhere. Their brand of music, no matter the style, always promised style, beat, rhythm, and vocal power that would stir my imagination and my soul. Of course, if it wasn't for LP, I might not have ever gotten into metal to begin with. I have them to thank for opening my eyes and my mind, to look past the noise and see the structure and spirit of the music.
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AL'S FAVORITE SONGS
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