Like I said in the previous blog, this wasn't my first album that got me exposed to their music. But their singles "In The End", "One Step Closer", and "Papercut" was somehow available in our old iPod (yeah, we shared an iPod)--possibly downloaded at the same time we first got the music player.
So even if I started with Minutes To Midnight, that doesn't mean I never knew that they were more to Nu-Metal, a sub-genre of a Heavy Metal subgenre of a Rock genre....or is Heavy Metal a genre? That only matters if you're obsessed with categorizing and defining genres.
But now, we all know Linkin Park today as a.....arguably an alternative rock band. They gone from angsty, angry teenagers to realistic, angry adults--lyrically speaking. Musically, some would say they gone soft and they wish they would sound like they were in Hybrid Theory and Meteora.
So why? Are the two albums really that incredible? Masterpieces?
So I was curious enough to listen more of their old stuffs a few years ago.
And honestly, I can't put it in words. Not that I think it's a masterpiece or....shitepiece. In my head, all I can think about the entire album is "Linkin Park" and "Linkin Park" and "Linkin Park". Because obviously it is from Linkin Park, but if you think about it, there wasn't really anything else to compare with their Hybrid Theory sound back in the 2000s or even in the 90s. We can probably compare them to Limp Bizkit and Slipknot, but both respectively has different approach to Nu-metal. Slipknot stick to their heavy metal roots, Limp Bizkit....was...eeeeeeeeeehh, anyway...
It is really difficult for me to write this review because this album is really special and unique that its sound cannot be replicate or duplicate, not unless if you're them. You need Brad Delson to produce melodies under those seemingly heavy and distorted riffs; you need Joe Hahn to produce and mix samples of beats, scratches, and voices into layers of sound with the "less is more" train of thought; you need Mike Shinoda and Chester Bennington to be with each other emotionally, to perform like a fitting duo, and to feel related just to write a lyric that can also be related to the listeners.
Now you may notice that I forgot somebody else. And I did it on purpose because...if there is one member that might be easily taken away from the band is Rob Bourdon the drummer. I'm not saying he is a bad drummer. I thought his drumming skills were decent in the album, but I see other drummers that could replicate his drumming and make it even better and more impact. Another reason here is that Brad's guitar riffs outshine Rob's drumming. You're not headbanging to the drum beats, you're headbanging to the guitar riffs. It's not a problem, per say.
But that's just my thought about him in Hybrid Theory. He gotten my attention in later albums, though. I guess the good things in his contribution was in the opening track "Papercut", later track "One Step Closer", "A Place For My Head", "Forgotten" and "Pushing Me Away". And that his drumming helps filling up the parts where you could barely hear any bass played.
Phoenix, the bassist of Linkin Park wasn't involved during the album's creation. A lot of the bass part was done by Brad, Ian Hornbeck, and Scott Koziel. That's pretty hardcore for Brad Delson. Though at times you could barely hear any bass play (unless the other distorted riffs are played with a bass, then damn~), which is fine.
All in all, even if the problem is with the drummer, I still enjoyed headbanging to the whole album. The lyrics may be written for broken teenagers and as you grow older, you might find them laughable. Not because the lyrics are terribly written, but they're reminded you of your past self and past struggles. But at the same time, even the older listeners could somehow relate to the songs differently. It all depends on how you interpret the songs. But as stated by the band members, the songs are “everyday emotions you talk about and think about.”
But my favourite phrase mentioning the album is from Chester himself:"It's easy to fall into that thing — 'poor, poor me', that's where songs like 'Crawling' come from: I can't take myself. But that song is about taking responsibility for your actions. I don't say 'you' at any point. It's about how I'm the reason that I feel this way. There's something inside me that pulls me down."
I couldn't have said better, Chester.
Overall, I really do think this album is worth checking out if you haven't. Even if you're not a fan of Linkin Park, listen to the album itself may make you understand why Linkin Park made into the mainstream successfully. If you still think it's shitty and all, that's fine. We all have different taste.
With that said, this album got my rating of:4/5
Favourite tracks: In The End, Pushing Me Away, One Step Closer, Papercut, Points of Authority, Runaway, Cure For The Itch
Like tracks: Crawling, Forgotten, A Place For My Head, By Myself, With You
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