Another music review up, please don't kill me. They should be dying down by next Tuesday as I'm back at college. Please take the time to read and please leave a comment. I love reading your thoughts.

Who are Linkin Park?

Linkin Park are an American Nu Metal band from California. The band started off with Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson & Rob Bourdon. They then recruited three more members and entitled themselves Xero.

Their vocalist Wakefield left the band and they were forced to hire another vocalist, they then found Chester Bennington. They then decided to change their name to Hybrid Theory where I assume their album name came from before changing it to Linkin Park.

They are a nu-metal band and are most famous for their style of having Chester screaming lyrics and Mike rapping over them.

Here is my review:

The Album- Track List.

This album is brilliant, here is why:

Track 1- Forward

This is just a pointless little 13 second piece which is supposed to start the whole album off, you don't really realise that it isn't part of the next track is it follows on quite well. It start off with a thunder clap and sounds like a pipe crashing and in the background you can hear water dripping. Then a window smashes and it goes straight onto the next track 'Don't Stay'. A pointless little piece, no lyrics.

Rating: 1/10 (Pointless really, a lot of people don't even realise it's there)

Track 2- Don't Stay

This track follows on from Forward and starts off with a very heavy rock riff which shows you what Linkin Park are really all about. The guitar is very aggressive and then Chester's voice joins in and really shows you how powerful he is. One thing Linkin Park, or just Chester is very good at is screaming, but still sounding like it's part of the track. This will probably be mentioned a lot through the album review as he does screech a lot. This is not the best song on the album, no where near, but it's still a fantastic opening track, and this shows new people what Linkin Park are all about.

The opening to this track, following on from Falling is just amazing, the guitar is aggressive, Chester's voice is amazing and powerful. A very powerful song, which is well worth checking out, but it's no where near the same calibre that some of the best tracks on the album are.

Memorable Lyrics: "Don't stay, forget our memories forget our possibilities, what you were changing me into just give me myself back and don't stay! Forget our memories, forget our possibilities, take all your faithlessness with you, just give me myself back and don't stay"

Rating: 7/10 (A very good opener to a brilliant album, very powerful)

Track 3- Somewhere I Belong

Probably one of the best on the albums, it's one of the chilled ones which is really saying something. This is one of their most famous songs, and you can really see why. It starts off with quite a weird tune then the guitars hit in then Chester & Mike begin singing. This track just shows how well Chester & Mike work off each other, the combination of Mike's rapping along with Chester's very strong vocals just really works so well together in this track. Mike's amazing at rapping and this is shown in this track amazingly. I really like the lyrics in this song as well, very poignant.

The verse is Mike rapping along with Chester singing quietly in the back, and then the chorus hits and Chester lets loose with that big old powerful voice he has and with Mike rapping quietly. Such a great combination and works so well for this song. This track is probably the most chilled out track on the album, but it's so powerful and so effective that it really works so well together.

This track is very poignant, it's about wanting to find somewhere to fit in, somewhere you can be yourself and the dream to fit in somewhere, and this track appeals to a lot of people. This is a very good and meaningful track.

Memorable Lyrics: "When this began, I had nothing to say, And I get lost in the nothingness inside of me, I was confused, and I let it all out to find, that I'm not the only person with these things in mind"

Rating: 9/10 (A very strong and powerful track, very popular)

Track 4- Lying From You

Another very strong track on the album, not the best but Mike Shinoda get's to rap his heart out in this track in the verses and Chester takes over in the chorus, singing with such power and such emotion. Some call it screeching, I call it amazing. This is not the sort of track you'll remember like you remember Somewhere I Belong, but it's a very kind of sinister song and is filled with hundreds of instruments which accentuate Mike & Chester's voices and don't over power them, which I believe would be impossible as they both have very powerful voices especially Chester.

Musically this track is amazing, and instrumentally is even better. So powerful and so important to the track.

Memorable Lyrics: "I wanna be pushed aside so let me go. Let me take back my life I'd rather be alone, anywhere on my own, coz I can say, they very worst part of you is me"

Rating: 8/10 (A very powerful track, a good addition to the album)

Track 5- Hit The Floor

An amazing track, very loud in the chorus, and the lyrics are very powerful in this track. It's about being stabbed in the back ad how the person is playing everyone. The music is very eerie and sounds very soft during the voice, but when Chester's voice comes into play, it all picks up and becomes quite a loud track. Like I said in the beginning Chester does have a tendency to screech, but this is all about Linkin Park's tracks. He will probably not be able to talk in 20 years time, but who cares now, this is all about the enjoyment of the tracks, and if you want to listen to Linkin Park you've gotta love the screaming.

A very headbanging kind of song, not that memorable, but you do find yourself banging your head or tapping your foot alongside the beat.

Memorable Lyrics: "There are just too many times that people have tried to look inside of me, wondering what I think of you and I protect you out of courtesy, Too many times that I've held on what I needed to push away, afraid to say what was on my mind afraid to say what I needed to say"

Rating: 7/10 (Another powerful track, not that memorable, but still a great addition)

Track 6- Easier To Run

Another powerful song, it's very mixed song, it starts off slow, goes fast and so on. A fantastic song, which is very uplifting and it's actually one of the slowest songs. In the chorus Chester's voice shows that he doesn't just scream his way through the songs, he's got a very powerful song, and then Mike joins in and makes the song what it is. A very good verse and then the chorus get's a lot more powerful but still he doesn't screech just yet. This is quite a gentle song, and one of my favourite on the track.

This track works perfectly, and really shows off Mike & Chester's talents singing solo and together. Chester gets to do a little bit of what he is best at the get's to scream but not too much. The track is quite meaningful as well, it's saying it's easier to run away from your problems than face them. This song is not as depressing as it sounds; it's a very good addition to the album and one of the slowest songs.

Memorable Lyrics: "It's easier to run, replacing this pain with something numb, it's so much easier to go, than face all this pain here all alone"

Rating: 9/10 (One of the best on the album, very powerful but slow at the same time, great mix)

Track 7- Faint

They use the instruments so well in this track. The bass, the drums, the guitars work so well together. Mike takes over the verse and sings over the drums and the stringed instruments, Chester takes over the chorus and does what he's best at, screaming. Brilliant chorus, it really works so well together. A great mix of rapping and very strong vocals. Such an amazing track and so powerful, it's about someone who doesn't fit in, and Chester seems to convey so much emotion through his 'screaming' that it really works with the song so well.

It's another very powerful track, you either love it or hate it. I think it's quite weak compared to a few, but it's still a very good addition to the album and well worth listening to.

Memorable Lyrics: "I am a little bit of loneliness, a little bit of disregard, handful of complaints but I can't help the fact that everyone can see these scars"

Rating: 7/10 (A very good track, well worth checking out)

Track 8- Figure 09

Another track where Mike takes over the verse and Chester takes over the chorus. This is a lot like the older material that Linkin Park used to produce, very powerful but quite unmemorable. I had to really listen to this track; I don't really remember hearing it before. This is a strong track but nothing special compared to a lot of the tracks. An alright track, but nothing you'll be remembering in days to come.

Memorable Lyrics: "And now you've become a part of me, you'll always be right here, you've become a part of me, you'll always be my fear, I can't separate myself from what I've done, giving up a part of me, I've let myself become you"

Rating: 6/10 (One of the weaker ones on the album, very powerful no denying that, but not brilliant and memorable)

Track 9- Breaking The Habit

Probably one of my favourite tracks on the whole album, one of the slower tracks. I just adore the start to this song, it sounds like thunder clapping and it just starts off the song perfectly. They use the instruments perfectly on this album, it sounds very electronic, but it all works so well with Chester's voice that I don't really care. The track is sung mainly by Chester who sings the chorus amazingly, I always find myself singing along to it. He then picks it up a bit for the chorus. I love this song as you really here Chester's proper voice and not the screaming we've got used to.

This is quite a chilly kind of song, and it's one of my favourites. It's so powerful and so amazing and it works so well. This track is very unique for Linkin Park, I do not recall them released anything as powerful and slow like this. Chester lets his powerful voice go a little bit near the end of the song, it's just pure amazing.

The instruments in this song is amazing, I believe most of it is created by a DJ, which works so well for Chesters voice. This song really shows off Linkin Park's talent to their full potential. The chorus is very grabbing and will make you listen, a very, very good track, one I would check out on the youtube links at the bottom.

Another reason to check out the youtube links is to watch the amazing video, it's all done in cartoon and just adds to the greatness of this song.

Memorable Lyrics: "I'll paint it on the walls, Coz I'm the one at fault, I'll never fight again, and this is how it ends"

Rating: 10/10 (Such a powerful song and probably the best song on the album. I'm still choosing between this track and the last one on the album)

Track 10- From The Inside

This track I know is hated by quite a few people, when doing this review I was talking to a mate who slagged off this song completely, but I love it. It starts off quite slow, with Chester singing quite beautifully and then Mike rapping over it, and then the chorus hits in, and Chester begins to 'scream' and the guitar hits in.

This caused quite an argument, as I think it's a very good track. The track is powerful and Chester's voice is very nice during the track, it's not too much screaming like in other tracks. Mike's rapping is a great addition to the verse and really works alongside Chester's voice. Chester does get into the screaming and it does ruin the song slightly near the end, however I think the song on a whole, is a very nice track and lot better than the likes of Easier To Run & Hit The Floor. Some very powerful lyrics as well.

Memorable Lyrics: "I don't know who to trust, everyone feels so far away from me, heavy thoughts sift through dust, and lies"

Rating: 8/10 (A very good slowish track, not the best but definitely not the weakest)

Track 11- Nobody's Listening

This track uses what I think is a Japanese flute and adds quite an eerie feel to it. This song is mainly Mike rapping the verse. They both take over the chorus, but Chester's voice is no where near as powerful as Mike's in this and I believe they meant it to be like this. He sounds like a background singer than a lead singer. This track is very well put together, I don't think most people would put a Japenease flute into their music, especially if they are a nu-metal band like Linkin Park, but it works so well.

This is one of the last tracks on the album and isn't as good as others put it's still a joy to listening to. The lyrics are very strong and full of angst, it appeals to a lot of people.

Memorable Lyrics: "We're just rolling with the rhythm, rise from the ashes of stylist division, with these non stop lyrics of live giving, not to be forgotten but still unforgiving"

Rating: 8/10 (Another strong track, not as good as other's but quite a risky track)

Track 12- Session

This is one of the only tracks but track 1 where I won't be able to put the memorable lyrics. It's a completely instrumental piece and it works, it really does. The band are very talented musicians and this is to show off a little bit. This is full of Djing, rapping skills and I think a little bit of beatboxing. This is not the best track as it does seem out of place. No point really.

Rating: 5/10 (Good but not brilliant)

Track 13- Numb

I'm still in confusing whether this track or Breaking The Habit are my favourite. This is another slow sort of song, and very powerfully SUNG not screamed song by Chester. The verse is beautiful and then Mike hits in with a little bit of rapping during the bridge, the chorus is very powerful, Chester doesn't go into full blown screaming but his voice does get an octave higher and becomes very powerful. He completely changes into the verse and he shows off his beautiful voice.

This track is very powerful and definitely one of the best on the album and maybe the best on the album in my opinion. This is the last track on the album and the band really do go out on a high, with a fantastic track. It's probably one of the best they've ever written, the lyrics are powerful as are the vocals. It's produced to their best, everything seems to fit together and the instrumental pieces are just mind blowing. So powerful.

There is another version of this song, which is more powerful where Jay-Z sings his song Encore alongside this track. A great remix, however this is my favourite. I'm not a fan of Jay-Z but I think Linkin Park are truly magnificent.

A pretty amazing track, very powerful, well worth checking out.

Memorable Lyrics: "I'm tired of being who you want me to be, feeling so faithless, lost under the surface, all I want to do, is be more like me, and less like you"

Rating: 10/10 (A very powerful song, which is made famous by JayZ but works so much better on it's own)

My Opinion

Why do I love this album I hear you ask? In the mornings before school I used to go over to a mates and she used to have this on full blast, keeping all of the neighbours awake. I fell in love and went out and brought this album.

The reason Linkin Park are so good is the music is just fantastic, the lyrics are amazing and the vocals are just mind blowing. All of these things are so well put together and are added by some of the best instruments known to man and everything just seems to work.

The music is all unique, no track sounds like another track, they are all powerful, but when you think Chester's screeching gets a bit too much, they pull back and give you the likes of Breaking The Habit or Numb, this is what Linkin Park are so good at, not only are they fantasic musicians they really know how to produce an album.

There are only two what you could call bad songs on the album, they are Sessions which just seems out of place, I'm a big fan of the lyrics, and not so much of the instruments so always finds myself turning this track over. The other track is the first one, it's only 13 seconds long and just seems like they could have just used it as the start of the second track anyway.

The album is powerful, the vocalists are very powerful, Chester Bennington has one of those voices that he can do anything with. He has a beautiful voice, which can go to an incredible range than people only dream about. Mike Shinoda is an amazing rap star. He works so well alongside Chester and compliments his voice.

The message on this album is also very strong, you can find this in a lot of their other albums as well, they are calling out to the people that consider themselves uncool, and are telling them, no matter what everything will be fine, these amazing rocks stars felt the same way and look at them now.

Linkin Park are the kings of their genre, Nu Metal. Rock fans like myself are supposed to hate this style of music, but I love it. Everything about them works, they may not be proper metal artists, they're not rock artists, they have their own style and this is what makes them Linkin Park.

The album is very diverse and I would never see it go from my collection, I may not play it all the time, however I think it's one of the best ever produced albums of all times, definitely Linkin Park's best.

I love this album and this band, this album has such a range of everything you want, it's not just Chester screeching his way through songs, they are carefully constructed songs, which each mean something to Linkin Park and their fans. The music is very passionate and means something to everyone.

Chester Bennington- Vocals

Wow, this guy has such a nice singing voice it is unbelieveable. All fans of Linkin Park will know however he is more famous for the screaming, which is his 'style' and works so well with the band. On my favourite tracks however like Breaking The Habit, Somewhere I Belong and Numb he doesn't screech his way through, they are a lot more calmer and seem to work better in my opinion. He is however such a fantastic singer and without him the band truly wouldn't work.

Mike Shinoda- Vocals

A fantastic rapper, he works so well with Chester it's unbelievable. He usually takes over the verse and then Chester screeches or sings the chorus. He's a very talented rapper who is perfect for this band.

The Other Members

The band wouldn't be the same without the rest of the band including:

Brad (Guitaris)
Phoenix (Bassist)
Rob (Drummer)
Joseph (DJ)

These guys really make Mike & Chester who they are today. Without them the band wouldn't be what they are. The DJ features a lot especially in this album, as do all of the other guys. They are very talented musicians which really add to the album.

Should You Buy The Album?

If you are a Linkin Park fan, you're favourite album will probably be Hybrid Theory, and this is a very different album from Hybrid Theory and I know a lot of people are not a fan of this album. However if you are new to Linkin Park or have only heard of a few of the tracks then Meteora is the place to start. It's full of some fantastic tracks which will really get you going. Well worth buying this album.

Hope this helped. Please rate and comment.

This work is all my own, please do not copy it, say I've copied it or anything else stupid like that. Most members will understand why.

© Kirsty. xx

Youtube Videos:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=jWD_UFp2kJo : Breaking The Habit
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5hRRKlXnBw0 : Numb
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=uXW5uJYpbew : Somewhere I Belong