Linkin Park 'Get Back To Their Roots'

Linkin Park say their new album takes them "back to their roots", but says the press has misinterpreted this to say there will be more guitars.

"That's actually been misinterpreted," said co-frontman Mike Shinoda to NME. "What we've actually said is that the record gets back to our roots and it's captured a feeling that we haven't gone after in many years. I think that's gone misconstrued as a return to heavy guitars."

Does this mean they will continue down the experimental path seen on "A Thousand Suns"?

"I'll say it like this; with 'Minutes To Midnight' and even more so with 'A Thousand Suns', we were making an effort to get away from the sound of the first two records," Shinoda replied. "The reason for that was that we felt if we made a third record that sounded that way, we'd be pigeonholed into doing that forever."

If it sounds like the frontman is finding it hard to describe his own music, wait until you read this tool-ish monologue:

"I think we got so interested in adding new tools to the toolbox that we forgot what was already in the toolbox. After making a few records which just focused on the different stuff, it became fresh again to go back and use the old tools. It's definitely not going back to our old ways, we've used all the tools in the toolbox."

Tools, tools, tools. It sounds like Linkin Park need to jump out of the toolbox and make something human again. Hopefully the new album "Living Things" will live up to its name and do just that.

Comments

[chrisvasco23]

well thanks for giving my hopes up guys, usually when someone says going back to their roots it means going to an old sound in the music world.
guess it doesnt now :/

[metallicaftwlp]

no no no, it's like saying Metallica are going back to their roots (like kill 'em all) but instead of guitars they're using synths. The ship of good Linkin Park sailed long ago.

[Comeback Kiddd]

Im hoping it has a concept like ats or m2m. It made the every song sound better as a whole than just individual tracks with their own thing

[I.shower.naked]

since they say this I might actually check it out.

[espal]

I don't want a new album... I want a nu album

[joshuahughes34]

my hopes were raised for a moment :'(

[K.i.S.A.]

espal wrote:

I don't want a new album... I want a nu album

icwutudidthar!

[Redfinton22]

Fuck this

[im not mental]

stop pretending you still listen to nu metal.

[iommi600]

Someone is a has been...

[Battman1993]

Jesus UG...does an opinionated 16 year old kid write your articles?

[Squidlyboy]

Really dislike how much bias there is in this article against the newer work. I love the old work, but it was repetative and outdone after two albums. If I want to listen to that style, I'll listen to Meteora or Hybrid Theory. I'm glad that there is progression in each album being released, but it doesn't surprise me that a website for guitarists isn't raging hot on it.

[HighVoltageMT]

I can't believe how horribly biased this article is. Normally I don't say anything, but this is beyond reasonable.

[herpaderp22]

listened to new song..... riiiiight, back to your roots...

I liked 10,000 and part of midnight so this doesn't bother me.

[its_minchew]

i can appreciate the new work, but I remember back in the day when Hybrid Theory came out. I wore that f*cking cassette out listening to it everyday. Growing up on that, and then going to something like m2m....you can see why i'm more than slightly disappointed with the "new" sound.

[psychokiller99]

the all too familiar sound of a band running its course.

[Maniac206]

Linkin Park's new sound is as good as the old one for me. It is just different. The fact is: you wouldn't like that Linkin Park write the same style of songs again and again like Nickelback.

[Äkäskero]

People (including Linkin Park themselves) need to just stop talking about their music and let it speak for its self. Release the album and stop talking about which direction or have or haven't taken! It only leads to people getting a false image of what it's going to be into their head, leading to disappointment.

[Maestro1600]

Back to their roots? Standing in a record executive's office, with a stylist and a publicist telling them what to do?

[Cavalcade]

Battman1993 wrote:

Jesus UG...does an opinionated 16 year old kid write your articles?

I wouldn't put that past them.

[Rastapunk]

"If it sounds like the frontman is finding it hard to describe his own music"

Let me help you, it is S**T

[Offworld92]

Fuck this article. Just report the news, we don't need your dumb ass commentary on it.

[elcapitan1800]

If you take any given LP album for what it is, each one is pretty great imo. It took me a long time to get into ATS but I do enjoy it now. I have high hopes that this album will follow suit. And I do agree, just stop talking about it!! If people like it then great, if not who cares? Just make the music that you want to make!

[RC52190]

I like this site but god, the articles get filled with more and more bias every time I read one. Half the time, the writers are bashing the subject they're writing news about. But at the same time, this is all our (the commenters') fault. Because as they've undoubtedly learned by now, the vast majority of the people on here are just whiny infants who want to start internet wars with everyone and no matter what you say to them, they will never be happy. BUT, this means that UG needs to build their site for their target crowd (i.e. The crowd that gives their site the most activity). Because more activity = more bandwidth. And more bandwidth = more advertising. And more advertising = more $$$. I am 99.9% sure this is the reason for the provokingly biased articles. Everything in the world revolves around $$$. Money is power. Power is fear. Fear is control. They win.

[ferretbassit11]

such a misleading title...

[Mr E Meat]

linkin park is so aweessssooooome

[catastrofx617]

RC52190 wrote:

I like this site but god, the articles get filled with more and more bias every time I read one. Half the time, the writers are bashing the subject they're writing news about. But at the same time, this is all our (the commenters') fault. Because as they've undoubtedly learned by now, the vast majority of the people on here are just whiny infants who want to start internet wars with everyone and no matter what you say to them, they will never be happy. BUT, this means that UG needs to build their site for their target crowd (i.e. The crowd that gives their site the most activity). Because more activity = more bandwidth. And more bandwidth = more advertising. And more advertising = more $$$. I am 99.9% sure this is the reason for the provokingly biased articles. Everything in the world revolves around $$$. Money is power. Power is fear. Fear is control. They win.

My god, why does this not have more upvotes.

[Macabre_Turtle]

I guarantee it sounds just like A Thousand Suns.

[GREENWARRI0R]

If it sounds like the frontman is finding it hard to describe his own music, wait until you read this tool-ish monologue

I read this and all I hear is HUR DUR DUR HURRRRR DERP. Not that I like Linkin Park or anything, but stuff like this just reeks of shoddy journalism.

The more I visit this site, the more I'm convinced it's a site run by kids for kids.

[Maikku]

All the people who moan about returning to the original sound don't get it. You'd buy the record and be disappointed anyway saying its too repetitive and dull. I think When They Come For Me is speaking to fans, just look at the lyrics and it relates. "once you got the theory of how the thing works, everybody wants the next thing to be just like the first"
You ought to stop talking and try to catch up.

[jekylhyde]

What's with the commentary?

[Minivirus2]

Yes, based on the song you just released, you have used "all the tools." In doing so, you've made a very middle of the road sounding song (I won't say record just yet) with nothing original to it. At least AtS was pushing forward. Now you're just trying to use everything and it's making it sound watered down and uninspired.

[dakielster]

Mr E Meat wrote:

linkin park is so aweessssooooome

Ha

[Zoltan1251]

im waiting.... but first song is bad..... why do they have guitar players in the band when they play like 3 chords over and over..... dont get me wrong, i dont question simplicity but originality of the material.... "we building it up to bring it back down", i mean, really?!

[rockstaralex24]

Minivirus2 wrote:

Yes, based on the song you just released, you have used "all the tools." In doing so, you've made a very middle of the road sounding song (I won't say record just yet) with nothing original to it. At least AtS was pushing forward. Now you're just trying to use everything and it's making it sound watered down and uninspired.

THIS!!!!! i've been trying to find away to describe my disappointment for that song, and you just put it perfectly... thank you sir/madam

[Anjohl]

Park fluked into success by combining amateur rap/ecectro with basic chainsaw numetal guitars. They are not young adults anymore, Hybrid Theory won't happen again.

[gilbertn923]

Maikku wrote:

All the people who moan about returning to the original sound don't get it. You'd buy the record and be disappointed anyway saying its too repetitive and dull. I think When They Come For Me is speaking to fans, just look at the lyrics and it relates. "once you got the theory of how the thing works, everybody wants the next thing to be just like the first"
You ought to stop talking and try to catch up.

I have to disagree with you there because I have Hybrid Theory, Reanimation, and Meteora and I still listen to those albums with no complaints. When I heard Minutes to Midnight and A Thousand Suns I gave up on any future work they might do. The theory behind Linkin Park back in the day was, "if it aint broke, don't fix it." Well that Linkin Park is long gone and after hearing this new single after the bullshit they said about returning to their roots, I can really give two shits on anything else they do.

[Thecastermaster]

I hope they go back to their roots, since roots are usually buried deep underground far away from our ears.

[Minivirus2]

Maikku wrote:

All the people who moan about returning to the original sound don't get it. You'd buy the record and be disappointed anyway saying its too repetitive and dull. I think When They Come For Me is speaking to fans, just look at the lyrics and it relates. "once you got the theory of how the thing works, everybody wants the next thing to be just like the first"
You ought to stop talking and try to catch up.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I'm all for experimentation and mixing things up, but I don't fully see the merit in a band completely changing their sound. Will I think their albums sound repetitive? No, because I liked them FOR THAT sound. I listen to any given group because of their sound. If I want something different, I'll listen to another group. That's where diversity comes into play. Something getting old? Find a new band with a different sound. Megadeth for example. I want strait to the point thrash/modern thrash with some decent hooks thrown in. They never felt the need to completely change their sound like Metallica because it's what they do. If sepcific songs are recycled, then yes, it'll get stale. If you're writing new hooks, distinct riffs, using different scales, etc. the music will naturally sound different without having to switch genres.

[Slash181]

This band is completely missing the picture...."If we do a third album we'd be pigeonholed forever". Wake up, from day 1 your out to make a certain sound. You had it all for you lined up. Making dark tracks like carousel, going more commercial for the 90s nu metal scene, releasing a more darker mix of that with re-animation and then delving back to the deep stuff with Meteora. Then ya ****ed it all up with Minutes to Midnight. It does not suit you guys, it does not sound good especially to the bar you raised originally.... why lower that :S Where you not enjoying the music you made.... ofcourse you where so why fix what isn't broken.... to experiment the rules only apply in short increments.... not what you guys have done. It's like if Metallica decided after Ride the Lightening that the direction they are taking is not good and they need to experiment so they contact Lou Reed 20 years earlier and make LULU.

[vhdatultimate]

Yes , They are getting back to their roots ... To Justin Bieber !!

[Hetfield47]

Fuck might as well change the name to chester solo band. The last album great they did was hybrid theory. Wish they would get their balls back and stop ****ing with computerized techno shit!

[UGtom]

Hello, Tom from UG here,

I wanted to respond to the comments about bias here. It's not about sharing a personal opinion or trying to be funny -- it's sometimes about holding artists to account for saying stupid things, and that includes Shinoda's flawed comment about using tools in the studio.

Pasting his comment on its own doesn't necessarily communicate everything that is really being said. Behind his words would seem to be a lack of coherence and perhaps a strategy to mislead fans into thinking they're 'back on form'. Which may or may not be true. After highlighting the curious nature of his comment, you can decide for yourself.

[Jyrgen]

I've heard only their debut and their last album but was positively surprised by both, these guys are definitely one of the better nu-metal bands.

[BobbyFlamingo]

a thousand suns in my opinion was like lulu bad.

[BobbyFlamingo]

didnt mind m2m cuz it wasnt TOO MUCH different, it was just more rock, theres were at least a couple songs i enjoyed. ats was literally one of the worst albums ive ever heard and i've been listening to linkin park for over a decade so it hurts me to say i have no hope for this new album. m2m is lucky it even made some of it onto my ipod. ats is hurtful enough to me that i wanna buy a copy just to burn it.

[COREYTAYLOR721]

I don't care what they do. It seems as though a band that is aiming for commercialism and radio success would give the fans what they want. Synth is popular, someone might buy the record. I'm not.

[Scarr777]

The only way this could get ANY worse is if nickleback and courtney love somehow found their way into this thread..... OH GOD WHAT HAVE I DONE?!?!?!?!?! But in all seriousness/honesty... the old LP died after they released "breaking the habit" as a single, then chester's vocals lost all masculinity and one guy grew an afro that one time... Just give me another remix of Crawling / Papercut to listen to til i forget these guys even exist again and i go back to listening to metal...

[Dewy141]

I love hearing this statement, just because you know that the album isn't gonna come close to their original stuff.

[Scarr777]

UGtom wrote:

Hello, Tom from UG here,

I wanted to respond to the comments about bias here. It's not about sharing a personal opinion or trying to be funny -- it's sometimes about holding artists to account for saying stupid things, and that includes Shinoda's flawed comment about using tools in the studio.

Pasting his comment on its own doesn't necessarily communicate everything that is really being said. Behind his words would seem to be a lack of coherence and perhaps a strategy to mislead fans into thinking they're 'back on form'. Which may or may not be true. After highlighting the curious nature of his comment, you can decide for yourself.

not be a dick dude, but i have GOT to call you out on this one. There is no "flawed comment" to hold shinoda accountable for... he said they're going to use things they previously used and have since put down in recent times... but its NOT going to be a hybrid theory... duh. there is no hidden meaning or trickery with his words here... saying so is bad media. in all honesty your accountability comment was probably better suited for one of the numerous articles containing one of dave mustaine's "shining moments".

[Amito]

I heard their new song on the radio the other day, and it seriously just sounds like their last album with synths and no guitar. So disappointing, hopefully the whole album is not like that.

[saint_berzerker]

Lemme guess.....synths?

Lame.

[ben nixon]

i gave up on this band at minutes to midnight

[captkarl]

they're getting back to their roots? I think if you told these guys 15 years ago that they would be wearing collared, checkered shirts in their press photos on their way back to their roots that they would have shit a brick. Lets see if they go back to rapping and having gundham wing on their covers. That would be cool.

[robo37]

Why do people keep compairing Minutes To Midnight to A Thousand Suns? Midutes was outstanding in terms of origionality and good-ideas, and a huge leap forward from Meteora. Given up was one of the best songs I've ever heard, as the same with In Peices, No More Sorrow, The Little Things Give You Away, In Between,Leave Out All the Rest... just a breath-taking experiance throught the album, bar the occacional trip when you get to Bleed It Out, Hands Held, but they managed to stay a safe difference away from ruining the entire album with rap as which was th case with the previous two. A Thousand Suns was an uninspired pop album, a real pain to fish out any good bits from that one. Collision Course makes me want to commit suicide.

[kobochok]

Given up was one of the best songs I've ever heard, as the same with In Peices, No More Sorrow, The Little Things Give You Away, In Between,Leave Out All the Rest... just a breath-taking experiance throught the album

Omg.....have u ever heard smth about not_a_piece_of_shit music? Check it out, you might love it

[BwareDWare94]

They don't have to go back to their roots to make me happy, but they could record music that can be performed live. I'm sorry, but playing electronic nonsense through speakers is not performing music. There's no chance of messing it up. Let me hear you playing your damn instruments, boys.

[GREENWARRI0R]

There is nothing wrong with changing your sound. However, just because a band changes their sound doesn't always mean it's going to be good, like in the case with Linkin Park. It's not that I want them to stick to the same sound over and over again, i just want them to make good music.

[robo37]

kobochok wrote:

Given up was one of the best songs I've ever heard, as the same with In Peices, No More Sorrow, The Little Things Give You Away, In Between,Leave Out All the Rest... just a breath-taking experiance throught the album

Omg.....have u ever heard smth about not_a_piece_of_shit music? Check it out, you might love it

Unless you've actually heard all of those songs end to finish (which I guessing you haven't), I'm going to take that as jumping on the band-waggon. All of these songs (okay, maybe not Leave Out All the Rest, stil not that bad though) were excelently written, and filled with emotion (which IMO is what most modern music is lacking nowadays). I'd recommend it to anyone with a good enough taste in music.

[raoooos]

Their new song is absolutely atrocious.

[Proud_Stray]

UGtom wrote:

Hello, Tom from UG here,

I wanted to respond to the comments about bias here. It's not about sharing a personal opinion or trying to be funny -- it's sometimes about holding artists to account for saying stupid things, and that includes Shinoda's flawed comment about using tools in the studio.

Pasting his comment on its own doesn't necessarily communicate everything that is really being said. Behind his words would seem to be a lack of coherence and perhaps a strategy to mislead fans into thinking they're 'back on form'. Which may or may not be true. After highlighting the curious nature of his comment, you can decide for yourself.

It's not your job to "hold artists accountable" or interpret the news you are reporting on, it is the reader's job to interpret the information. It is your job to report the facts and NOTHING ELSE. Any kind of interpretation on your end is bias, any time you ask questions or address the reader by saying "check this out" or "read this part" you are no longer writing a news article, your are writing an opinion piece.

Saying "I don't think what this person said makes sense/I think they're being dishonest so I'm going to edit it or leave it out or comment on it while I'm writing" means you are corrupting the information.

If you want to write opinion pieces or editorials or have segments like 'It's the End of the Week as we Know It' then fine, but stop touting these biased articles as real news.

[umbrella666]

God people are upsetting....A Thousand Suns was actually a great album....****ing think straight people if they stayed to their "Nu Metal" sound you know what you hypocrites would be saying? "God they sound all alike. Why can't they try something different?" Change is/should be inevitable....or you're just gonna have some washed up overused sound...They didn't change for the heavier....also they were doing straight synth tracks before even Hybrid Theory came out

[Qais7]

People are just upsetting themselves. Shit changes, Everyone Changes interest through years...

[john_kimble]

Honestly, do you people actually like this band?

Talk about overrated rap-rock/nu-metal.

[Kenjisan231]

You know, its not like I ever thought they sold out or anything, to my knowledge, they were always pretty damn popular. I think my sadness comes from disappointment and a lack of understanding. I am disappointed because this band makes different music than what they did when I grew up, and that just seems to be who they are now. I said different music, not bad music. I started listening to them for their hard rockish sound, but its not like they don't make hard rock songs I don't like anymore, they make something significantly different.

Second, I still don't understand what happened. I read the article, Mike said they didn't want to get pidgeonholed, but that doesn't make sense. Big guitars, drums, bass, etc... A lot of musicians take pride in that, and will simply tell you that's what they do and that's who they are, its not something they are just trying out. Maybe I am also not reading the right articles, but they seem to want to acknowledge Hybrid Theory and Meteora as little as possible. Mike didn't even say them by name, he referred to them as 'the first two albums'.

[UGtom]

Proud_Stray wrote:

UGtom wrote:

Hello, Tom from UG here,

I wanted to respond to the comments about bias here. It's not about sharing a personal opinion or trying to be funny -- it's sometimes about holding artists to account for saying stupid things, and that includes Shinoda's flawed comment about using tools in the studio.

Pasting his comment on its own doesn't necessarily communicate everything that is really being said. Behind his words would seem to be a lack of coherence and perhaps a strategy to mislead fans into thinking they're 'back on form'. Which may or may not be true. After highlighting the curious nature of his comment, you can decide for yourself.

It's not your job to "hold artists accountable" or interpret the news you are reporting on, it is the reader's job to interpret the information. It is your job to report the facts and NOTHING ELSE. Any kind of interpretation on your end is bias, any time you ask questions or address the reader by saying "check this out" or "read this part" you are no longer writing a news article, your are writing an opinion piece.

Saying "I don't think what this person said makes sense/I think they're being dishonest so I'm going to edit it or leave it out or comment on it while I'm writing" means you are corrupting the information.

If you want to write opinion pieces or editorials or have segments like 'It's the End of the Week as we Know It' then fine, but stop touting these biased articles as real news.

Sorry to disagree, but holding public figures to account really is the job of a journalist. Bear in mind how tame the article really is. Of course, the facts are more important than anything, and they're all available in this article. For the record, there is no rule at UG that we submit only facts and no comment. This isn't a broadsheet newspaper.

You do remind me of a wonderful quote:

"Comment is free, but facts are sacred"

[samgrahaminc]

I'll believe that when I see it.

[maleathe]

Van Halen "returned to their roots" with their new album, and it worked out well.

[fromzero]

Their roots are changing the sound to something marketable. Linkin Park didn't always have a singer. The label said hey, this is ok but you need a Chester because rap rock only gets you so far. So they changed it up huge when he came. Then the remix albums put the electronics into their songs and it was popular on more than just rock stations. Right now rock isn't selling as much as hiphop / pop / dance which have very little border these days because they're all blended so they dumped that in the sound. Now its way more marketable. Sure we all like slayer on this board but you can't follow lil Wayne and rihanna with slayer. Linkin Park is a business. A successful business and this is the profit growth strategy. I'm willing to bet that the new cd, in its first 2 weeks sells double the first 2 albums first 2 weeks.

[purplexing]

fromzero wrote:

Their roots are changing the sound to something marketable. Linkin Park didn't always have a singer. The label said hey, this is ok but you need a Chester because rap rock only gets you so far. So they changed it up huge when he came. Then the remix albums put the electronics into their songs and it was popular on more than just rock stations. Right now rock isn't selling as much as hiphop / pop / dance which have very little border these days because they're all blended so they dumped that in the sound. Now its way more marketable. Sure we all like slayer on this board but you can't follow lil Wayne and rihanna with slayer. Linkin Park is a business. A successful business and this is the profit growth strategy. I'm willing to bet that the new cd, in its first 2 weeks sells double the first 2 albums first 2 weeks.

While I agree with most of what you said, I don't see them selling more than the first two albums simply because no one is really buying music anymore.

[X21MattX22]

I love Linkin Park and I always have but I just wish they put out stuff like Hybrid Theory and Meteora albums. Now that is where Linkin Park's roots lie

[darkdevout]

john_kimble wrote:

Honestly, do you people actually like this band?

Talk about overrated rap-rock/nu-metal.

They were the band that got me into rock in general when I was 7, I have and unconditional love for them even tho I don't like every album, I am currently 16.

[AC/DCnut]

What a tool.

[cafauer]

Whoa...who made Shinoda the front man?

[fromzero]

cafauer wrote:

Whoa...who made Shinoda the front man?

Xero did. That's what Linkin Park was called before Chester joined.

[Sparky92]

I guess Kerrang! must have been lying then! Their article a couple of weeks back says, and I quote:

"Chester Bennington takes K! on a tour of their forthcoming album - and explains how they've learned to love guitars again..."

Somebody's got some 'splaining to do!

[SynGatesFan1]

yeah like ive heard that one before

[eljono123]

Listened to the new recording. sucked. Why in the he** are we using synths when God gave us DRUM KITS and GUITARS. I don't get it but oh well.

[XtractionProces]

Sparky92 wrote:

I guess Kerrang! must have been lying then! Their article a couple of weeks back say

You just answered your own ****ing question.

[jedke]

In all honesty i dont get what people like about linkin park. You want nu metal listen to soad of something

[CapnKickass]

UGtom wrote:
Sorry to disagree, but holding public figures to account really is the job of a journalist. Bear in mind how tame the article really is. Of course, the facts are more important than anything, and they're all available in this article. For the record, there is no rule at UG that we submit only facts and no comment. This isn't a broadsheet newspaper.

You do remind me of a wonderful quote:

"Comment is free, but facts are sacred"

Whatever these article are, they kinda suck, with the added bs.

[crazysam23_Atax]

im not mental wrote:

stop pretending you still listen to nu metal.

I agree. Furthermore, stop calling "nu metal" metal.



Also, can someone please get the adbots out of here please? Thanks.

[6-String_Madman]

This statement proves that Mike Shinoda is now a TOOL.

[Shaggy91]

Jesus UG...does an opinionated 16 year old kid write your articles?

this.

[sickassfoo]

metallicaftwlp wrote:

no no no, it's like saying Metallica are going back to their roots (like kill 'em all) but instead of guitars they're using synths. The ship of good Linkin Park sailed long ago.

YES!!exactly what i was going to say. but most bands just say that so people can change their opinioins on them and go out to buy the album. like when metallica released death magnetic they kept saying that it was almost the same as "...and justice for all" to get everyone to give it a chance

[DemonicTurtle66]

Heard the song today, and I'm not a fan. When they said they were going back to their roots I, like many, thought it was going to be more like Hybrid Theory or Meteora. Their new single is too "electronic" for my taste.

I don't mind them going in a new direction as artists, but saying "We're going back to our roots" was pretty misleading.

[bornIIhula]

Comeback Kiddd wrote:

Im hoping it has a concept like ats or m2m. It made the every song sound better as a whole than just individual tracks with their own thing

If I wanted something deep and brooding like a concept album I wouldn't be looking to linkin park, dude. There are plenty of bands who do concepts better.

[Duke_of_Chutney]

Yaaaaay lets all hate on a band that's matured and developed instead of being stuck in 2001!

[bornIIhula]

Proud_Stray wrote:

UGtom wrote:

Hello, Tom from UG here,

I wanted to respond to the comments about bias here. It's not about sharing a personal opinion or trying to be funny -- it's sometimes about holding artists to account for saying stupid things, and that includes Shinoda's flawed comment about using tools in the studio.

Pasting his comment on its own doesn't necessarily communicate everything that is really being said. Behind his words would seem to be a lack of coherence and perhaps a strategy to mislead fans into thinking they're 'back on form'. Which may or may not be true. After highlighting the curious nature of his comment, you can decide for yourself.

It's not your job to "hold artists accountable" or interpret the news you are reporting on, it is the reader's job to interpret the information. It is your job to report the facts and NOTHING ELSE. Any kind of interpretation on your end is bias, any time you ask questions or address the reader by saying "check this out" or "read this part" you are no longer writing a news article, your are writing an opinion piece.

Saying "I don't think what this person said makes sense/I think they're being dishonest so I'm going to edit it or leave it out or comment on it while I'm writing" means you are corrupting the information.

If you want to write opinion pieces or editorials or have segments like 'It's the End of the Week as we Know It' then fine, but stop touting these biased articles as real news.

If you're gonna take this guy on, steer clear of the word bias. Acknowledging bias in an article is like acknowledging the fact that the sky is blue. Every written piece ever put together is affected by bias in some way. So what you're really trying to address isn't really an issue with bias, more an issue on how these writers blur the line between opinion and article pieces. I just wanted to pick you up on that, you probably were already aware.

[TheChaz]

Sorry, but ATS was their best album. Their first two albums were repetitive, angsty, boring music.

[iscreamicecream]

washed up band is desperate...thanks to justin bieber

[Mike Quall]

everybody always washes the dishes

[$hithappen$16]

Let's face it: they're damned if they do and they're damned if they don't
If Linkin Park kept putting out music like Hybrid Theory and Meteora, they'd wind up going the same route as all the other bands that came out in the early 2000s. they would be critized for not changing up their style and they'd eventually fizzle out.
But when they DO change their style they're critized for not going back their "roots."
I personally love the new sound and I like that they keep changing and moving forward. They were in their 20s when they made their first record. Now they are in their 30s and have grown out of their nu-metal phase. I hate to burst your bubble but they aren't going to go back to their old sound anytime soon. So you either get the hell over it abd find another band to satisfy your nu-metal needs or you embrace change and support them.

[redhotsexmagic]

every LP album that's come out since MTM I've initially been "meh" about and then end up loving it and listening to it nonstop for months..they're great albums you just have to let them grow on you..i'll be an LP fan as long as they keep crankin out albums..TOOLBOX!

[Andyriso]

it's gonna be a thousand suns with mike...won't be listening to these guys anymore

[Raven_Flight]

This article is sad...

And this:

espal wrote:

I don't want a new album... I want a nu album

Is probably the lamest comment I have ever read. And it's even worse that it has 77 thumbs up.

[jer-bear5212]

Damnit. i really thought they would do something good again. oh well/

[sunburstshredde]

I used to like Linkin Park, but then I took A Thousand Suns to the knee.

[Miyagi84]

They are a less talented Incubus, all around... I liked Linkin Park's first two albums, even though they were pretty emo and the lyrics weren't very personal and could be applied to any situation... not to mention the instrumentation was average. But they had some really good songs I liked alot. They have had a hard time maturing because of these deficiencies, however, and the lyrics and sound of the band are as morose and somber as ever. The angst is gone without the heavy guitars and screaming... now its just emo-sounding. I hope they go back to a heavier sound.

Interestingly enough, a band like Incubus has matured much better than Linkin Park due to the collective talent of the band and Boyd's ability as a lyricist as well as Eizinger on the guitar. They have been able to keep and gain new fans because of this.

Linkin Park's fans are now in their 30's, the problems and emotions we felt at that age are over, it just sounds trite to try and replicate it.

[MattKempton]

they just keep putting out the same damn song over and over and over

[strat0blaster]

Loved A Thousand Suns more than any album they've done to date, and I'm fully stoked for Living Things.

All you people whining about it not sounding like Hybrid Theory or Meteora, realize that musicians don't want to do the same album fifteen times, and progress. If you want to hear their first two CDs, go put them on. That's what I do when I want to hear Hybrid THeory.

[wildinferno2010]

nu metal?

[teraverex]

I used to love linkin park, but good god they ****ing put me to sleep now. zzzzz.lol

[rapprocka1017]

Linkin Park needs to just stop. What did Kurt say? Something like "I'd rather go out with a bang than fade away". Unfortunately, that's exactly what LP is doing. They're fading away.

[vIsIbleNoIsE]

that "pun" was not very subtle at all.

[APerfectCircle9]

I can smell the hate from here but Burn It Down felt like it was going to wind up on yet another transformers movie. Im not really feeling the new LP but to each his own I guess.

[Twofly]

Lol this headline suspiciously creates false hope, LP is not that relevant anymore, till they create material with their early sound, they are going to fade into obscurity

[mynamehere040]

Sounds like a lot of butthurt going around over Linkin Park.

M2M was awful, which threw a lot of people off. A Thousand Suns was a fantastic concept album with a lot of legitimately good music on it. I miss Meteora and Hybrid Theory as much as the next guy, but I love the new stuff all the same (with the exception of M2M, the biggest disappointment album of all time).

I'm glad they're evolving their sound. I like when bands do that. I liked when Korn did it. I liked when Slipknot did it. Traditional Nu Metal doesn't sell...and a band is, at its core, a business. If there are no record sales, there are no tours. No chances to reach out to fans. People need to grow up and realize that every band is going to change, and there's nothing you can do about it. It's a natural progression.

[[travis]]

So pretty much, they're not going to make a heavy album.

[op4blushift]

Am I the only person that DOESN'T like Hybrid Theory and Meteora that much? At one point in time I really loved them, but when I try and listen to them now (which is pretty rare nowadays) I'm usually skipping 3/4 of the album. ATS was definetely my favourite record, but I don't get why people are so against using synths/electronic instruments. Its like they're not "real" instruments or something. An electric guitar has to be plugged into an amp to sound good, and that requires power, so technically it is electronic. But whatever, personally I am pretty disappointed in the new single, but I'm hoping that the rest of the album is better.

[PrimitiveGuitar]

Chester can't sing any more, they should stop.

[sergiozaciu]

Chester CAN sing, he's in fact become a much better live performer, so has the rest of the band. I loved A Thousand Suns, and absolutely hated Minutes To Midnight (definitely their worst album)

I didn't like the new Single Burn It Down AT ALL, but if they have some songs that blend something along the lines of Lying From You and Waiting For The End, then I'll definitely give it a try. I'm watching them live June 6th, I suppose they'll play a new song or two.

[Bedant Sharma]

bring hybrid theory back

[CherubRock91]

Why do people moan when a band has changed there sound, and moan once more when a band sounds the same over a lengthy period of time? Bands have to evolve to create new material. If fans of old school LP dislike the idea of synths then they can look elsewhere. LP have grown up, heavy distorted guitars are not the only way to make decent, powerful music.

[jtallen0496]

Äkäskero wrote:

People (including Linkin Park themselves) need to just stop talking about their music and let it speak for its self. Release the album and stop talking about which direction or have or haven't taken! It only leads to people getting a false image of what it's going to be into their head, leading to disappointment.

Thank you!!!

[indust]

Shameless sellouts...

[MH400]

LP died a long time ago. Reanimation was their best CD.

[biff022]

I love the comments old LP vs new... it's all terrible... if you didn't latch on to this band when you when 12 or 13 I can't see anyone tolerating this. Linkin Park has always been a caricature of it's own self... right down to the Limp Bizkit sounding stupidly spelled name.

[eetfuk58]

How is this the top news story when Levon Helm just died?

[Black Hazard]

Why do your articles suck so bad?

[SIEGE312]

UG sounds a little irritated with LP... Can't say I disagree, though, please get away from this industro-pop crap.

[Smokinjoerules1]

Maniac206 wrote:

Linkin Park's new sound is as good as the old one for me. It is just different. The fact is: you wouldn't like that Linkin Park write the same style of songs again and again like Nickelback.

And weirdly enough...Nickelback still released a new album that managed to sound great :')

[jbeez19]

What's funny is that their new song sounds exactly like their past two albums!!

[tdwpozzy]

Im still a Linkin Park fan....although I prefer the first two albums, but in my personal opinion; old LP lyrics were qu ite a bit more relatable and not as vague, and these lyrics were sung with passion that you could feel and somewhat understand when you heard them. I will always have a respect for what they choose to do as a band but to me, Linkin Park has madethemselves somewhat less accessible emotionally to people like myself.

[gmoney2748]

Thecastermaster wrote:

I hope they go back to their roots, since roots are usually buried deep underground far away from our ears.

I just laughed so hard at this

[gmoney2748]

Sorry to double post, but I have a killer idea for a new LP album... Hybrid Theory 2!