Review: Linkin Park – Meteora

The guys of Linkin Park have struck platinum again, almost in the opening week of their sophomore album, Meteora. The much-anticipated follow-up from their debut album, [Hybrid Theory], is a continuation of feelings that lead singers Chester Bennigton and Mike Shinoda have dealt with, mixed in with their traditional rock and hip-hop feel. With [Hybrid Theory] selling over 8 million copies in 2002, Linkin Park has a lot to live up to. If selling almost 1 million copies in the opening week signifies anything, this band signed under Warner Bros. could be the biggest band of our generation.

Meteora was set for release on March 25th, and the weeks prior to the launch date, Linkin Park released the first single off their album, entitled, “Somewhere I Belong.” The song is about an individual not fitting in anywhere they go and they just want to find a place where they are accepted graciously. The group’s DJ, Joseph Hahn directed the video for, “Somewhere I Belong,” and went on to say that the concept of the video is, “Basically a dream sequence that’s taking place, and the familiar objects in the room are turning into the reality, which is the dream, which is not the reality. It’s a whole play on your mind.” The song has already hit number one on Billboard’s Modern Rock Chart and Mainstream Rock Chart.

The rest of the songs are currently unreleased, but out of all the songs, I think one of my favorites would have to be “Nobody’s Listening.” This song starts out with the sound of something like a recorder, flute, or clarinet. The drums, bass, and light guitar follow this. Mike Shinoda raps about how he had a lot of stress and how common people caused them. Just when he reveals what he has to say, especially the people who caused it, he is just ignored and no one listens.

“Figure 0.9” starts off with a nice soft drum beat, and then, the guitars and bass interrupt. This song talks about taking the bad qualities and the memories of a loved one and making them apart of you as an individual. Mike Shinoda raps while Chest sings the chorus.

Another track I enjoy has been in the writing process for six years, entitled “Break the Habit.” The turntables are used nicely on this and the beat gets a little faster but is still extremely mellow as the rest of the instruments come into play. Chester sings the whole song, which is about how one feels that they have the need to scream, fight, and lash out, for reasons unknown, but it’s hinted due to the memories, such as some terrible events that took place in their life. Once this person realizes this, they try to stop, or as they call it, “Break the Habit.”

After hearing Meteora a couple of times, I feel that this album gets 3 and a half Stars out of 5 Stars. The reason why I give this is because although the songs are good, I’ve only been really happy with about three or four, the rest were all right. I think Mike Shinoda’s lyrics have progressively gotten better, but I feel there is a little bit too much guitar on the songs. The album is still well, well enough in fact to land at the number one slot on the Billboard 200. Linkin Park will be on the Summer Sanitarium Tour with Metallica, Limp Bizkit, Deftones, and Mudvayne. For more information on Linkin Park, check out Linkin Park.com.