National Album Day: Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park

by | Oct 11, 2019

Linkin Park’s Hybrid Theory was my first ever album and a very important and enduring eye opener for many listeners. In 2000, at aged 10, I put this album on my Christmas list based solely on word of mouth. A schoolfriend wouldn’t shut up about how desperate he was for a hoody with the album artwork on. I jumped onto the bandwagon before I had even heard a single track from it, and I can’t overstate how glad I was that I did.

Hybrid Theory was the centrepiece of what might be the last time that a rebellious sounding subculture crashes the charts now that the internet has made everything accessible, and chart positions comparatively redundant. Although a megahit, Hybrid Theory was the gateway for many listeners into the furious free-for-all of the playful skate-punk of The Offspring, onslaughts of profanity-laden rap metal from Limp Bizkit, and sensory overload ‘nu-metal’ of Slipknot.

Hybrid Theory defied the idea that mash-ups were always musical sacrilege (even DJ Joe Hahn got an instrumental jam track all to himself), although they would push that boundary further when they released a mash-up EP with Jay-Z. Rapper Mike Shinoda spits anguish in opening track Papercut, before late frontman Chester Bennington growls what might be the most appropriate lyric in the album – “it’s like a whirlwind inside of my head”.

Over twelve concise tracks, the only deviations from this are comparatively frail vocals from Bennington during the verses of hit single Crawling, and closer Pushing Me Away. However, often it doesn’t last as he bites the infamous refrain “shut up when I’m talking to you” on One Step Closer. 

Needless to say, I bought that hoody.

Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park, 2000, chosen by writer Nicolas Pollard

 

Incubus @ The O2 (Kalpesh Patel)

Incubus Announce New Album ‘Something In The Water’ — Their First in Eight Years

US rock trailblazers Incubus have officially broken their studio silence, announcing that their long-awaited ninth...
Black Spiders @ Signature Brew (Louise Phillips)

Black Spiders Battle Against Spyder Byte For St Georges Day At Haggerston’s Signature Brew

St Georges Day can mean only one thing, a battle of the Spiders at Signature Brew in London’s Haggerston, giving me a second chance to see Spyder Byte 8 years or so after the last one, opening for the mighty Black Spiders who are on tour to promote Cvrses the band’s latest album. It’s now over 27 years since I first saw Black Spiders main man Pete Spiby performing in Groop Dogdrill opening for, among other bands, The Cramps.

Incubus @ The O2 (Kalpesh Patel)

Incubus Bring Morning View To Life At London’s O2 Arena

"Thanks for letting this record be a part of your lives, it's literally given us ours" Brandon Boyd gushes at the...
Lorde (Thistle Brown)

Alt-Pop Icon Lorde Kicks Off Striking New Era With ‘What Was That’

Three-time GRAMMY® Award-winning artist Lorde has made her triumphant return with the release of her brand-new single, What Was That available now worldwide through Universal Music Group. After months of cryptic teasers and social media blackouts, What Was That marks the beginning of a daring new phase for the New Zealand-born artist, celebrated globally for her visionary pop sensibilities and emotional depth.

Mother Mother @ Troxy (Kalpesh Patel)

Mother Mother Release Fan Favourite Single ‘Love To Death’

Globally-celebrated alt-rock band Mother Mother release the new single entitled Love To Death. An early leak of the song first surfaced on YouTube back in 2009 and has remained a part of the Quadra Island, British Columbia group’s lore ever since.  A fan favourite, unofficial uploads have generated hundreds of thousands of plays, and fans have even devoted Reddit forums and entire comment sections to the track as they awaited its formal release.

Haim (Lea Garn)

The Sisters Haim Return With ‘Relationships’

Los Angeles sister trip HAIM have made their powerful return with brand new single and video Relationships. “What’s...
HAAL (Jess Agnew)

HAAL Return With New Single ‘Plate 43 (…Or Standing on the Toes of Giants)’

Borderless four-piece HAAL have returned with a new single titled Plate 43 (…Or Standing on the Toes of Giants). The single comes on the heels of an incendiary year for the band which saw them release their Thurston Moore-approved EP Back To Shilmarine to widespread plaudits, leading to remixes by JUICE (Ollie Judge of Squid) and Water From Your Eyes, as well as UK tour dates and festival appearances such as ArcTanGent, Outer Town, Wanderlust, and more.

Tide Lines (Nathan Dunphy)

Tide Lines Drop New LP ‘Glasgow Love Story’

Tide Lines’ ascent continues today, with the release of their highly anticipated fourth album Glasgow Love Story via their own Tide Lines Music label. The album includes the recent single Better Days, Homeward Bound., double A-side single By The Quayside / Leaving Town , and Cherry Blossom Sunset.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing