Linkin Park was formed in 1996 by three high school friends from Agoura Hills, California. Their first album, Hybrid Theory was released in October 2000 and contained In the End, One Step Closer, and Crawling.
They get their sound from intertwined “Nu Metal” and “Rap Rock”, with influences and elements from hip-hop, alternative rock, and electronica, which gives them somewhat of a cross-over popularity.
Originally consisting of three high school friends, Linkin Park’s foundation was anchored by Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, and Rob Bourdon. After graduating from high school, the California natives began to take their musical interests more seriously, recruiting Joe Hahn, Dave “Phoenix” Farrell, and Mark Wakefield to perform in their band, Xero. Though limited in resources, the band began recording and producing songs within Shinoda’s make-shift bedroom studio in 1996. Tensions and frustration within the band grew after they failed to land a record deal. The lack of success and stalemate in progress prompted Wakefield, at that time the band’s vocalist, to leave the band in search for other projects. Farrell also left to tour with Tasty Snax and other bands.
After spending a considerable time searching for Wakefield’s replacement, Xero recruited Arizona vocalist Chester Bennington. Jeff Blue, the vice president of Zomba Music, had referred him to the band in March 1999. Bennington, formerly of Grey Daze, became a standout among applicants because of his unique singing style. The band changed its name from Xero to Hybrid Theory. The newborn vocal chemistry between Shinoda and Bennington helped revive the band, inciting them to work on new material. The band’s renaissance culminated with a change in name; from Hybrid Theory, the band changed its name to Linkin Park, a play on and homage to Santa Monica’s Lincoln Park. However, despite these changes, the band still struggled to sign a record deal. After facing numerous rejections from several major record labels, Linkin Park turned to Jeff Blue for additional help. After failing to catch Warner Bros. Records on three previous reviews, Jeff Blue, now the vice president of Warner Bros. Records, helped the band sign a deal with the company in 1999. The band released its breakthrough album, Hybrid Theory, the following year.
New Divide
New Divide was recorded as a single for the film, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.
http://djallyn.org/media/linkin-park-new-divide.flvI remembered black skies
the lightning all around me
I remembered each flash
as time began to blur
Like a startling sign
that fate had finally found meAnd your voice was all I heard
That I get what I deserveSo give me reason
to prove me wrong
to wash this memory clean
Let the floods cross
the distance in your eyesGive me reason
to fill this hole
connect the space between
Let it be enough to reach the truth that lies
Across this new divideThere was nothing in sight
but memories left abandoned
There was nowhere to hide
the ashes fell like snow
And the ground caved in
between where we were standingAnd your voice was all I heard
That I get what I deserveSo give me reason
to prove me wrong
to wash this memory clean
Let the floods cross the distance in your eyes
Across this new divideIn every loss
in every lie
In every truth that you’d deny
And each regret
and each goodbye
was a mistake to great to hideAnd your voice was all I heard
That I get what I deserveSo give me reason
to prove me wrong
to wash this memory clean
Let the floods cross the distance in your eyesGive me reason
to fill this hole
connect the space between
Let it be enough to reach the truth that lies
Across this new divideAcross this new divide
Across this new divide
- Audio from the 2009 single, New Divide:
Break