Meteora Reviews

• Meteora has arrived

  
  By A5LNZJ6WFHZO0 on 2003-03-27
  Sure, they may not have the most complex guitar out there and their songs are very structurally similar, but really, Linkin Park's "Hybrid Theory" was one of the catchiest, most energetic, and innovative cds to come out in quite a while. I loved their first release, loved the remix album just as much, and have been salivating over this new album. So, does it live up to their past two records? Lets go track by track-

  1. Foreword- a short intro with speeding up percussion (the sound of a cd burner being beaten up) erupting into the sound of shattering glass and launching you into the next track.
  2. Don't Stay- An aggressive guitar driven track with some really awesome dj scratching. Chester Bennington (singer) mixes up the verses with some awesome screaming.
  3. Somewhere I Belong- The first single of Meteora sounds like it was constructed from the ground up to be a radio hit in the vein of In The End. That said, the interesting sampling and really beautiful piano part make this track a very memorable in its own right.
  4. Lying From You- Heavy, sample laced guitar riffs and thunderous vocals make this one of the most mammoth tracks on the album
  5. Hit The Floor- One of my favorites, Hit The Floor features some spectacular samples, skull crushing riffs and screaming, and some real tricky rapping from Mike Shinoda (emcee). I love the bridge, and the chorus has the same sort of weirdly catchy syncopation as By Myself (off Hybrid Theory).
  6. Easier To Run- Ugh, my least favorite. Everything about this track smacks of an ill fated attempt to recapture the awesome grandeur off their old single, "Crawling". Though the rapping part is alright, Chester's chorus is revoltingly sappy and boring. Actually, his voice reminds me of Creed in this song (if that's good or bad, you decide).
  7. Faint- Fast, furious, slick, and raging, the quick rapping and funky violin samples make this song an instant classic.
  8. Figure 9- A straightforward rap-rocker with some clanking sampling and a bridge lifted right off of By Myself, this one is a solid head banger.
  9. Breaking The Habit- A really weird sample, featuring Spanish guitar, live orchestra, and -I think- coin chinking sounds from a Mario game plays behind Chester's tortured, magnificent lyrics. A rather large departure from traditional LP (no rap, for one thing), this song really is quite beautiful, though the chorus could be seen as a little corny.
  10. From the Inside- A solid ballad with a furious bridge, I think this song is a better Crawling sequel than Easier to Run.
  11. Nobody's Listening- A cool hip-hop track with some unique flute samples, clips of High Voltage (another Linkin Park rap song), and some singing in the chorus. Though I'm not a big straight rap fan, I like this track quite a bit.
  12. Session- An awesome instrumental, this is actually one of my favorites on the cd. Though its conceptually evocative of Cure for the Itch, the layering of sounds and seriously wicked dj solo make this far better than any of Linkin Park's past instrumentals.
  13. Numb- The crowning achievement of the cd, Numb is one of the few tracks on Meteora that not only captures the energy and emotion of Hybrid Theory, it expounds upon it. A beautiful chorus, splendid piano and keyboard parts, and unforgettable lyrics make this my favorite song on the cd.

  Overall, this album is musically more advanced and distinguished than Linkin Park's past attempts. However, it is not as gripping, powerful, or focused as Hybrid Theory or even Reanimation. Though a number of songs seem attempt to duplicate past successes- Don't Stay and Ones Step Closer, Somewhere I Belong and In The End, Lying From You and With You, Easier to Run and Crawling, Figure 9 and By Myself, Numb and Pushing Me Away- they seldom capture the elements that made Hybrid Theory such an outstanding album. Nowhere is there the frenetic razor beats of Papercut, the infamous "Shut up!"s of One Step Closer, or the emotional meltdown of A Place for My Head. Meteora excels in other ways, however. The tracks are more diverse, from the techno pop of Breaking the Habit to the ingenious hip hop of Nobody's Listening to the grinding elements of Hit the Floor, the songs on the album are on a whole more different from each other than they were on Hybrid Theory. Newcomers to LP won't be disappointed, but I think long time fans will find them selves yearning for the band's former punch. In fact, its probable that Meteora will not commercially match Hybrid Theory- though a lot of the tracks are soft and catchy, not as many just scream to be heard again. Another gripe is that this is one very short cd- though there isn't a lot of filler, you feel like they keep working up to something grand and never quite achieve it (though Numb, the best track, is last, one amazing song tacked on at the end does not make the rest of the cd monumental). Don't get me wrong, this is a good album and is well deserving of your money, I just think that there is something missing that prevents it from being a 5 star album.
  
  

• Is this their second album of PERFECTION?

  
  By AL30RPMNXNDTF on 2003-05-09
  How does linkin park do it. meteora has excelled all my expectations as I could not believe they could match the brilliance of hybrid theory....But they did.
  Track overview.
  01.This is an awsome start to any album and blends perfectly with track 2.

  02.Don't Stay- A great opener, fast and hard. The chourus grows on you but it is the brigde which stands out and you find yourself yelling with chester. 3.5/5

  03.Somewhere I Belong- The single. The intro to this song is so addictive i find myself playing it over and over again. Good song, not the best. 4/5

  04.Lying from you-Chester's voice in this song is so powerful and it is impossible not to yell with him. The chorus is again awesome but is let down by the rap. 3.5/5

  05.Hit the floor- the major dissapointer of the album. The rap is to similar to previous efforts and the chourus offers very little. 2/5

  06.Easier to Run- this chorus is one of the best in the album and blends perfectly with the brige at the end. One of my favourites. 4.5/5

  07.Faint- The best song on the album. The intro is incredible and the rap blends so well with chester's chorus. A hard song with the best yelling bridge on the album. 5/5

  08 Figure .09- Good song. the chorus isn't as catchy as others but the rap is a stand out. Not original enough. 3/5

  09 Breaking the habit- An original an unlike any of their other songs. A quiet song in comparison and the opening scratch with the strings is awesome. Good for a change. 4/5

  10.From the Inside- A major stand out. I love this chorus. It has awesome lyrics and is easy to sing with. The best mix of rap and singing to date with an awesome brige. 5/5

  11.Nobody's Listening-Again very different.the intro with the pipes sounds sweet. Good rap. Good Chorus. 4/5

  12.Session- Dissapointing. Nothing compared to track 11 on hybrid theory where Mr Hahn went off. 1/5

  13.Numb- Another great song, easy flowing and again good to sing with. Great lyrics, another favourite, good closer. 4.5/5

  *** An awsome album...linkin park has created another masterpeice with every intro being different from the next but being so effective.

  Best songs- 03,06,07,10,13
  
  

• Give this band some credit.

  
  By A2H0Q5283J5H6X on 2003-11-17
  Some of the Linkin Park reviews on this website are ludacris. Linkin Park has a sound all their own. Chester's vocals are amazing, and Mike has a distinct rap style. To compare this band to Limp Bizkit is idiotic. Limp Bizkit has the worst singer/rapper in the biz. Fred Durst cannot hold a candle to Chester Bennington. Chester Bennington's vocals remind me of the young James Hetfeild from Metallica. Even though the songs are short, they are all trememdous pieces of art. The guitar riffs are not plain, and a person has to be extremely talented to play their music. This band is probably the most talented rock band right now. This band deserves more credit than they are getting on this website!
  
  

• !!!!

  
  By A3JNRNF3RFE2WE on 2003-05-21
  Ah, Linkin Park. After their long and respected career that has so far consisted of an album and their remix album, Linkin Park returns to us with Meteora, a majestic opus that lasts a breathtaking 36 minutes, leaving the listener in awe at how this incredible group could have packed so much music on just one cd.

  The album starts out strongly with Foreword, which consists of some random noises that only add to the staggering length of
  this album. Foreword smoothly transforms into the first "real song," Don't Stay. After the incredible talents of "Phoenix" and the guy who always wears earmuffs in his videos, Chester mourns soulfully. A few seconds later... uh oh, what happened here? Chester is ANGRY. Open about his teen angst, Chester screams about his broken relationship with his mother, presumably about how she forgot his birthday party.

  The next track, Somewhere I Belong, turns up the angst full volume. It starts with some sound effects courtesy of the DJ and

  some beautiful piano a la "In The End." There's the standard nu metal riffage for a few seconds, and the rapper comes in, with
  Chester wailing ocasionally, like a girl, about how confused he is.

  Somewhere I Belong is a track that illustrates one of the things I love most about Linkin Park: BEAUTIFUL PIANO. The beautiful piano piece found here is incredible, the work of someone who has played countless years. However, I can't help but wonder : who is this pianist, this genius, this modern-day Chopin? My money is on Chester. It seems fit that Chester, who aside from being a vocalist extraordinaire, is also a gifted musician.

  While the rest of the album is equally a tour de force, the last two tracks deserve special mention. On track 12, the mystery
  pianist we met on Somewhere I Belong is back to blow minds as he resumes his position on this two minute epic, easily one of
  the most complex instrumentals of all time. Thankfully, he sticks around for the last track, Numb. Numb ends Meteora in all
  Linkin Park's splendor. Chester doing his best Justin Timberlake imitation. The expert pianist at his finest, playing a piano piece with such depth and complexity that it only rivals a one-handed Mary Had A Little Lamb. The drummer pounding his drum kit so fast it has to be heard to be believed. The guitarist showing us that he is truly the Jimi Hendrix of our generation.

  Beautiful.
  
  

• Linkin Park Raises the Bar of Perfection Even Higher

  
  By A247CLR99OHNHR on 2003-09-28
  This album simply defies the laws of music. Hybrid Theory proved to be an incredible debut album, and somehow, Linkin Park has followed it with an album of even more incredible sound. Meteora bears a resemblance to Hybrid Theory in some of the song structure, but when you break down the album song by song, you can see why Meteora is vastly superior to its predecessor.

  1. Foreward: This track is merely a 13 second intro, but the beat blends perfectly into the second track.
  2. Don't Stay: 9/10 alone; 10/10 with Forward intro. This song proves to have some similarities with One Step Closer, but the song is refined to an extraordinary amount. The layers of multiple sound make this song one of the best on the CD.
  3. Somewhere I Belong: 10/10. The first single, Somewhere I Belong, is a standout on the album. It contains much more melody and lyrical poetry than any of the songs on Hybrid Theory except for In the End (That song is God). Somewhere I Belong is a clear sign of LP's foreward progression.
  4. Lying From You: 10/10. This song is a perfect blend of the three elements that make up LP: Rock, Hip-Hop, and Electronica. The song has an electronic bounce with a hip-hop beat, and Brad chimes in typically incredible guitar riffs. Amazing!
  5. Hit the Floor: 7/10. Not a bad song, but the sound seems relatively underdeveloped compared to the first three. Reguardless, it is not nearly bad enough to hinder the album.
  6: Easier to Run: 8/10. Another standout track, Easier to Run, is very melodic and harmonious. It is fitted with somewhat of a dark feeling that makes the entire song unique.
  7: Faint: 10/10. Anoth single, Faint, is arguably the best song on the album. The pace is fast, the rap is swift, and the chorus is elevating. This song is essentially a perfect alternative rock song.
  8: Figure .09: 8/10. This track is quite good, but, like Hit the Floor, this song seems somewhat underdeveloped. It still sounds good, but it can't compete with some of the other songs on the album.
  9: Breaking the Habit: 10/10. Any and all knowledge of Linkin Park's initial sound should be thrown out the window before listening to this incredible song. It simply blows listeners away with its excellent lyrics and profound melody. This song is perhaps the most intriguing song on Meteora.
  10: From the Inside: 7/10. My least favorite song, From the Inside, just lacks melody to me. It may possess good lyrics, but other parts just don't flow properly.
  11: Nobody's Listening: 10/10. This song is pretty sweet. It uses a flute for the base sound, and Mike's signature rap just carries this song. Chester's addition in the chorus doesn't hurt either.
  12: Session: 9/10. An incredible instrumental, Session, may not be as good as Cure for the Itch, but it has a certain dark atmosphere to it that makes it very listenable and almost danceable.
  13: Numb: 10/10. I don't see how anyone could dislike this song. It has such intricate melody and great vocals. This is great song to use for the conclusion.

  All in all, this is a must for all: LP fans, modern rock lovers, and music lovers. This album runs at a tight 36:41, but you will listen to this album dozens of times. I sure have. Besides, it's quality, not quantity. This album is a perfect 36:41, and the songs flow smoothly from one track to another. Purchase of this CD is not just recommended, it is demanded!
  
  

• Meaty- aura?
  By AON7AXZKSY3FL on 2004-02-07
  Why did it take me so long to write a review? I bought this album the day it came out and was so worried about what I would hear. Sophomore efforts from incredible debuts kind of work like movie sequels- they tend to not be as good. Linkin Park revive their sound, and mold it like true art. And at first I didn't like it at all. But extended listening has this rivaling "Hybrid Theory". It grows on you.

  1. FOWARD (-) No score, so song.
  2. DONT STAY (A) Wakes us up into what we know, and what we like. A very strong track.
  3. SOMEWHERE I BELONG (B+) Honestly, the reason I was worried about this CD was because of this song. The bridge is awesome, though.
  4. LYING FROM YOU (B) Back to business with this one. But somehow I'm still feeling alienated...
  5. HIT THE FLOOR (A) This is very fresh! agressive, resistant- this song fights you!
  6. EASIER TO RUN (A) Soaring with vocals, this is Linkin Park's rock ballad.
  7. FAINT (A-) Love flowing to this, Linkin Park's answer to pop anthems.
  8. FIGURE.09 (A-) At this point in the CD we are hearing a blend of what we've heard, and never heard before. This is good.
  9. BREAKING THE HABIT (B+) What is this?! It's super funky?! It's mellow?! It works!
  10. FROM THE INSIDE (A-) I'm feeling alienated from this disc. I can't tell this one from the three before it. Yay for screaming bridges!
  11. NOBODY'S LISTENING (A) Straight rap. Hated it at first. But I still couldn't get those "eastern" flutes out of my head. Now a fave, and good for break-dancing battles.
  12. SESSION (C) Yes, Mr Hahn is talented- No, we don't care.
  13. NUMB (A+) Redeams the whole album. One of the best songs I've ever heard. Makes me cry- almost.
  
  

• nothing new,its Hybrid Part 2...but who cares, it will sell!
  By ALH6TTPAJI41A on 2003-03-26
  For the kids who want to buy a cool CD and show it to their friends and prove that they can bust out Mike Shinoda's rap and belt out Chester Bennington's melodies....this is the CD! But do not expect any significant changes from their riff,melody, rap and scratch formula which helped 'em out for Hybrid.
  Its filled with 3-minute songs (the album is only 37-minutes short) which won't be a problem for the band to pick a single that will boost their sales. this is my rundown:

  The Good: Those who love the obvious Linkin Park trademark sound, they won't be disappointed. They experimented a tiny bit with new sounds(drum n bass beats, more tasteful samples, flute).

  The Bad: 37 minutes is way too short for a 'rock' album. There were opportunites for them to expand their arrangements, but chose to play it safe.
  
  In all, fair play to them for putting out a decent CD that would live up to Hybrid Theory. But personally, this CD was too obvious and i can't see me listening to this to often in the near future.It wasn't bad, but it wasn't groundbreaking either! It doesn't have 'staying power' and i thought this was their chance to show that Linkin Park had other colours..and i guess, they don't...and thus, they face the uphill battle of trying to survive in this genre and reinvent themselves in their next effort.
  
  

• THIS IS WHERE YOU SEPARATE THE MEN FROM THE BOYS
  By A12O5ELP82BPTO on 2004-03-14
  Much like the above title subject... this is, truly, where you separate the TRUE Linkin Park fans away from the posers/player hatin'/rap crap b*s* listening/korn sucks!!! no matter what they says, indenial fans.

  I mean, Are you out of your mind!! Just how many bands do you know that whenever they come out with an album (minus Reanimation), almost every songs in their album can be a hit?!
  
  Exactly!

  Not even Disturbed (my fave band of all time by the way, just above LP) or Metallica has succeeded in that respectable category.

  So Stop frontin' GO BUY THE CD!!! IGNORE all the haters, cuz chances are... they don't know what they're talking about.

  'nuff said.
  
  

• Linkin Parks' Second Effort - A Successful One
  By A3UZHPT6414PS0 on 2005-03-02
  I enjoyed this album better than 'Hybrid Theory'. Its a short CD with 13 songs and goes for 47 mins or there abouts. But it has many great songs layered in their successful blending of rock with rap and comes out with a good effort. This is the enhanced CD version that comes out with great multimedia content. The video of 'Somewhere I Belong' was the highlight and shinoda has a great voice almost reminiscent of Aaron Lewis from Staind.
  
  The hit song from this album became and for good reason, 'Somewhere I Belong', it shows Linkin Park at their full potential with gritty lyrics and a delivery that is amazing. My other favourite songs from this album were 'Faint', 'Breaking the Habit' and 'Sessions'. Sessions is one of the better instrumental songs I have come across recently.
  
  
• Flawless
  By A1QSHHO8GKANHK on 2003-05-12
  Criticism 1: Meteroa is Hybrid Theory 2.
  - as great as HT is, Meteora is better. Better because it takes the the spirit of Hybrid Theory and expands on it, in a fuller, richer and more mature way. Meteroa is an album of muscial depth, one listen is never enough. Where Hybrid Theroy was edgy, Meteroa is softer. Meteroa is very much of a reflection of where and who Linkin Park are now.

  Criticism 2: Meteroa is repetitive.
  - having listened to the album non-stop for the last 2 weeks, I think this is just an unfounded. Don't Stay sounds nothing like Nobody's Listening, Easier to Run sounds nothing like Lying from You. Breaking the Habit sounds nothing like Faint. Where, I ask, is the repetition? All the songs on this record are standout briliance, fantastically individually and yet always with the common thread that is Linkin Park.

  Criticism 3: Meteora is too short?
  -since when has the value of a record been determined by it's length. Meteora is the only CD I have in my considerable collection that hasn't seen the skip button. I'd rather take 37 minutes of brilliance than have to skip over "fillers" and ... songs.

  Meteora is everything that music should be: without boundaries and restrictions of genre and sounds, rich and powerful. The vocals are fabulous as always, with the chemistry between Mike and Chester becoming fuller with every song, the guitar work by Brad is flawless, accentuating the mood of each song, the drumming is superb, Phoenix rocks on bass and Mr. Hahn is far superior on Meteora than he ever was on Hybrid Theory.

  Can't find a bad thing to say about this CD, it is absolute fantastic! A more than worthy addition to anybody's music collection.
  
  

• Lord Almighty...
  By A240XWWPF4CCZ9 on 2003-05-28
  I am so sick of you 12 year olds writing about how much this kind of music rocks. This is 'N Sync with a guitar. Honest to God. It's only 37 minutes long, jesus! Some kid told me, when I confronted him about that, that "well, lots of the beatles albums were only 30-40 minutes long" well duh. back then they had VINYL. VINYL doesn't hold much more than 40 minutes of music. What's Linkin park's excuse? Oh that's right, they aren't musicians, they're deep fried pre-packaged music industry bullcrap.
  
  
• The follow up to Hybrid Theory has lost it
  By on 2003-03-27
  I just listened to the entire new cd by Linkin Park, Meteora and right now I'm pretty dissapointed. Expected to top their last album, Hybrid Theory, Linkin Park seems too have run out of good ideas. They've gained many new ideas (lots and lots of sampling is being used in their songs now) but they seem to fall flat when combining the sampling elements with heavy rock riffs. While on the album Hybrid Theory every song was very well done, on this new album I could only find 3 or 4 songs worth listening to many times ('Don't Stay', 'Somewhere I Belong', 'Faint', and 'Numb') while all the other songs on this album either sound exactly the same as other tracks, aren't good songs, or sound exactly like tracks from Hybrid Theory. Although it's taken them 1 and a half years to produce this album, they could have put a lot more into it if they tried to do something different. But the CD is ok. I recommend you buy it if you're a fan of Linkin Park, i don't recommend you buy it if your not though. Just listen to Hybrid Theory, that album is amazing.
  
  
• An amazing addition if you loved the first one
  By A325KJXB0Z9FBS on 2003-03-28
  This CD will be familiar territory if you loved the first CD. If you didn't like it, or got tired of the original songs really fast, you won't like this.

  Now, to go into my description of the words "familiar territory." A friend told me it sounded exactly like the first one, and he's right in the respect that "Numb" sounds a lot like "Pushing Me Away." I think he was disillusioned by the fact that Linkin Park has a hugely distinct sound, and anything they do will sound like they've always sounded. He mentioned that the CD had the "same beats and riffs" but I strongly disagree with that. Perhaps the same beats, but how many different tempos can you arrange? All of Linkin Park's songs have a darkness, half-insanity edge to them, and there's no way to avoid that.

  I've also been told that for the amount of time they were given to put out a new CD, the shortness of the CD is unacceptable. I know this is not relevant to the CD itself, but it may help console those who are bitter. If you buy the limited edition, the CD will be accompanied with a DVD called "The Making of Meteora." This shows the time and work put into each song, including the 6 years in-the-making that "Breaking the Habit" went through. I hope this will help those who think the CD is too short realize how confused they are.

  Personally, I love this CD. I still love the old one. If you don't like their sound, you won't like this CD. But I strongly recommend it, and it will remain up with Hybrid Theory and Reanimation as my top CDs. The songs remain on the same level as older ones, and indeed have the same style. That's Linkin Park style, man.
  
  

• Sucks at a whole lot of things...
  By A1IK1AJ5N7NXTY on 2004-08-10
  ...and NEVER manages to do one right. Linkin Park follow the philosphy of maybe if we suck at a whole lot of things at once maybe people won't notice we suck at all. Apparently this philosphy is working since they've sold millions of records (don't know if I should laugh or cry), which brings me to something else. What the f*ck do these guys have to be upset about? Were they not able to put gold trim on their olympic size swimming pool? Could they not buy that 38th corvette they wanted? Maybe they forget some of their money and instead of eating at a 5 star restraunt had to suffer the horror of eating at (gasp!) KFC!. Yeah, I feel soooooo sorry for the poor little millionares who contrive their angst ridden lyrics solely for profit. The vocals suck even worse with Chester sounding like a whiny three year old when he sings and a whiny three year old throwing a tantrum when he screams. As if Chester didn't make my ears bleed enough on his own, they also have some wigger trying to rap which really needs no further explanation as to why that's horrible. I have only heard rap rock done well on a couple of occasions, 3rd Strike, Six Feet Under with Ice T and Faith No More are about the only times I think of that this combination has ever succeded. The guitars take no effort to do, I've only been playing guitar for about three months now and I can write and play better stuff than this. Not because I'm some sort of prodigy, that's just how easy it is to do. I don't even hear a bass which may be because they don't have one or he sucks so much they just have him to stand on stage and pretend he's playing some sweet bass lines. The dj sucks too and is just further proof that turntables and guitars don't mix. The drums may be the worst part of all, I only have played drums once when I messed around with a friends kit and I have no doubt in my mind that sounded better than Linkin Park. The keyboards, you guessed it, suck as well. Unless done in exactly the right way keyboards and metal don't mix, Linkin Park don't do it the right way. Some guy who maybe took 2 weeks of piano lessons in 3rd grade bangs away on them and manages to make ungodly sounds that would sound horrible at a 3rd rate carnival ride in hell. Linkin Park do is horrible and I would recommend some other bands if it weren't for three reasons. A). The average Linkin Park fan is too jaded to see there's better stuff out there B). The average Linkin Park fan is too stupid to comprend better things and therefore don't deserve them and C). The Average Linkin Park fan who is a 29 year old loser who lives with his parents is too busy trying to pick up 14 year old girls while he walks by the junior high (Too much of a failure to own a car) and has no time to worry about better music. Overall, Linkin Park are a bunch of whiny posers who deserve ruin for how many good bands had to end because of them. I hope they disappear soon and people start recognizing real talent. I know that will never happen, but it's a nice thought isn't it? To all you REAL metal fans out there, I urge you to join the Linkin Park bashing, it's damn good fun!
  
  
• The worst band in music today, and you all know it too
  By AJKWF4W7QD4NS on 2003-03-27
  Linkin Park's "Hybrid Theory" was the definition of made for radio wanna be hard rock that has no real emotion or soul to it. "Meteora" continues this trend, and by the time this review is published the album will most likely have gone platinum. This time around the album is packed full of poorly sampled blips and sounds that are mixed in with the more annoying than usual rapping, repetitive down tuned guitars, and inconsistent drumming that people the world over have grown to love. Chester Bennington, who I had said before had a unique voice and is quite talented, sounds tired and plain old uninspired here, and the band is so poorly knit that it is plainly clear that "Meteora" was released just to make money and get on the radio. This isn't hard rock. This isn't metal. And none of these guys are Mike Patton (the other vocalist whose name slips my memory seems to try to mimic him more and more). Linkin Park is only part of a trend.....
  
  
• An Excellent Sophmoric Effort
  By A3QX10CNA70D4U on 2003-04-21
  This is Linkin Park's third full length album, but it's only the second one that features new material. That is to say, Park fans have been waiting a long time for this CD. Does it live up to the hype? Let's look at the CD Track by track...

  1. Foreward: It's about 10 seconds of nothing. A beat that gets progressively faster with a glass shattering sound. Whoopdeedo.

  2. Don't Stay: A heavy guitar combined with excellent sratches makes a good, rage-filled opening.

  3. Somewhere I Belong: This is the first radio single. It's a bit slower then most LP songs, but that doesn't take away from the music. Excellent rapping by Mike.

  4. Lying From You: Probably the worst song on the CD. Brad's guitar doesn't go anywhere special; and the backround loop gets a little annoying. Fortunatly, the chorus doesn't include it.

  5. Hit the Floor: A good old angry song. Mike raps espcially fast, and Chester screams espcially loud.

  6. Easier to Run: The boys bring it down a bit. Chester does the singing. Really nice, harmonical sampling.

  7. Faint: A strange loop comes in at the beginning, but Brad does some nice guitar work to match the loop exactly. Put together nicely, includes a screaming bridge.

  8. Figure.09: This is one of those songs that only LP fans will like. Nothing special, but a good song none the less.

  9. Breaking the Habit: The CD booklett says this song took 6 years to finally complete. It shadows the eariler 'Eaiser to Run', with Chester singing the majority of the song. Magestic.

  10. From the Inside: Again, only a song LP fans will enjoy. Nothing really special, except it's in 6/8 time.

  11. Nobody's Listening: A Japanese flute humms in the backround while Mike raps about the band. It's not bad, but most people will probably skip the track.

  12. Session: Meteora's answer to Hybrid Theory's 'Cure for the Itch'. Except insead of Joe, Mike takes his turn in the studio. Apparently, says the Booklett, it sounded unfinished until Pheonix, Joe, and Rob put some stuff in it. A nice turntable solo at the end, but it's not as good as 'Cure'.

  13. Numb: Arguably the best song on the CD. Numb reminds one of 'Pushing me Away' from Hybrid Theory. A nice piano chimes in the back while Chester sings. Mike provides little backround rapping. It all comes together.

  All in all, Meterora sounds like Linkin Park. They've defined their own sound. If you didn't like Hybrid Theory, then Meteora is not for you. If you like LP's distinct sound, then pick up Meteora it's incredible.
  
  

• No Originality
  By on 2004-01-18
  I've been a Linkin Park fan since the early days of Hybrid Theory and I just want to say this album is a carbon copy of Hybrid Theory.
  Don't Stay = One Step Closer
  Easier to Run = Runaway
  Somewhere I Belong = In the End
  Faint sounds like something a bunch of pre-teens would be jumping around singing and the "melody" in Hit the Floor is just irritating. They could also work on their vocabulary a little more.
  
  
• Why people download music...
  By A1GI4P25VBXYTO on 2003-09-27
  If good musicians would start actually releasing good albums, then I doubt most people would resort to only downloading their singles off the internet. Linkin Park is nothing more than a Limp Bizkit knock-off, which is something of an oddity. Why would one lame band sink so low as to imitate the sound of another lame band? Boggles the mind. Where are the Jimi Hendrix's of the new millenium? The Bob Marleys? The Bob Dylans? The Marvin Gayes? What about the sensibilities and melodic craftsmanship of Elton John and Billy Joel? It seems as if mainstream bands these days have nothing of importance to say. They can't even cover their lousy lyrics with decent instrumentals. And folks wonder why more and more people are discarding this new stuff and venturing into the world of the pre-boy band days.

  The music is too simplistic these days. A drum machine beat, a little bass and one or two string/keyboard instrumentals. Wow. Amazing. Creativity went out the window a long time ago. The fact that an album as mediocre as this is a hot seller proves that. Is this the best we can do?
  
  

• Wow, this CD really does show the state of modern music!
  By A1BS8YM712C0VJ on 2004-06-21
  Released in March 25th, 2003, Meteora is Linkin Park's 3rd album.

  After borrowing this album, I can safely assume that my eardrums are still intact, but after having to listen to this dreadful mish-mash of rap and rock, I can't assume if I even believe my ears. So what is Stinkin Park exactly? Well, they are officially a "Nu-Metal" band, but in fact, they are a rap/pop band with one guitar. And the guitar? Mindless riffs that are so repetitive they border on the complexity to the beat of Eminem's "Cleaning Out My Closet". So what Stinkin Park really is, unlike the mindless fan of these wannabe Vanilla Ice rappers will tell you, is a glorified rap band with lyrics that rival Lil Kim for their originality, and beats like on "Lying From You" that take us back to the good old days of Britney Spear's "Baby One More Time". Plus, Stinkin Park's singers are unabashedly terrible and girly, with the MC's vocals sounding like a mixture of Vin Diesel and Marylin Manson, and the official lead singer, most notably on little quips from "Lying From You" sounding like he's squeezing out a crap and whining in the line "I'm Lying to Bend The Truth". In the next few words, I'm going to make a statement about Linkin Park, which also ties in with the Beastie Boys(I will give this to LP fans, LP is infinity times better than the Beastie Boys). In my opinion, between N'Sync and those two bands, I prefer N'Sync. Would you like to know why? First off, I hate N'Sync and any kind of Pop, but N'Sync, unlike Stinkin Park and the Beastie Boys, are HONEST about the kind of music they play. N'Sync says they play Pop, AND THEY DO! Linkin Park, on the other hand, portrays themselves as a "Hardcore Metal" band with "rap influences"! WTF! Hardcore Metal? Are you implying you're even half the band that Metallica and Pantera were you greasy preppy white boy rappers? I'll tell Stinkin Park and their fans right now, Linkin Park is rap with a guitar! Even other terrible Nu-Metal bands, such as Slipknot and Limp Bizkit, aren't half as bad as this pile of human waste! It figures, with all the gullible young 9 Year olds who watch MTV pick up on junk and other crap MTV promotes like Good Charlotte, The Beastie Boys, Avril Lavigne, Limp Bizkit, and the thousands of mindless rap bands out there. I will admit, I was once a Linkin Park fan, EVEN LESS THAN a YEAR AGO! But you know what? I went out and starting getting into bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Metallica, Pantera, Rush, and Ozzy Osbourne, and in comparison, Linkin Park looked like the lowest form of scum on the face of the earth. Just listening to Meteora, as many other people who've had to suffer through these songs on the radio, "Lying From You" and "Numb" are more disjointed than an amputee! Just listen to the songs for god's sake! THEY NEVER CHANGE, THEY'RE JUST THE SAME GUITAR RIFF, BEAT, AND VOCALS OVER AND OVER AND OVER, BROKEN UP BY A CHORUS EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE! If you're a Linkin Park fan, and I'm sure you're already reaching for the Not Helpful button, listen to what I'm about to say. All the ranting I've done about Linkin Park is ABSOLUTELY TRUE, and if you don't agree, listen to the songs a little closer. Below you'll find other bands that might fit your tastes but are billions times better than Linkin Park-

  Modern Rock Fans-

  Velvet Revolver, Fuel, Metallica(Not St. Anger), Tool, A Perfect Circle, 3 Doors Down(Not Away From The Sun), Audioslave, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, Aerosmith, and a few others.

  Rap/Rock Fans(I don't really like any of these bands a whole lot, but they're okay)-
  Rage Against the Machine, Anthrax, Faith No More, (In A way...) Audioslave, Slayer, and that's about all.

  Nu-Metal- Sorry, no good bands. Instead, check out some of the bands I listed above.

  NOT RECOMMENDED! DON'T BE FOOLED BY THE MINDLESS MASSES WHO BUY CRAP LIKE THIS AND INSTEAD SPEND YOUR MONEY ON MORE TOLERABLE ARTISTS LIKE THE ONES I LISTED ABOVE. AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE ECHOED, AS GOOD CHARLOTTE IS TO PUNK, LINKIN PARK IS TO METAL.....THEY'RE BOTH DISGRACES TO THEIR RESPECTIVE MUSIC STYLES! HOPE MY REVIEW GIVES YOU SOME NEW INSPIRATIONS! Thanks for Reading!
  
  

• wow this is bad
  By A25TZVJ0VLYPHX on 2004-05-25
  Linkin Park in a nutshell:
  uninteresting rhythms, simple melodies (if there are indeed melodies), predictable chord progressions, and generally boring slowly paced songs (no I'm not talking about tempo...the songs take forever to progress and the changes move at a snail's pace). The drumming is clean, but this is because it's laughably simple, as is just about every aspect of every song.

  I do have to congratulate Mr. Hahn though. While not exactly a musical instrument he's using, at least he shows some degree of creativity and skill.

  Every song is utterly depressing. The band fails to realize that some people actually do have happy moments in life, believe it or not. But that doesn't matter. Linkin Park is writing for a teen audience that is trying state its rebelliousness and hatred of parents (and authority in general). Luckily for the band, this group has no idea how to judge if music is well written. The only musical criteria they have is if it's angry and if it's popular.

  I see how people might like it, however: it's easy to grasp and one needn't think much when listening to get the full effect of the music. If you've heard it once, you've heard it enough. No replay value at all. A disgrace to musicians everywhere.
  
  

• Dear Members of Linkin Park
  By A1WA949YI81Q6T on 2005-08-08
  Up to 1995 the Rock musis in general was awesome. Then one day you and another gay-ass fakers like you (Limp Bizkit, Blink182, Good Charlotte, Creed and etc.) came and ruined it, arn't yo ashamed?! Many morons tell me you are so talented, but there is no one talented in your band but that nerd that sits all the day on the computer and mixes your bad music. BTW DJ in a rock band?!?! What the f**k?!?! Anyway the vocals are awful and sound like rap (This Mix of rock and rap sucks), The guitarist espcially sucks, did he ever took guitar lessons?? He always play the same chords and he plays only in the choruses. Oh yeah.. the bass, I found that he knows to play only 4 sounds on his bass guitar, he repeats the on every song.
  
  BTW since you made a discrace to the rock music and rap music, the best thing you can do is to get on the 10th floor of a building and jump (Without Parachute!!) Please do it, I and a lot of people will be soooooooo happy. THANK YOU
  
  (...)
  
  
• Hybrid Theory #2
  By APUX63Y4IE33K on 2003-03-26
  Because the first record sold so well, I wasn't expecting the second record (I'm not counting Reanimation) to be much different. Of course, Linkin Park wasn't going to change a winning formula. When I heard the first single, "Somewhere I belong", I knew I was right. This is sad and alright at the same time. It's sad because there wasn't much originality to begin with in Hybrid Theory (if you thought Linkin Park offered something new to the world, you probably just listen to radio music). At the same time, it's alright because, like it or not, this music is really catchy.

  I'm not going to talk about all the songs here. If you heard any of their songs, you know what the others sound like. I'm just going to point out some of the similarities between the records. First, "Easier to run" sounds exactly like "Crawling". Same intro, same structure, similar chorus. Second, "Faint" tries to be the second "Papercut", but is not nearly as good. Finally, "Session" is so much like "Cure for the Itch" it's not even funny. I tried to find a difference but I couldn't.

  With all that said, it may seems like I hate this record. I don't. But I hate the fact that I don't hate it. I want to dislike it, but it's so damn catchy I'll just have to listen to it until I get bored with it. Good thing is, it probably won't take long. Bad thing is, there's a good chance I'm going to be hearing a lot of this record in the coming months, whether it be from my friends or from the radio.
  
  

• This C.D. Kicks Total.... you know what I mean!
  By on 2003-04-07
  I'm only 15, but I recently bought this c.d. in Florida a few days ago and I never regretted it, I've listened to it fully about 9 times already and it still rocks! Look, don't listen to those people that are putting down this music just because it is different from Hybrid Theory and that they changed their style a bit . Me honestly, I like that they changed it cause I beleive that it shows more of LP's potential. If you are into this kind of music, then I highly recommend that you pick a copy of meteora soon! you won't be wasting your money over this.
  
  
• Meteora..... more like Mediocre!
  By on 2003-10-01
  I have to say I liked the first CD. It was shamefully "popy". OK, call "INSYNC Metal", but it was good and edgy. This one just made me yawn. Much like Korn, Rage Against the Machine, Limp Bizkit etc..., their first CD is the most memorable and certainly their most fresh and innovative. I guess does go to your head, too bad it doest improve thier music!
  
  
• BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR
  By A17MUN0N5L832L on 2005-04-05
  escuse me while i puke on this cd, i urge you not to buy.
  
  
• LOOK OUT IT'S A METEORA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  By A300AR4IM0KW21 on 2004-11-14
  Has an Amazon Editorial Review ever been as poor. Mathew Cooke, I am not your fan.
  
  '"Easier to Run," which would sound fine to a Def Leppard fan'
  
  What are you talking about? Def Leppard fans choke to death on this album.
  
  'Linkin Park is what Trent Reznor was always afraid of becoming'
  
  How the hell is Linkin Park simliar to NIN, how the hell would NIN ever stoop as low, how the hell do you think NIN make useless pop muci like this? You obviously have NO IDEA.
  
  'It's still impossible not to hear strains of Limp Bizkit, Korn, Rage Against the Machine, and the like'
  
  Rage Against The Machine? You seriously think Linkin Park sound like RATM? I don't think you know what your talking about. I don't think even big LP fans agree they sound like RATM. Thats an insult to one of the best bands around, a band which can honestly pride itself on being 100% anti-pop. While LP pride themselves on having a usless member that does s**t all (the other chinese guy, what exactly does he do?) a useless DJ guy, pillow-thudder bass player, sloppy guitarist with silly headphones and a librarian-esque frontman named Chester.
  
  Amazon Editorial Reviews are normally good, but just don't read it. Read some other crazed sheep's review, it will be far better.
  
  
• Wow
  By ADXGXH1AZF56T on 2005-02-21
  1) Intro - doesn't count
  2) Don't Stay - Great powerful bass and guitar. Catchy chorus 9/10
  3) Somewhere I belong - At first I didn't like this song because I don't like rap, and Linkin Park is always rapping, but the rapping fits in pretty well with this. Similar to Don't Stay, but I wish there was no rapping, ah well 7/10
  4) Lying from you - I LOVE the dramatic guitar introduction. Very heavy metal but it's great. Another rapping song, but I don't mind rapping too much if it's accompanied with guitars. A bit of screaming, but like I said before the guitars are BRILLIANT 9/10
  5) Hit the floor- Another dramatic heavy guitar introduction. Not such a good song. Too much rapping, then he just screams a bit too much for my liking. Also the music isn't very advanced, just a few noisy chords. Listen to it if you need some mindless music in your ear 6/10
  6) Easier to run - "It's easier, replacing this pain with something numb." A great song, with minimal rapping, and we finally here how gentle his voice really can be. He doesn't scream half as much as well 9/10
  7) Faint - MY FAVOURITE SONG!!!!!! I really don't mind the rapping in this; it fits well with the BEST CHORUS EVER!!!!!!!! Sorry, but this is a fantastic track. The music is loud and faced past, and his chorus is quite upbeat, and you just can't help singing loudly and dancing around the living room to this song 11/10
  8) Figure 0.9 - This is similar to Faint but a bit slower. His whispering is really great in this song, even if it sounds like Faint. He doesn't really scream, but the guitars are slightly heavy. 9/10
  9) Breaking the habits - The one everyone knows. This has got great music. We finally get a break from the pulsating heavy guitars, and at last we can hear some gentler music. He varies his voice as well, so we don't here him screaming/bawling/grinding. His voice is gentle, and the music contrasts. Instead of the usual guitars/drums/bass, we here strings, guitars, bass, piano, and some sort of Chinese bells 10/10
  10) From the inside - More gentle singing, but still screams a bit, a bit of light rapping. Not very original music, but nice to listen to anyways 8/10
  11) Nobody's Listening - You know how I said I don't mind rapping if it's to a guitar background? Well he raps to a heavy r'n'b background, which kinda sucks. I've tried to like this song, but I can't stand it 1/10 for trying
  12) Session - Just a musical, but not such an impressive one. It's a bit repetitive. It's a good song to listen to though, if you want to do something without getting distracted by words 7/10
  13) Numb - Another well known great classic. A mixture of gentle and hard singing, and gentle and hard music, with NO rapping whatsoever 10/10
  
  Overall, this is a really good CD. At first I didn't like it because I thought it was too heavy metal for me and too much rapping, but after a while it's grown to be one of my favourites, and surprisingly I listen to it to calm me down. A must buy for rock fans!
  
  
  
• Very solid output from Linkin Park
  By ADYIRD049B38O on 2003-03-25
  Again, Linkin Park has drawn great attention to itself--this time with their second mainstream album, Meteora. After thoroughly listening to the album, I found myself immensely pleased with Linkin Park's latest work.

  Meteora is, I believe, an improvement over Hybrid Theory. It still has the same distinctive sound of their 2000 release, but with fresher lyrics and some new bells and whistles. As a whole, it seems more cohesive; each track follows the same general theme (a plus!) and every song is a pleasure to listen to. I must admit though, that I was quite skeptical and had significant expectactions for this album. Meteora has met those expectations. My skepticism has subsided, and I am left with the pleasure of owning a great new CD. Besides, it has some really neat art accompanying the lyrics!

  Overall, Meteora is a very impressive and notable effort by Linkin Park.
  
  

• HYBRID THEORY 2.0: GETS THE JOB DONE
  By A23KAWGZ4RE1RI on 2003-04-20
  Linkin Park are one of those pop acts that purists are going to hate. "Ooh, teen angst set to rhymes and distorted metal guitars!", "Ooh, Mike Shinoda has spiky hair! How cool!". "Ok, so was that just one thirty nine minute song or an actual album". They have a point but even a person who doesn't even follow the cheesy and smugly corporate pop scene these days can see that Linkin Park aren't bad.
  This isn't revolutionary hard rock with a heady hip hop influence infused with a sense of innovation. It's beautifully produced pop-rock with strong hip hop references and a sense of good will. Why the overly decreasing Rolling Stone called LP an "art rock band at the core" is anyone's guess. But "Meteorta", the boys' second studio release, after the ten times platinum "Hybrid Theory", isn't artful. But it's hella enjoyable all the same.

  Anyone looking for growth, maturity, or anything new. Sorry, put that bucks on groceries on instead. "Meteora" shamelessly mimics the entire formula to "Hybrid Theory" to a tee. There's times where lyrics are reused and cords are damn near identical to chords played on "Hybrid Theory". But it would be horrid if only the music wasn't so damn appealing and catchy.

  "Don't Stay"(also known as "One More Step Closer"; this is so closely it sounds to this band's breakout hit), "Lying From You", and the bounce-inspired(yup, bounce) "Hit The Floor" are perfect for jamming to in the car too...with the windows firmly closed, that is. "Somewhere I Belong" is perfect pop fodder. Cool studio effects. Blaring guitars. Distorted beats. Mike Shinoda's cocked flow. Chester Bennington's angry-Savage Garden-member's like screaming. Substantial music? *crickets chirp* Good time pop music: LP's your guys.

  "Meteroa" is so catchy and feel good that you might forget that you wish the guys had grown more. Maybe add some of the indie hip hop feel of their ambitious remix project, "Reanimation". Go further in '80s synth-pop. Try a more fluid ballad. That's the only thing, as well as the foaming predictability and cheesiness that mars "Meterora". Other than that is great guilty pleasure pop.
  The production really amps up the respect for this effort. It's great. Nice and shiny. Not much different from their star making album but hey, it gets the job done.
  
  

• In one word- remarkable
  By AGUXL7FL6MLQK on 2003-05-24
  Alright so I give in. I am now officially a Linkin Park fan. And contrary to popular belief these days, no am I not a twelve year old girl who thinks Mike/Chester/Brad/Phoenix/Joe/Rob is 'hot'. My journey towards Linkin Park fandom started not with Hybrid Theory but with 'Reanimation'. Having been blown away by such an innovative CD, I picked up Hybrid Theory and thoroughly enjoyed that. Which brings me quite nicely to 'Meteora'.

  At 37 minutes long, one can complain that the record is too short. You won't find me complaining. 'Meteora' is 37 minutes of the most intricate and imaginative music you're likely to hear this year. What stuns me about 'Meteora' is just how rich in depth it is despite it's short length. The subtle nuances in each song that make every listen different from the last. It's been in my CD player for the last month now and still I hear different things in different places in different songs that I hadn't heard before.

  The best thing I can say about this CD is it's inherent seamlessness, not one song feels out of place or disjointed. Instead the songs flow so naturally and effortlessly into each other, combining sounds and elements that coming from any other band would be at best awkward and at worst disastrous. But Linkin Park pull it off spectacularly. I can't pick a favourite song, simply because I can't make up my mind. This week I'm stoked on 'Breaking the Habit', last week it was 'Don't Stay' and the week before that was 'Nobody's Listening'. Next week it'll probably be something else.

  If you insist on defining music into genres like rap/rock and nu-metal, and you think Linkin Park is too 'pop' or 'not metal enough' instead of just appreciating the music for the remarkable innovation that it is , then this CD is not for you. And more's the pity because this, in my opinion, is quite simply the stand-out album of the year.
  
  

• Hybrid Theory
• Minutes to Midnight
• Reanimation
• Fallen
• Collision Course (with DVD)