New LIVING THINGS Details and Lyrics Revealed in HitFix Interview with Mike Shinoda

Joe · May 2, 2012

Mike Shinoda recently spoke to HitFix music blog who also had a chance to hear 6 songs from the new Linkin Park album, LIVING THINGS. They give a brief run-down of six of the tweleve songs for the upcoming album and offer an insight to how the songs sound and some of the lyrical content featured in the tracks. Read the interview and check out the full article below.

While making its new album, “Living Things,” Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda says, “it almost felt like a drug trip.”

Shinoda played six new songs from the set, out June 26, for Hitfix and a handful of other bloggers in a North Hollywood studio a few days ago. He further prefaced the listening session by adding, “We realized we’d run away from the things we started with.” But instead of returning to the sound of its first album, 2000’s “Hybrid Theory,” Linkin Park, along withproducer Rick Rubin (who co-produced with Shinoda), sought to bring in the best of the band’s rock and rap mix and pour in new sounds to create something else.

“We were looking to redefine everything.” Shinoda said, as he deliberated over which and how many songs to play. After a little deliberation, Shinoda decided that he wanted us to hear the album’s first four songs in order since they set the tone of the album: “You’re going to go on a little journey... There’s a very specific vibe,” he said. Then he picked two other tracks that seemed to best represent some of the experimentation the band tried in the studio.

Album opener, “Lost In the Echo” starts big and stays big, instead of LP’s tried-and-true pattern of beginning quietly then exploding into cacophony. Shinoda raps from the start , then vocalist Chester Bennington comes in, his vocals surrounded by echo on the propulsive track. The song signals, as Shinado pointed out at the end, that as much as the band was looking forward, it also took some of its cues from the ‘80s. Lyrically, the theme the pervades the song-- and the album--is a sense of disillusion and disappointment. “These promises are broken, defeated. Each word gets lost in the echo,” Bennington sings.

On second tune “In My Remains,” Bennington sings of fear and pain over an electronic, aggressive, full sonic landscape; discordant and clangy. It shifts to a precise, military rat-a-tat as Bennington sings “Like an Army falling, one by one.” He repeats the phrase as the tension builds and Rob Bourdon’s drumming propels everything into lockstep.
“In My Remains”

We won’t spend too much time on “Burn It Down,” since that’s the first single that you’re already hearing for yourself. But let’s just say that we can’t wait to hear some dance remixes on that song.

The next track, “Lies, Greed & Misery,” was the most innovative and captivating we heard of the six. Opening with Shinoda rapping over percolating synths and stutter steps, the song sounds like Linkin Park crossed with Skrillex crossed with M.I.A. A jagged, fuzzy keyboard bridge gives way to Bennington chanting “You Did It To Yourself,” before he starts screaming the line over and over in a hypnotic frenzy.

“Until It Breaks” starts with Shinoda rapping over a swaggering beat, surrounded by beats coming at him from all angles. The song shifts into a Kanye West-like rap thump into real instruments—strings, keys—under Bennington’s vocal as he prays for the “strength of the rising sun.” The ambient sonics grew louder and stronger as the voices succumbed to the machines.

Along with “Lies,” “Castle Of Glass” felt like the biggest game-changer. Over an almost alternative country melody, Bennington sings “Take me down to the river bank... wash the poison off my skin...show me how to be whole again.” It’s one of the most straight forward tunes that the band has done with a traditional song structure. Bennington and Shinoda sing together as their voices, and desperation, rise, “I’m on a crack in this castle of glass.”

Afterwards, Shinoda referenced both Swedish hardcore band Refused and industrial group Ministry as reference points and elements of both are easily spotted in the tunes. In the songs we heard, it was clear the band wanted to take certain sonic sounds and turn them on their head, distort them and tear them apart.

“We’re experimenting with new tools,” Shinoda said. "We wouldn’t have been able to do this five years ago."
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Pre-Order LIVING THINGS

Source: HitFix

Tim · May 2, 2012

Now I kind of want to hear LIES GREED MISERY.

Minus · May 2, 2012

To all you nu-metal purists that think I'm a dunce
I'll note the word "guitar" was not written ONCE.

Adiek84 · May 2, 2012

I WANT THIS ALBUM NOW!

Agent · May 2, 2012

Sounds pretty good. Wasn't expecting "Lies" to get such good praise.

Bennington_Hahn · May 2, 2012

WOAH! All this new info is coming thick and fast! Those song discriptions are brilliant! Sounds like we're getting nothing we've heard before!

Also:

+ / – said: ↑

To all you nu-metal purists that think I'm a dunce
I'll note the word "guitar" was not written ONCE.
Click to expand...

NUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!

sorry, couldn't resist I'm loving how Castle of Glass is shaping up!

PIFRESH · May 2, 2012

Cant wait for this album

rgillies · May 2, 2012

As long as they don't actually sing "Lies, Greed and Misery" at any point in the song I'll be happy.

Anne · May 2, 2012

Holy shit I can't wait, these summeries sound awesome. Castle of Glass sounds interesting as fuck.

Dragondust · May 2, 2012

Very exciting...want ...need..must have.....now!!! Castle of Glass sounds brilliant!

Ree · May 2, 2012

HOLY SHIT.

---

I lol'd at "Shinado".

Andreina · May 2, 2012

On second tune “In My Remains,” Bennington sings of fear and pain over an electronic, aggressive, full sonic landscape; discordant and clangy. It shifts to a precise, military rat-a-tat as Bennington sings “Like an Army falling, one by one.” He repeats the phrase as the tension builds and Rob Bourdon’s drumming propels everything into lockstep
Click to expand...

: D''''''''''

The next track, “Lies, Greed & Misery,” was the most innovative and captivating we heard of the six. Opening with Shinoda rapping over percolating synths and stutter steps, the song sounds like Linkin Park crossed with Skrillex crossed with M.I.A. A jagged, fuzzy keyboard bridge gives way to Bennington chanting “You Did It To Yourself,” before he starts screaming the line over and over in a hypnotic frenzy.
Click to expand...

WOAH, this is gonna be so sick!!

“We’re experimenting with new tools,” Shinoda said.
Click to expand...

Man, this is gonna be so good. I LOVE reading articles like this! I'm so fucking pumped.

And yeah, LIES GREED MISERY continues to get praise from the writers. Ted said it was one of his favorites as well. Seems like it'll be a highlight on the record.

Flagrare · May 2, 2012

Very cool! Can't wait for the Album. I'm really excited with the “Lost In the Echo”, "In My Remains” and “Until It Breaks” ! ;O “Until It Breaks” will be like "Wretches and Kings", I guess. ;O

+ / – said: ↑

To all you nu-metal purists that think I'm a dunce
I'll note the word "guitar" was not written ONCE.
Click to expand...

You're right Minus. ;O

Qwerty19 · May 2, 2012

I laughed when Lies, Greed, Misery was described in such good terms. Despite being apparently aggressive (Chester will scream on it) as the name suggested it, it will still be innovative. Cool to hear!

Zak · May 2, 2012

Ree said: ↑

HOLY SHIT.

---

I lol'd at "Shinado".
Click to expand...

I was pissing myself for some reason at Shinado.

While lies does sound like its going to be awesome, it also does sound like as if it is harking back to older LP songs in the form of "hypnotic" and repetitive screaming of the same lyrics.

Joe · May 2, 2012

Sounds... oh-oh-oh

Blackened · May 2, 2012

Finally more information on the !

Avo · May 2, 2012

Can't wait to hear Castle of Glass. So far, the only song to have mention of Mike singing.

YoMarques · May 2, 2012

Awesome info. Can't wait to listen to it!

Minus · May 2, 2012

Joe said: ↑

Sounds... oh-oh-oh
Click to expand...

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New LIVING THINGS Details and Lyrics Revealed in HitFix Interview with Mike Shinoda

Joe I'm tried LPA Administrator

Tim My perversion power is accumulating LPA Super Member

Minus ohai LPA Addicted VIP

Adiek84 Well-Known Member

Agent Formerly known as Agent Sideburns LPA Über VIP

Bennington_Hahn This goes out to everybody still hatin' LPA VIP

PIFRESH Well-Known Member

rgillies Active Member

Anne married to the ocean LPA VIP

Dragondust Lingering distortion LPA VIP

Ree a female witch. LPA Administrator

Andreina Proud Venezuelan LP fan. LPA Contributor

Flagrare 'Majestic Dick. Brazilian Snake Cock. And Cunts. LPA Super Member

Qwerty19 Well-Known Member

Zak HEY, EVERYONE! GET IN HERE!

Joe I'm tried LPA Administrator

Blackened Blackened Symphony

Avo Don't Stop Running

YoMarques Linkin Park Soldier. LPUer.

Minus ohai LPA Addicted VIP

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