Minutes to Midnight (album)

Minutes to Midnight is Linkin Park's upcoming third studio album, scheduled for release worldwide on May 14, 2007, and May 15 for the United States and Canada

Meaning

The title is a reference to the Doomsday Clock, where "Minutes to Midnight" is a measure of the proximity of the world to nuclear destruction. At the time of the title's announcement, the clock stood at 5 minutes to midnight. Mike Shinoda has explained that the album has various meanings:
“ Don't take that at face value. There are layers of meaning, most are metaphoric...It’s definitely a reference to the doomsday clock—the Apocalypse—a metaphor for death and rebirth, but it could also be applied to the music industry, sort of tongue-in-cheek.

Release

The album was delayed multiple times, first scheduled for summer 2006, then fall 2006, then early 2007, and now May 14, 2007 worldwide with the North American release the day after. In an interview in September 2006, Shinoda explained, "When songs are pouring out you don't ever want to stop that. We already have over 100 roughs for songs. We've narrowed it down since but we're not ready to commit to those yet." From the early demo sessions, "QWERTY", which was rumored to be on Minutes to Midnight, has appeared on the Linkin Park Underground v6.0 CD on December 5, 2006 in both live and studio demo versions. The song has now been confirmed as a B-Side track and will not be included on Minutes to Midnight.
"This was a year-and-a-half long process of really hard work and experimentation in the studio that yielded about 150 rough songs," guitarist Brad Delson told Billboard.com. "Not only is this album incredibly diverse, but the depth of the material is really strong."
The first single, "What I've Done", was released on April 2, 2007, and debuted at number one on the U.S. Modern Rock chart.
"Given Up", "What I've Done" and "No More Sorrow" made their live debut on April 28, 2007 in Berlin, Germany. These three tracks will also be played on AOL Sessions on May 7, 2007.
Full released versions of "What I've Done", "Given Up", and "No More Sorrow" have been leaked onto the internet. On May 3, 2007, a 1 minute clip of "Bleed It Out" was leaked onto P2P sharing files and the internet.

Song Meanings

Song Information/Descriptions

01. Wake -

"This is an intro track that starts the album - you can hear a needle going down on a record and I think it sets a tone for what's to come." -- Mike - "To begin their long awaited album, Linkin Park choose to gently set the wheels in motion rather than forcefully kick-starting lively music which fans have come to expect. Instead, they present a slow, short intro track with a synth-heavy melody and a nice building ambiance, which gradually increases in volume." -- Kudos Magazine

02. Given Up

- "We had a really bad song called 'Fire In The City' - the chorus actually had the words 'fire in the city' on it! Mike was the only person who liked it. Rather than just scrap the song, we mined it for any good parts. I took the bassline and the drums and built weird sounds around it, which eventually became this song. Chester's screaming: 'What the fuck is wrong with me? Put me out of my fucking misery!' so without explaining exactly what the song is about, it's pretty clear he's not happy." -- Brad - 'A heavy punk song' -- TERAZ ROCK - "The smoothness is soon thrown out the window however when the scratchy turntable sound of this second track transforms into a gargantuan heavy rock riff. This is possibly the most in-your-face song on the entire record – the punk rock style drumbeats are brash, the guitars thrash and Chester Bennington sings his lungs out. When it reaches the bridge, he goes from singing to screaming the line, “You put me out of my misery” over and over again. It’s heated, emotional and enjoyable, but the track definitely feels like it’s missing a certain something." -- Kudos Magazine

03. Leave Out All The Rest -

"We knew this was going to be a single from the very beginning, so we worked really hard on making sure it had some great lyrics. I'm singing 'Pretending someone else can save me from myself' during it because it's supposed to feel like an apology letter, as though I'm moving on but I want people to remember the good things and not the bad things. A lot of the song is about humility." -- Chester - "A really moody, almost electronic-based song. Lyrically, I can definitively say this is our strongest record, and in particular, this song I really connect to personally. I think it's a really touching song." -- Brad - "From one extreme to another, three tracks in and we’re presented with a ballad. It’s very listenable pop rock with tranquil vocals and dominant bass guitar. It seems odd to position such a slow-paced tune so early into the album but it’s radio friendly style is bound to be popular with many. The piece of music does end rather abruptly though and you may be left wanting more." -- Kudos Magazine - Alternate title: When My Time Comes

04. Bleed It Out

- "I wrote the lyrics to this about a hundreed times. It's always frustrating as a lyricist to come in with a new version that you spent hours on and have the band tell you that it's not yet there. In one case they listened to my lyrics for 30 seconds and told me to start over again. That was pretty hard. It felt like I was bringing in lyrics, getting punched in the face and then going back to the drawing board. When it finally came together I said to the band, 'I don't think anyone but us could have made a song like this'. It's fucking bizarre death-party-rap-hoedown!" -- Mike - "Motown drums, almost '80s rock guitar, rapping and an early hip-hop influence in terms of how it was recorded. I think it will be really fun to play live." -- Brad - "This is much more like the Linkin Park we’re used to hearing. Mike Shinoda starts off with a casual rap before trading off with Chester and some insightful lyrics, “I bring it out, bring it in deeper just to throw it away.” The song’s structure revolves around four simple chords with screaming vocals leading up to the catchy chorus. Piano adds an extra dimension to the track but overall it’s a little repetitive and flat, ending abruptly again. Saying that, we can see this being released as a successful single in the future." -- Kudos Magazine

05. Shadow Of The Day

- "This was probably the most difficult arrangment to nail. It sounded very derivative at first but then we kept kept replacing different elements on it. We put an acoustic guitar on it, then an electric banjo and then a marimba. It's definitely one of the best songs we've written." -- Brad - 'Sounds like classic, old U2' -- TERAZ ROCK - "Possibly the most listener friendly song on ‘Minutes To Midnight,’ the style is very soft yet clear with both vocals and bass taking a poppy turn. Percussion comes across clear and dominant, but overall the song remains average in terms of technicality. It seems to offer nothing more than a break-up in the record, but its dreamy nature is quite certain to be a hit with the fans." -- Kudos Magazine

06. What I've Done -

The first single from Minutes To Midnight. - A video, directed by band turntablist Joseph Hahn, was recently shot in the California desert. - "Joe came up to Mike and I and asked us to take the whole idea of Minutes to Midnight and apply that to how the band has changed. So, in a way, it's us saying goodbye to how we used to be" ... "right away, you'll notice that the band sounds different: The drums are much more raw, the guitars are more raw and the vocals aren't tripled. It's just us out there ... and that's how Rick wanted it. Basically he told us, 'If it sounds like it could've been on the first two records, then we're not going to work on it.'" -- Chester - "On the other albums, Brad and I started every song together [separately]. But this was the only song that we wrote together and was the last one we finished. We wanted a song that encapsulated the feel of the whole record and I think this is that song. You're going to get something different out of every time you listen to it." -- Mike - "Generally a hit from the moment it is played, ‘What I’ve Done’ soars with a catchy chorus and likeable verses, before developing into a brilliant bridge and climatic ending. A gentle guitar solo midway adds depth and versatility before another welcome chorus. The haunting piano and synthetic drums combine to create a fantastic addition to Linkin Park’s third album and a perfect choice for their first single." -- Kudos Magazine

07. Hands Held High -

"Rick [Rubin] said to us that, if something sounded like it needed rapping, then we should try singing and vice versa. That’s why this song has rapping on it." -- Mike - "The marching drumbeat and simple melody is an ideal backdrop to Shinoda’s poetic rapping and it has certainly developed in the space of two previous albums and his hip-hip focused side project Fort Minor. Again, Chester’s melodic singing comes in later but the central theme of the song does seem to be soldier’s homecoming in the aftermath of war. Maybe it was written to get those arms flailing lighters around at rock festivals. Either way, it’s still an impressive track." -- Kudos Magazine

08. No More Sorrow -

"This is probably the heaviest song on the album. It was initially called ‘EBow Idea’. Rick told Brad that he should use an EBow [guitar effect] on a different song. When he went in to work on that, he got frustrated and came up with the opening for this." -- Rob - "I think this is the record you should listen to on headphones because you’ll hear different things, this is a song that shows there is depth to this record." -- Chester - "Opening up with a creeping lead guitar, ‘No More Sorrow’ rocks heads with a deep double-bass drumming intro switching over to a simple paradiddle on the snare. Definitely the best chorus of the album so far, with an enigmatic riff and emotional shouting from Bennington. The tune flows naturally with a heavy bridge followed by a modulation and even higher pitched screaming. There’s no DJ elements to this song and it has to be said that some of the vocals and drumming becomes repetitive fast – even more noticeable is the fact that the band don’t seem to be stretching themselves in terms of song writing techniques." -- Kudos Magazine

09. Valentine's Day -

"It’s definitely one of the poppier songs on the album. We have to be very careful sometimes that we don’t lose the integrity of what we’re doing – we’re a very dark band and we like it like that. We talk about uncomfortable things and try to make you comfortable with that. We tried to do that here in a more poppy song and I really like that aspect of the album." -- Chester - "After a somewhat depressive two minutes of ballad-laden lyrics and slow-moving guitars, it finally kicks in with another extremely infective hook and harmonious backing vocals. “On a Valentines day” is passionately sung with interesting vocals spoken over the top, before annoyingly ending abruptly and letting the song down." -- Kudos Magazine

10. In Between -

Mike sings lead vocals on a Linkin Park song for the first time. - "I knew that Mike should really sing this song. I tried it once, I did a good job, but it just didn’t have the power of Mike’s performance because he really believed what he was singing. Whatever it is that the fucker is apologising for on this track, he’s fucking serious! It comes from the most sincere and heartfelt place." -- Chester - "If there’s a point in the album where it’s easy to see that the songs are starting to lose their flair, this is it. Those sweetly spoken vocals are back once again alongside grainy drumbeats, but without any differences in tempo there’s nothing exciting here. It’s peaceful, but there’s no denying this is a weak ballad track amongst Linkin Park’s repertoire of excellence." -- Kudos Magazine

11. In Pieces -

Includes a guitar solo. - "I got divorced recently and that was very difficult. I also got remarried so there was a big contrast in my life. For a while I couldn’t be completely happy with the new life I was starting and I couldn’t end the last one. This is a song about all of that. The music has a kind of reggae vibe to it, almost. It’s really cool watching how the song goes from that, through pop and emerges as a full-on rock song at the end." -- Chester - "Thankfully, faith is restored with quite simply the highlight of the album. This is soft yet rhythmic with synthetic drumming you can’t fail to be taken in by. The stirring piano and powerful bass proves to be a winning combination for the band – with vocals at their best only boosting the song further. Another build up after a few minutes adds more magic to the piece, with sweet sounds and eventually more heavily distorted guitars, minus screaming. The song slows down and ends dramatically with a simple beat and ska-style guitar plucking." -- Kudos Magazine

12. The Little Things Give You Away -

Over six minutes in length. - Includes a guitar solo. - "The song of which I'm probably most proud that we've ever done." -- Brad - "It's an epic song, but it's also kind of delicate in a lot of ways. There's a great guitar riff that comes in acoustically, and the words really say a lot. And I think that they'll touch people in a way Linkin Park haven't touched people before. And there's a breakdown that's my favorite moment on the record. It's beautiful and timeless-sounding, with this great synth sound" ... "and Brad breaks into this beautiful solo and it just builds and builds and builds until it breaks down into this a cappella section. It's a huge explosion of sound, over six minutes long, and it's truly, completely amazing. And I can't wait for people to hear it." -- Chester - "This is our favourite song on the record. It’s the biggest statement that we’ve ever made. Nothing could go after it as everything would get eclipsed by it. The thing that really makes it is the guitar solo." -- Brad - "Brad has always avoided solos because he doesn’t like to show off. But when he played that solo, though, it was one of the most emotional moments we’ve recorded. It says what the lyrics are saying without any words." -- Mike - "Acoustic guitar and Linkin Park in the same sentence? You better believe it. One last ballad, with those great mechanical style drums and melodic vocals from Chester rounds ‘Minutes To Midnight’ off fruitfully. When the bass cuts in, the song hits another dimension before ending a reasonably decent record." -- Kudos Magazin

Sound

In a recent interview with Chester Bennington it is explained that the nu metal sound from their previous albums is completely gone. He also stated that the new album is a mix of punk, classic rock, and hip-hop beats.

"Rick has brought more of a stripped down, classic-rock and hip-hop kind of feel."

"This time around, Mike Shinoda is singing a lot more. It may seem like he's not on the record, but he's doing a lot of the harmonies. He also sings a couple of songs alone. "We're presenting ourselves in a different way."

"Minutes to Midnight is composed of sounds made by a practically Arcade Fire-esque array of instruments including banjos, marimbas and vintage guitars and amps." -- Rolling Stone

"We have put more into the new album than anything we have ever done before." -- Phoenix

"A breakthrough in the development of the band's sound." -- Mike

"This was a year-and-a-half long process of really hard work and experimentation in the studio that yielded about 150 rough songs ... Not only is this album incredibly diverse, but the depth of the material is really strong." -- Brad

"They really are reinventing themselves. It doesn't sound like rap-rock. There's very strong songwriting. I've heard guys in the band say that it transcends everything they've done before, like it puts them in a whole different light in their minds, and they really like that. It's very melodic. It's a progressive record." -- Rick Rubin

"People have always tried to lump us in with the whole rap/rock stereotype, but we don’t intentionally want to be part of that scene. We’ve always had our own personality and I think it really shows on this record." -- Mike

"We wrote in new ways and used instruments and equipment we hadn’t experimented with, from vintage guitars and amps to mellotron to Rick Rubin’s original 808 drum machine he used on the Beastie Boys’ first record." -- Mike

"No, not emo. also, not rap rock, not nu metal, not metal, not punk, not scene, not hip hop, not classic rock, not polka, not any other lame label." -- Mike

"We've ventured into different musical territory. There aren't a lot of big, heavy, banging guitars. We've been focusing more on musical layers and textures." -- Chester

"There's more soul behind what we're doing now. This music has more heart and a much deeper feel to it." -- Phoenix

"There's more vulnerability and colour in the way I'm singing now." -- Chester

Track listing

1."Wake" - 1:40
2."Given Up" - 3:10
3."Leave Out All The Rest" - 3:18
4."Bleed It Out" - 2:54
5."Shadow of the Day" - 4:50
6."What I've Done" - 3:25
7."Hands Held High" - 3:53
8."No More Sorrow" - 3:38
9."Valentine's Day" - 3:15
10."In Between" - 3:14
11."In Pieces" - 3:37
12."The Little Things Give You Away" - 6:23

Trivia

Mike Shinoda will perform rap vocals on only two tracks this time, "Bleed It Out" and "Hands Held High". This is a significant decrease compared to previous albums. The rap vocals on the album are reportedly much closer styled to Mike Shinoda's side project Fort Minor than his traditional Linkin Park verses.
The cover photo was taken at the Salton Sea.
This will be Linkin Park's longest studio album to date, with a total of 43:17 minutes.
This will be the first Linkin Park album that features all band members on the cover, to be co-produced by Mike Shinoda, to contain guitar solos from Brad Delson, to receive a parental advisory logo (excluding Collision Course, the mash-up album with Jay-Z) and where Mike Shinoda sings lead vocals for a full length track ("In Between"), rather than rapping.
So far, 3 of the songs of the album got leaked on to the internet, Given up and No more sorrow, and most recenlty Bleed it out.