Linkin Park Hybrid Theory (CD Format)

LINKIN PARK’s debut doubles as a mission statement for the California-born band, whose tense, ferocious brand of rock borrows from hip-hop and emo, dance-punk and alt-rock. Over skittering beats and massive guitars, caterwauler Chester Bennington and defiant MC Mike Shinoda examine heavy emotions up close. The cavernous “In the End” and paranoid “Crawling” combine their bad vibes with deep grooves and huge hooks, while album opener “Papercut” amps up the agitation with crushing, metal-inspired riffing that anchors Shinoda’s frantic raps.