Linkin Park will always be remembered for their two significant albums, Hybrid Theory and Meteora. These records made them a household name, a pivotal gear in the rock machine. In 2007, though, the band released their third album Minutes To Midnight, which didn’t do as well as those two colossal LP’s. But, as ever, the record had its hits, and it showed that the band could experiment with sound. This sound, prompted many people who weren’t to accustomed it, to cascade into its symphonic brilliance.

Lead singer Chester Bennington sounded fired up and less reserved. He wrote lyrics that were superior too, words that impacted, and strands of poetry that resonated. The record was a battle cry, an emotional whirlwind of noise and relevance. It did not sell like the band’s two juggernaut titles, but what it did, is bring forth a new collection of songs which were melancholic and sincere.

And it is difficult for a band to evolve and try to please critics and fans. With Minutes To Midnight, the band shoved aside the criticism and prepared themselves for a ride into new horizons. The record, in its poetic significance, conveyed loss, hardship, mental struggles, and honesty. It had layers; it had a heart too, and under all its protective skin, it bubbled with intensity.

As it all came together for the band, the record emerged through the turmoil. It was a mainstream LP fuelled by emotion and vigour, with songs that became known and well appreciated by the rock faithful. It wasn’t a benchmark album, as that level was reached with the first two records. Those records were monumental collections, and cannot be withdrawn from memory. And Hybrid Theory and Meteora, instilled in the people as sense of reflection and energy.

The record spawned singles that had sheer grandiosity. What I’ve Done came like a cannonball. A song perfect in its execution, it brought Linkin Park back into the limelight. That intro sent shivers up spines and the chorus automatically became a cornerstone of rock music. Shadow Of The Day was an emotional twist of hope, and Bennington redefined his voice and his lyrical qualities. Such an infectious track, it naturally resonated. No More Sorrow had vibes, moments where it could have been a song on Hybrid Theory.

Minutes To Midnight wasn’t loved by everyone. It was a harsh listen, but it was a record with so much emotion that many people related to it. And many of these people didn’t listen to the excellence of those two triumphant records, those two LP’s which introduced us to a band of talented musicians.