Originally Posted by baconbash

Hybrid Theory - by Linkin Park
(Warner Bros. Records, 2000)

After releasing two demo tapes and struggling to land themselves a record deal, Linkin Park finally signed a deal with Warner Bros. Records in 1999. Next year, they burst into the nu metal scene with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which would go on to sell 27 million copies worldwide, more than any other debut album in the 21st century.

Hybrid Theory is one of the most solid debuts I have ever listened to, containing hard rock masterpieces such as the lead single "One Step Closer" and "Crawling", but also excellent rap metal tracks like "Papercut" and "Points of Authority". Singers Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda's voices work in harmony throughout the whole album, with Bennington singing the rock/metal parts, and Shinoda covering the rap portions.

On "Points of Authority", we can see the teamwork of Bennington and Shinoda better perhaps than anywhere else on the album, with Bennington singing most of the song, but Shinoda swinging in for multiple rap pieces, without ever feeling like an interruption to the song.

"One Step Closer" is a straight-up hard rock/metal song, relying on Bennington's loud and powerful voice to drive the song.

On song "In the End", a fan favorite 15 years later, Linkin Park even brings some beautiful piano to the album, a nice addition to the album as a whole and this power ballad.

"Forgotten" is a song buried into the last few tracks of the album, but is not one to be overlooked or forgotten, with decently fast rhymes by Shinoda in the verses, and Bennington and Shinoda swapping back and forth rapidly during the chorus.

The best guitar moment of the album is definitely "A Place for My Head", with an addictive guitar riff creating an excellent intro continuing throughout most of the song.

The weakest point of the album is "Cure for the Itch", a fortunately short song (at 2:37). "Cure for the Itch" is a session for Linkin Park's turntablist, Joe Hahn, who runs through a few samples after we listen to people sniffle, cough, and some cat meows. This is the only track on the album I feel could really have been left off without missing something.

Conclusion:
Hybrid Theory, despite some minor imperfections, is a glorious debut album, and excellent album period, which has well earned it sales and fans.

Rating:
9.5/10

Track Listing:

1. "Papercut"
2. "One Step Closer"
3. "With You"
4. "Points of Authority"
5. "Crawling"
6. "Runaway"
7. "By Myself"
8. "In the End"
9. "A Place for My Head"
10. "Forgotten"
11. "Cure for the Itch"
12. "Pushing Me Away"