How Chester Bennington Created Linkin Park’s Brand New Sound

It had been a while since the last Linkin Park album, and it hadn’t achieved nearly the success of its predecessors. The band were in a trough, and the members were aware that their popularity was in decline.

Chester Bennington woke up one working, still pissed at the world, when suddenly it came to him.

In the studio, he explained his concept to the other band members. ‘Look, nu-metal and rapcore just aren’t as popular as they used to be. The kids have outgrown it, man. We need a new sound. But what? I was racking my brains trying to think of something, and I was, like, what are the kids listening to now. Then I heard this awesome tune on the radio, and I though, wow, this is it! So I wrote out next single… it’s called ‘Catalyst’… listen, check it out.’

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He plays the song.

‘Sounds just like Pendulum,’ the band say.

‘Yeah!’ Chester enthuses. ‘This is our new sound… it’s, like, more experimental, more cutting edge, man.’
‘Awesome… lets do it!’ the band chorus.

Three month’s later, ‘A Thousand Suns’ is released, racks up a quarter of a million sales in the first week and Linkin Park are once again a globally dominant force, and have overnight become the world’s leading Pendulum tribute act. Rock on, dudes.