Monday, March 19, 2012 5:12pm ET by  
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Mike Shinoda describes new Linkin Park record as 'firecracker'

Linkin Park rapper Mike Shinoda has described the band’s forthcoming fifth studio album as a ‘firecracker record.’

The versatile 35-year-old musician, who has recently collaborated with Daft Punk producer Joe Trapanese on the score to the US remake of Indonesian martial arts film, ‘The Raid,’ told Artist Direct that fans should expect a new streamlined sound on their return:

“This next album is a little more of a compact, "firecracker record," as I like to call it. As opposed to the long landscapes we were creating with A Thousand Suns, this is not a concept record in that style. This is a song-based record.”

Shinoda also revealed that his soundtrack experience has influenced the way the group work together in the recording studio:

“As we were writing The Raid: Redemption, I remember getting three-quarters of the way finished, looking back, and going, "We got really far, really fast and I love a lot of the stuff we did. How did we do that? What can I learn from that?" It occurred to me that we didn't check in as often.

“I came back to the band that week. We have these weekly meetings, and we meet every Monday to check in about the songs regardless of the progress. I said, "Let's try something different and not check-in so often. Let's just write and see where we go.

“I think that's benefited this new record a lot. We stepped back from the criticism and stepped into making it.”

 

 

 

Watch the video for Linkin Park's last single, 'Iridescent,' below: