LPU 11

Linkin Park has released their eleventh installment in their Linkin Park Underground series. For anyone who doesn't know, the LPU is a service created by the band, started way back in 2000, when Hybrid Theory was released. Members can create a profile, go one forums, and gain exclusives, like purchase pre-sale tickets, merchandise, and occasionally chat with individual band members. Every year they release an EP, which contains unreleased tracks, demo's and live recordings. This year brings their eleventh installment, with tracks ranging from 98, before they were even called Linkin Park, to demos from last years album A Thousand Sun's.

It's interesting to hear their tracks from way back in 98, how much their style has changed since then, along with their voices. Listening to Shinoda in "Slip" makes you wonder why he's sort of ditched his rapping days for mostly singing in A thousand Suns. That's not so much backed up in the "Esaul" demo (yes, another one.) that comes on later though, where Mike seems to be tripping over some of his words. It's finally made clear why the live instrumental's of "In The End" sound so different, as they were using the beat from another demo. "What I've Done" was once called "Bang Three." Although it was only an instrumental, it sounded like they wanted to put some rap verses in there. "Robot Boy" kept its same style and message in the final cut, just some different wording.

In the end, I really enjoyed this EP. Possibly their best yet, rivaling LPU 9 in my book.