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Correva l'anno 2000 quando Mike Shinoda, Chester Bennington, Brad Delson e Rob Bourdon pubblicarono il loro primo LP sotto il nome di Linkin Park. Il titolo dell'album è "Hybrid Theory", come il precedente nome della band. Proprio quando l'ondata Nu Metal andava lentamente scemando, il quartetto di Los Angeles decise di produrre questo CD. Esso di Metal o Nu Metal ha ben poco. "Hybrid Theory" non è totalmente da buttare, ma non è considerabile come un album Metal. Le 12 tracce dell'album non hanno nulla di originale e non innovano in nessuna maniera il genere musicale rimanendo ancorati ad un Hip-Hop rockeggiante senza alcuna pretesa se non quella di vendere musica ai minori di 15 anni.
L'opera si apre con "Papercut". La canzone è già un cattivo presagio per l'ascoltatore. Non perché sia inascoltabile, anzi la possiamo definire abbastanza orecchiabile, ma si nota la mancanza d'inventiva del gruppo. I Riff di chitarra banali e stereotipati e la voce di Bennington, troppo simile a quella di un qualsiasi cantante di una Boy-Band, sono una pugnalata nel petto in confronto al buon flow di Shinoda e al testo discreto. In "One Step Closet" Chester si dedica interamente al cantato in uno dei pezzi migliori dell'album. Nulla di nuovo sotto il sole con "With You" e "Points Of Authority". Da segnalare quest'ultima per una peculiarità: il riff delle strofe, ottimo anche se non molto originale. Arriviamo quindi alla famosissima "Crawling". Il brano è anche stato vincitore di un Grammy ed a mio avviso è stato molto importante per la vittoria del premio il video, toccante per certi versi ma patetico per altri, e il legame del testo con il passato di Chester. Ma il brano è uno dei meno validi dell'intero CD. Siamo partiti con un Pseudo Pop-Metal delle precedenti tracce per arrivare ad una verve Pop-Commercial senza precedenti. Il cantato delle strofe è fatto apposta per ragazzine di 12-13 che hanno voglia di sdolcinerie e di passare a qualcosa di diverso dai Backstreet Boys. "Runaway" non è molto diversa dalla traccia precedente, anzi è meno valida di essa.
Dal settimo brano in poi abbiamo fortunatamente un miglioramento, partendo da "By Myself". Tutto il merito del brano sta nel suo ottimo ritornello, di certo anch'esso non molto originale o innovativo, ma la traccia si fa comunque ascoltare con piacere. Il miglior pezzo dell'album, a mio avviso. La successiva,"In The End", è purtroppo sulla scia di "Crawling". Il brano merita comunque l'ascolto per l'incantevole intro di piano composto da Shinoda e per il suo Rap nelle strofe ma il ritornello sembra un pacco pronto per essere spedito su Mtv. La voce di Chester, soprattutto nel Bridge, si fa troppo smielata e Teen-Oriented per risultare vagamente interessante. Anche quest'ultimo pezzo paga la sua celebrità con una scarsa originalità. Abbiamo poi "A Place For My Head" dotata di un incalzante riff principale. Si fa apprezzare Mike Shinoda per l'ottima strofa, un po' meno Chester per il ritornello troppo orecchiabile ma comunque azzeccato. "Forgotten" incarna perfettamente lo stile dei Linkin Park. Partenza adrenalinica, strofe rappate lente e ritornello ultra-orecchiabile. Nonostante queste caratteristiche, il brano è discreto. "Cure For The Itch" è semplicemente un metodo per rendere l'album più lungo dato che, sinceramente, non vedo altro motivo di esistenza per questo pezzo inutile. "Hybrid Theory" si chiude con "Pushing Me Away", in cui purtroppo si sente troppo poco Shinoda e questo rende il pezzo ancor più banale degli altri. E' comunque una canzone ascoltabile ed apprezzabile ma senza alcuno slancio artistico degno di nota.
Tutto "Hybrid Theory" non presenta alcuno slancio artistico degno di nota. E' un album che si può ascoltare senza rimanere inorriditi ma che non lascia il segno nella storia della musica e nemmeno nel mondo più ristretto del Nu-Metal. Orecchiabile ma privo di originalità.
Giudizio personale: 6/10.
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 One Step Closer (01:27)
I cannot take this anymore
Saying everything I've said before
All these words they make no sense
I found bliss in ignorance
Less I hear the less you’ll say
You'll find that out anyway
Just like before
Everything you say to me
Takes me one step closer to the edge and I'm about to break
I need a little room to breathe
Because I'm one step closer to the edge, I'm about to break
I find the answers aren't so clear
Wish I could find a way to disappear
All these thoughts, they make no sense
I found bliss in ignorance
Nothing seems to go away
Over and over again
Just like before
Everything you say to me
Takes me one step closer to the edge and I'm about to break
I need a little room to breathe
Because I'm one step closer to the edge, I'm about to break
Everything you say to me
Takes me one step closer to the edge and I'm about to break
I need a little room to breathe
Because I'm one step closer to the edge, I'm about to break
Shut up when I'm talking to you
Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up when I'm talking to you
Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up
I'm about to break
Everything you say to me
Takes me one step closer to the edge and I'm about to break
I need a little room to breathe
Because I'm one step closer to the edge, I'm about to break
Everything you say to me
Takes me one step closer to the edge and I'm about to break
I need a little room to breathe
Because I'm one step closer to the edge, I'm about to break
03 Crawling (01:30)
Crawling in my skin
These wounds they will not heal
Fear is how I fall
Confusing what is real
There's something inside me that pulls beneath the surface
Consuming
Confusing
This lack of self-control I fear is never-ending
Controlling
I can't seem
To find myself again
My walls are closing in
Without a sense of confidence
I'm convinced that there's just too much pressure to take
I've felt this way before
So insecure
Crawling in my skin
These wounds they will not heal
Fear is how I fall
Confusing what is real
Discomfort endlessly has pulled itself upon me
Distracting
Reacting
Against my will I stand beside my own reflection
It's haunting
How I can't seem
To find myself again
My walls are closing in
Without a sense of confidence
I'm convinced that there's just too much pressure to take
I've felt this way before
So insecure
Crawling in my skin
These wounds they will not heal
Fear is how I fall
Confusing what is real
Crawling in my skin
These wounds they will not heal
Fear is how I fall
Confusing, confusing what is real
There's something inside me that pulls beneath the surface
Consuming
Confusing what is real
This lack of self-control I fear is never-ending
Controlling
Confusing what is real
04 In the End (01:30)
It starts with one thing, I don't know why
It doesn't even matter how hard you try
Keep that in mind, I designed this rhyme
To explain in due time all I know
Time is a valuable thing
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings
Watch it count down to the end of the day
The clock ticks life away, it's so unreal
Didn't look out below
Watched the time go right out the window
Tried to hold on, but didn't even know
I wasted it all just to watch you go
I kept everything inside
And even though I tried, it all fell apart
What it meant to me will eventually be
A memory of a time when
I tried so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
I had to fall
To lose it all
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
One thing, I don't know why
It doesn't even matter how hard you try
Keep that in mind, I designed this rhyme
To remind myself how I tried so hard
In spite of the way you were mocking me
Acting like I was part of your property
Remembering all the times you fought with me
I'm surprised that it got so far
Things aren't the way they were before
You wouldn't even recognize me anymore
Not that you knew me back then
But it all comes back to me in the end
I kept everything inside
And even though I tried, it all fell apart
What it meant to me will eventually be
A memory of a time when
I tried so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
I had to fall
To lose it all
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
I put my trust in you
Pushed as far as I can go
For all this
There's only one thing you should know
I put my trust in you
Pushed as far as I can go
For all this
There's only one thing you should know
I tried so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
I had to fall
To lose it all
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
05 Points of Authority (01:28)
Forfeit the game
Before somebody else
Takes you out of the frame
Puts your name to shame
Cover up your face
You can't run the race
The pace is too fast
You just won't last
You love the way I look at you
While taking pleasure in the awful things you put me through
You take away if I give in
My life, my pride is broken
You like to think you're never wrong
You live what you've learned
You have to act like you're someone
You live what you've learned
You want someone to hurt like you
You live what you've learned
You want to share what you've been through
You live what you've learned
You love the things I say I'll do
The way I'll hurt myself again just to get back at you
You take away when I give in
My life, my pride is broken
You like to think you're never wrong
You live what you've learned
You have to act like you're someone
You live what you've learned
You want someone to hurt like you
You live what you've learned
You want to share what you've been through
You live what you've learned
Forfeit the game
Before somebody else
Takes you out of the frame
Put your name to shame
Cover up your face
You can't run the race
The pace is too fast
You just won't last
Forfeit the game
Before somebody else
Takes you out of the frame
Put your name to shame
Cover up your face
You can't run the race
The pace is too fast
You just won't last
You like to think you're never wrong
You live what you've learned
You have to act like you're someone
You live what you've learned
You want someone to hurt like you
You live what you've learned
You want to share what you've been through
You live what you've learned
You like to think you're never wrong
Forfeit the game
You live what you've learned
You have to act like you're someone
Forfeit the game
You live what you've learned
You want someone to hurt like you
Forfeit the game
You live what you've learned
You want to share what you've been through
You live what you've learned
06 Forgotten (01:27)
From the top to the bottom, bottom to top I stop
At the core I've forgotten in the middle of my thoughts
Taken far from my safety, the picture's there
The memory won't escape me but why should I care
From the top to the bottom, bottom to top I stop
At the core I've forgotten in the middle of my thoughts
Taken far from my safety, the picture's there
The memory won't escape me but why should I care
There is a place so dark, you can't see the end
Skies cock back and shock that which can't defend
The rain then sends dripping, acidic questions
Forcefully, the power of suggestion
Then with the eyes shut
Looking through the rust and rot and dust
A small spot of light floods the floor and pours over the rusted world of pretend
And the eyes ease open and it's dark again
From the top to the bottom, bottom to top I stop
At the core I've forgotten in the middle of my thoughts
Taken far from my safety, the picture's there
The memory won't escape me but why should I care
In the memory you'll find me
Eyes burning up
The darkness holding me tightly
Until the sun rises up
Moving all around, screaming of the ups and downs
Pollution manifested in perpetual sound, the wheels go round
And the sunset creeps behind street lamps
Chain links and concrete
A little piece of paper with a picture drawn
Floats on down the street until the wind is gone
The memory now is like the picture was then
When the paper is crumpled up, it can't be perfect again
From the top to the bottom, bottom to top I stop
At the core I've forgotten, in the middle of my thoughts
Taken far from my safety, the picture's there
The memory won't escape me but why should I care
From the top to the bottom, bottom to top I stop
At the core I've forgotten, in the middle of my thoughts
Taken far from my safety, the picture's there
The memory won't escape me but why should I care
In the memory you'll find me
Eyes burning up
The darkness holding me tightly
Until the sun rises up
Now you've got me caught in the act
You bring the thought back
I'm telling you that
I see it right through you
Now you've got me caught in the act
You bring the thought back
I'm telling you that
I see it right through you
Now you've got me caught in the act
You bring the thought back
I'm telling you that
I see it right through you
Now you've got me caught in the act
You bring the thought back
I'm telling you that
I see it right through you
Now you've got me caught in the act
You bring the thought back
I'm telling you that
I see it right through you
Now you've got me caught in the act
You bring the thought back
I'm telling you that
I see it right through you
Now you've got me caught in the act
You bring the thought back
I'm telling you that
I see it right through you
In the memory you'll find me
Eyes burning up
The darkness holding me tightly
Until the sun rises up
In the memory you'll find me
Eyes burning up
The darkness holding me tightly
Until the sun rises up
Carico i commenti... con calma
Altre recensioni
Di rockanto
I Linkin Park hanno copiato tutto (e dico tutto) dai Limp Bizkit e dai Korn.
Insomma, in tutto questo male, almeno un pregio 'sti Linkin Park ce l’avranno? Beh, incredibile ma vero, sì. Sono loro che hanno reso pop e mainstream il nu metal.
Di Gallagher87
Era un capolavoro, e ripeto un capolavoro del genere nu-metal anche se sono assenti parolacce ed insulti.
Crawling parte già dal ritornello, straziante ed autolesionista che porta quasi al suicidio i malati di depressione che ascoltano.
Di thetrooper
I Linkin Park di nu metal hanno solo l'aspetto e l'attitudine, ma per quanto riguarda la loro musica si tratta di pop/rock arricchito di voce rap, frammenti di elettronica e dj.
Il nu metal non sono i Linkin Park, ma gente molto più in gamba come ... Korn e Deftones o Slipknot, Ill Nino, Soulfly, Dry Kill Logic.
Di DanielBack
In questo cd non c'è nulla di nu metal, se non le chitarre che fanno un po' da background.
Un gruppetto commerciale per ragazzini drogati di fruttolo, e quando si passa più avanti si capisce che c'è di meglio.
Di PogoPaiasso
Dopo 20 anni spero che tutti abbiano capito che Hybrid Theory è un insulto alla musica!
Manca una qualsiasi evoluzione a livello strumentale, non c'è nè estro nè entusiasmo.
