Exclusive: Linkin Park to release new album in September

01 July 2010

by Jason Treuen

Nu-metal heavyweights Linkin Park will release their fourth studio album in September, TMN has learned.

Two weeks ago (on June 18), Warner Australia held an industry invite-only listening session at their Sydney office to preview several tracks, which were brought out by a visiting US executive. By all reports, the new material represented a departure for the band and sounded “more electronic.”

Earlier this week, co-frontman Mike Shinoda posted a hand-written note (above) to the band’s official site, which read:

“Hello friend, our new album is almost done. We are very excited for you to hear the music. We are also starting to put up live concert dates on www.linkinpark.com so make sure sure to check this out. I wish I could tell you more, but I don’t want to ruin any surprises.”

According to hardcore fans, the message carries an orange watermark that reads ‘The Catalyst August 2’, which is possibly the album’s first single. The band have been teasing fans with various puzzles over the last few weeks. Earlier, another clue – a binary puzzle – revealed the phrase A Thousand Suns, which could be the album title. More info as it unravels.

Linkin Park’s last album Minutes to Midnight debuted at #1 on the ARIA Album charts in May 2007. Their previous albums 2000's Hybrid Theory and 2003's Meteora reached #2.