Linkin Park: Mike Shinoda (vocals, programming, samples); Chester Bennington (vocals); Brad Delson (guitar, bass, background vocals); Rob Bourdon (drums, background vocals); Joseph Hahn (turntables, programming). Additional personnel includes: Ian Hornbeck, Scott Koziol (bass); The Dust Brothers (programming). Recorded at NRG Recordings, North Hollywood, California. "Crawling" won the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance. Linkin Park originally called itself Hybrid Theory and has retained that phrase for the title of its debut album. The "hybrid" in question is one of rap and metal. The guitars and drums lock into standard thrash patterns, over which singer Chester Bennington and rapper Mike Shinoda alternate in furious expressions of rage and frustration. "One Step Closer," the track released to radio in advance of the album's release, is a typical effort, with lyrics like "Everything you say to me/Takes me one step closer to the edge/And I'm about to break." [Hybrid Theory was also released on LP.] ~ William Ruhlmann
