Linkin Park Announce New Album & Tour

Linkin Park have confirmed that their third studio album will be entitled 'Minutes To Midnight' and will be released on May 14th. Co-produced by Mike Shinoda and Rick Rubin (U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Run DMC), 'Minutes To Midnight' was recorded at the infamous Mansion at Laurel Canyon and is already being touted by critics who have heard it as the band's best work to date.

'What I've Done' will be the first single be taken from the album and will receive a worldwide digital release on April 2nd before receiving a physical format UK release on May 7th.

"We have put more into the new album than anything we have ever done before," says bassist Dave "Phoenix" Farrell. The band spent over 14 months in the studio and wrote more than 100 song demos in the making of 'Minutes To Midnight', an album which vocalist Mike Shinoda sees as, "a breakthrough in the development of the band's sound. We wrote in new ways, and used instruments and equipment we hadn't experimented with, from vintage guitars and amps to mellotron to Rick's original 808 drum machine he used on the Beastie Boys first record. We tried to question every step in our songwriting process."

Producer Rick Rubin agrees: "They really are reinventing themselves, it doesn't sound like rap-rock. There's very strong songwriting. It's very melodic...a progressive record."

The coming weeks will see the launch of LPTV, a series of webisodes that can be viewed on linkinpark.com. The series will focus on "unseen footage of the history of Linkin Park, building up to an inside look at the studio experience of the new album," says Farrell. Linkin Park will headline the second day of this summer's Bamboozle music festival on May 6 in New Jersey before embarking on a headlining European tour in June. Next month, the band expects to announce plans for "a summer tour with an unmissable lineup," says Shinoda.

Linkin Park consists of Chester Bennington (vocals), Rob Bourdon (drums), Brad Delson (guitar), Joe Hahn (DJ), Dave "Phoenix" Farrell (bass), and Mike Shinoda (vocals). They have earned two Grammy Awards, the first for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2002 with their hit single 'Crawling' and the second for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration with Jay-Z in 2006 for the innovative 'Numb/Encore'.

Linkin Park have sold 40 million records worldwide with their 2000 debut, Hybrid Theory, reaching 18 million sales.

Linkin Park's European tour will call at the following venues:

May 24 Copenhagen, Denmark, Forum (Headlining)
May 25 Stockholm, Sweden, Globe (Headlining)
May 27 Hamburg, Germany, Colorline Arena (Headlining)
May 28 Landgraaf, Holland, Pinkpop Festival
May 30 Paris, France, Bercy (Headlining)
June 1 Nürburgring, Germany, Rock Am Ring Festival (Headlining)
June 2 Nüernberg, Germany, Rock Im Park Festival (Headlining)
June 8 Lisbon, Portugal, Alive 2007 Festival
June 9 Donington, UK, Download Festival (Headlining)
June 11 Zurich, Switzerland, Hallenstadion (Headlining)
June 12 Prague, Czech Republic, Sazka Arena (Headlining)
June 13 Chorzow, Poland, Stadion Slaski (appearing as special guest on Pearl Jam date)
June 15 Venice, Italy, Heineken Festival
June 16 Nickersdorf, Austria, Nova Rock Festival

More dates will be added soon.

Find out more at linkinpark.com / lpunderground.com