You’ve gotta hand it to Linkin Park – when they arrived in 2000, Limp Bizkit ruled the rap/metal scene with an iron fist. Linkin Park were great and everything, they just couldn’t garner the media attention that Fred Durst seemed to effortlessly command.

Fast forward a few years, and the Bizkit are all but gone and Linkin Park are pretty much the undisputed leaders of mainstream metal. They’ve attained God-like status in recent years, despite a very slow release cycle. For my money, that mostly boils down to quality over quantity.

What I’ve Done is the first single from the long-awaited Minutes To Midnight album. The first thing most people have noticed is the lack of Mike Shinoda on the track. Mike’s still there, toting a guitar and providing backing vocals. It remains to be seen whether this’ll work in the long run. Let’s face it, Shinoda’s much cooler than Chester Bennington, and I enjoyed the interplay between the singing and the rapping on their other songs.

Anyway, this is a major song for Linkin Park and effectively launches their new sound to the world.

But take note people, What I’ve Done must be listened to at full volume to be appreciated. Yes, the sound is more raw than before, but the audio onslaught is nothing short of amazing. What starts out as a brooding solo piano, gradually builds up to an ear-splitting symphony of metal goodness. Bennington’s voice has a raw passion to it, and you find yourself wanting to sing along until your throat hurts. You probably have.

Verdict: This amazing track gets a big thumbs up! Now check out the video: