Linkin Park: Hear Previously Unreleased Song ‘Friendly Fire’

Author Erica Banas // Rock Music Reporter

February 23rd 10:24 AM

Linkin Park has shared “Friendly Fire,” a previously unreleased track. The track will be featured on the band’s new greatest hits album Papercuts (Singles Collection 2000-2023).

As previously reported, “Friendly Fire” was recorded as part of the sessions for Linkin Park’s 2017 album One More Light. The album was released two months before Chester Bennington died by suicide at age 41.

Papercuts (Singles Collection 2000-2023) comes out on April 12th and is available for pre-order at Papercuts.LinkinPark.com. The collection is available in a variety of formats and exclusive bundles via Linkin Park’s website.

Linkin Park on “Friendly Fire”

Guitarist Brad Delson said in a statement that “Friendly Fire” was one of the band’s favorite tracks from the recording sessions for One More Light. However, at the time, they just couldn’t finish the song in time for the album.

He noted, “When we started looking for an unreleased track to include on our greatest hits collection, I was blown away by the power of the song, the power of the storytelling, the power of the vocal, the sonic landscape, and I actually thought that it was closer than maybe we had realized at the time. We got together to work on it and connect some of the missing pieces that for whatever reason hadn’t revealed themselves during the recording of ‘One More Light.'”

Back in June 2020, Mike Shinoda talked about “Friendly Fire” on his Twitch channel. At the time, Shinoda said, “There’s a ‘One More Light’ song that we mixed more than the finished album, and we mixed a couple of other songs just to see if one of them would make the cut or whatever or if we’d use it for a b-side, and it was ‘Friendly Fire’…I still love that song.”

When viewers started shooting him comments about just randomly releasing the track, Shinoda had a laugh and said fans were “literally going to have to wait years to hear that song.” (Clearly, Shinoda is a man of his word.)

More Unreleased Material from Linkin Park?

In recent years, Linkin Park has dropped unreleased material from their archives. When the 20th anniversary reissue of Hybrid Theory was announced, the Super Deluxe Box Set edition featured a “Forgotten Demos” disc with 12 previously unreleased tracks. In April 2023, Linkin Park released the 20th anniversary reissue of Meteora, the follow-up to their debut Hybrid Theory. That reissue set featured five unreleased songs.

Other than reissues, Linkin Park has remained on hiatus since the death of Bennington. The hiatus is approaching its seventh year. Despite this, the band hasn’t officially announced they’ve broken up, which always gives fans hope of a return.

Linkin Park: Their 20 Best Songs, Ranked

• 20. “Points of Authority” – ‘Hybrid Theory’ (2000)

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  “Forfeit the game.” Mike Shinoda firmly plants his flag in the ground with this demand, and the rest of the band quickly follows. The fourth track on ‘Hybrid Theory’ was never a single but its glitchy stomp made it a fan favorite.

• 19. “Keys to the Kingdom” – ‘Hunting Party’ (2014)

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  Chester’s distorted scream on the ‘Hunting Party’ opener is a welcome release for the metal faction of Linkin Park fans. Fresh off a run of ultra-polished concept albums, the rawness of this LP felt exciting. “Keys to the Kingdom” kicks it off with a snotty punk snarl.

• 18. “Robot Boy” – ‘A Thousand Suns’ (2010)

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  What begins as a lone piano loop builds up to a rich, soothing soundscape. ‘A Thousand Suns’ contains a handful of tracks that serve as atmospheric padding, but this one is more substance than filler.
• 17. “Talking to Myself” – ‘One More Light’ (2017)

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  On an album that served as a hard reset for the band, this standout track on the their latest release offers shades of familiarity (you can actually hear the guitars!). It’s a glossy rock song that could have been a huge single, if not for the unfortunate timing; the video premiered hours before news of Chester’s passing broke.

• 16. “Lost in the Echo” – ‘Living Things’ (2012)

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  Hardened but hopeful, Linkin Park sing the anthem of the underdog on this synth-heavy track.

• 15. “One More Light” – ‘One More Light; (2017)

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  Chester did not write these lyrics, but his pained delivery is haunting: “Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t there”. After his suicide, “One More Light” became a hymn for grieving fans.
• 14. “Castle of Glass” – ‘Living Things’ (2012)

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  Mechanical samples under an easily singable melody make this futuristic folk song a highlight of 2012’s ‘Living Things.’

• 13. “Wretches and Kings” – ‘A Thousand Suns’ (2010)

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  This cut from ‘A Thousand Suns’ is bookended by Mario Savio’s “Bodies upon the gears” speech, to great effect: it’s the perfect setup for the industrial beat and aggressive delivery of both Mike and Chester.

• 12. “Bleed It Out” – ‘Minutes To Midnight’ (2007)

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  Linkin Park has always been meticulous in their execution, but this bare-bones singalong is such a fun diversion. From Mike’s irreverence to the sloppy claps that carry the tune, it’s a reminder that we don’t always need to take ourselves so seriously.
• 11. “The Little Things Give You Away” – ‘Minutes To Midnight’ (2007)

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  One of the longest songs in the band’s catalog was inspired by a visit to New Orleans where the band witnessed the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina firsthand. The anger we’re used to hearing is replaced by profound sadness, punctuated by a soaring solo from Brad Delson.

• 10. “Numb” – ‘Meteora’ (2003)

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  The final track on ‘Meteora’ came together easily for the band. Moody and not overly complicated, it’s the perfect pop-rock single.

• 9. “When They Come For Me” – ‘A Thousand Suns’ (2010)

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  This song highlights the band’s dexterity in production. It’s an ambitious piece, so heavily layered that it took over a year to complete, but their diligence paid off. It’s even more impressive live: there’s so many elements that some of the band members jump between two or three different instruments to pull it off.
• 8. “Lying From You” – ‘Meteora’ (2003)

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  The seamless collaboration between Chester and Mike in “Lying From You” shows what a perfect team they were. As harmonious as those two are, though, the music itself is dissonant and creepy, making for a strangely addictive brew.

• 7. “New Divide” – ‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – The Album’ (2009)

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  The ‘Transformers’ soundtracks introduced LP to a younger generation in the late 2000s. “New Divide” sounds appropriately robotic while maintaining an organic rock rhythm. It doesn’t appear on any of their studio albums, but the song achieved success as a single.

• 6. “Iridescent” – ‘A Thousand Suns’ (2010)

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  Another song used in the ‘Transformers’ series, the shimmering “Iridescent” originally appeared on ‘A Thousand Suns’. Its uplifting message shined on both the album and soundtrack version, which was mixed differently for the movie.
• 5. “Papercut” – ‘Hybrid Theory’ (2000)

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  The opening track on ‘Hybrid Theory’ sets the tone for the journey. An ominous guitar riff follows Mike’s agitated delivery while Joe Hahn’s scratches draw your attention. By the time you reach the melodic payoff in the second half, you’ve been briefed on each of Linkin Park’s signature sounds, and for this reason Mike has called “Papercut” the band’s “calling card.”

• 4. “Crawling” – ‘Hybrid Theory’ (2000)

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  “Against my will I stand beside my own reflection.” This Grammy-winning single shows us the delicate introspection that set LP apart from other heavy music in the early aughts and endeared so many to the band in the first place.

• 3. “Faint” – ‘Meteora’ (2003)

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  All six members of the band are well-represented here. A symphonic intro is overtaken by chunky, distorted riffs. Mike’s rapid staccato is carried by the drum beat. The tension releases at the bridge with a roar that solidifies Chester as one of the greatest voices of the 21st century.
• 2. “What I’ve Done” – ‘Minutes To Midnight’ (2007)

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  After two albums overflowing with angst, Linkin Park allows room for forgiveness on ’Minutes to Midnight’ and this song in particular. Where “Faint” was the paragon of Chester’s screams, “What I’ve Done” is one of his strongest performances as a singer. Mike doesn’t take a lead vocal on this song, but his handprints are all over the composition and production.

• 1. “In The End” – ‘Hybrid Theory’ (2000)

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  The song is certified four times platinum… One billion views on YouTube… A staple across multiple radio formats to this day. In the end, was there any question that Linkin Park’s signature song wouldn’t top this list? The universal lyrics, while rooted in negativity, offer a place for us to air our grievances. Mike’s frustrated verses find balance with Chester’s defeated repose. For most of us, this was the first time we heard their chemistry, and it was gripping. Sonically it transcends genre; every type of music fan knows this song. In three and a half minutes, this one track encapsulates everything that makes Linkin Park remarkable.

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Author Erica Banas // Rock Music Reporter

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• Music
• Rat Rock News

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Linkin Park