Question: what do you get if you mix a large dose of metal, a dollop of hip-hop, a pinch of electronica and a spoonful of Incubus' Californian cool? Answer: LINKIN PARK...

"WE HAVE the rock edge, the hip-hop edge, and the electronic edge," says Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington, describing his band's debut album, 'Hybrid Theory'. "The word 'hybrid' is derived from when scientists started cross-breeding different plants and animals to make a new species. Since we were a cross-breed of different styles, it seemed right for us."

The band- Bennington, co-vocalist Mike Shinoda, guitarist Brad Delson, drummer Rob Bourdon and DJ/samples man Joseph Hahn - called themselves Hybrid Theory for most of their two-year existence, but decided to rename their band after a park in Santa Monica when they discovered that they shared their original monicker with another group.

"There's a Lincoln Park in every city in America," reveals Chester. "There's no real meaning behind our name. We just changed the spelling so that we could afford to buy the web domain name."

WITH THEIR poptastic choruses, angsty aggression and charismatic dual vocalists, Linkin Park look able to replicate the success of their southern California mates Incubus. Chester, who had sung in bands in his native Arizona since the age of 14, also has the kind of full-throated voice guaranteed to surprise people.

"This kid who was at our show a couple of days ago was asking me what effects I ran my vocals through," he laughs. "I was like, 'No dude, I don't do any of that shit! If I fuck up, you'll hear it'."

The diminutive singer (partner Shinoda is more of a rapper) credits his lung prowess to his attempts to howl along to Ministry records as a youth. "I'd try to mimic Al Jourgensen's voice as best I could, without all of his effects. That was how I learned, and I kept doing it until it didn't hurt any longer."

Currently out on the road Stateside with fellow Californians (hed) planet earth and POD, Linkin Park have landed themselves on the fast track to success, with a hit video and blanket radio-play for 'One Step Closer'. As the band were only signed to Warner Bros Records a mere nine months after Chester joined up, they're finding the attention a little disordering.

"It's overwhelming," Chester agrees. "There was no way I could have fathomed this kind of reponse. You always dream that things will blow up, but when it does, it's unexpected. I just hope that people will like it."

Linkin Park's 'Hyrbid Theory' album is out now.