 Following the success of Hybrid Theory and Reanimation , Linkin Park spent a significant amount of time touring around the United States . The band members began to work on new material amidst its saturated schedule , spending a sliver of their free time in their tour bus ' studio . The band officially announced the production of a new studio album in December 2002 , revealing its new work was inspired by the rocky region of Meteora in Greece , where numerous monasteries have been built on top of the rocks . Meteora features a mixture of the band 's nu metal and rap metal style with newer innovative effects , including the induction of a shakuhachi ( a Japanese flute made of bamboo ) and other instruments . Linkin Park 's second album debuted on March 25 , 2003 and instantly earned worldwide recognition , going to No. 1 in the US and UK , and No. 2 in Australia . 
