the rap - metal - rock outfit Linkin Park is back in the studio recording a new album that hopefully rock more than 2014's "The Hunting Party" album did.

The band has posted a picture on Facebook of singer Chester Bennington laying down vocal tracks, with the accompanying caption: "Back to work this week."

Linkin Park began work on a new album late last year, with the band's Mike Shinoda telling NME: "I have no idea what it'll sound like yet. It won't sound like 'The Hunting Party'. We like to surprise people."

"The Hunting Party" was released in June 2014 and produced the hit singles "Guilty All The Same" and "Until It's Gone". The album was described as something of a return to the rap-rock sound of the first two albums, "Hybrid Theory" and "Meteora".

Chester Bennington spent a couple of years touring as the singer of Stone temple Pilots but they split last November.