Linkin Park Rocks ‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen’ — Exclusive Single Art

For Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda, there couldn't have been a more perfect task than co-writing the theme song and contributing to the score of the forthcoming action film "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen."

"Transformers were some of my favorite toys when I was young," Shinoda told Noisecreep. "When we heard about contributing to the first film, I was thrilled. This experience has been even better."

The original 2007 "Transformers" film featured the Linkin Park hit "What I've Done." For the Shia LaBeouf-helmed sequel that opens June 24, Linkin Park specifically penned the song "New Divide." The track is slated for a worldwide radio premiere on May 18 and will be available for purchase on iTunes immediately thereafter. It will also appear on the Warner Bros. Records soundtrack album, which drops June 23.

"We met with (director) Michael Bay," Shinoda said. "He showed us scenes from the new film, and we tried to write something that was both true to the spirit of the movie and true to the spirit of our band in some way." (See exclusive photos from the film on Cinematical.)

"Michael is not fond of showing parts of the movie unfinished and out of context," Shinoda continued. "I totally get it; I hate playing anyone our rough songs before each one is done, out of the context of the album. But he knew it would give us the best shot at trying to capture some of the emotions in the movie, so we did it. After we wrote 'New Divide,' we met with (Oscar-winning composer) Hans Zimmer and (composer) Steve Jablonsky, and they asked if we would help incorporate various themes from our song into the film. The musical themes ended up being placed in a lot of important scenes in the film. I'd tell you which scenes, but I don't want to give away the story."

The video, directed by Linkin Park DJ Joe Hahn, will debut around the time of the single's release. Shinoda was coy about the clip's direction.

"You'll have to ask Joe Hahn, who's directing it," he said. "He's planning on using a lot of really interesting cutting-edge visual techniques, blurring the line between our performance and some kind of digital/mechanical reality. I'm not really sure--he's either being secretive about it, or it's way over my head, so he's just skipping the explanation."

"New Divide" is likely the only new music fans will hear from Linkin Park this year as the band--which also includes vocalist Chester Bennington, drummer Rob Bourdon, guitarist Brad Delson and bassist Dave "Phoenix" Farrell--is still working on the follow-up to the six-times-platinum "Minutes to Midnight."

"I would love to have the next Linkin Park album out in the first half of 2010," Shinoda said. "Originally, we wanted it to be later this year, but instead, Chester's solo project, called Dead By Sunrise, will be out in stores this year. His first single should be coming out sometime in the fall or winter.

"The new Linkin Park music is going really well. We've probably got about half the album written. Artistically, I feel like we're shooting really high with these new songs. Whereas the last album was more of an experiment to see how many different new sounds we could make, I think this new album is going to establish a brand new, cutting edge sound for the band. If we do it right, it will be the type of album that makes you say, 'Wow, I've never heard anything like that, but somehow I still recognize it as Linkin Park... and I love it.'"