Self-destruction plays a key role on this record, as well. As grand as its scope is, there are moments of intimacy. There are two sides to the intimate sections: the first one that appears is the angered side. 'Given Up,' the first full track on the record, opens it up on an aggressive note, the distorted guitar and bass leading the album to a roaring start. Bennington roars on this track, his vocals full of flaming rage and self-disgust, begging in his eighteen-second scream in the bridge for someone to "Put me out of my fucking misery." The same rage can be found, to a lesser extent, in 'Bleed It Out,' the album's "party" song. The song has a big upbeat vibe to it with an aggressive rock overtone, making it a staple song to rock out to, but it's full of anger. Mike Shinoda warns in the second verse, "Mama, help me, I've been cursed / Death is rolling in every verse... Fuck, this hurts, I won't lie / Doesn't matter how hard I try," searing for help when all seems to becoming to a blinding end. Bennington screams powerfully in the bridge, being the voice of self-destruction in Shinoda's head, shouting "I bleed it out, I've opened up these scars / I'll make you face this / I've pulled myself so far / I'll make you face this now" as both a threat and encouragement to get back up.

The softer side of the self-destruction comes in more apologetic terms. Perhaps it is most starkly heard in the slow track 'In Between,' the first track in Linkin Park's discography to feature Mike Shinoda on lead vocals. The string chords are backed by a light beat, as Shinoda begs for forgiveness for becoming something he was not. Bennington follows the theme of a failing relationship in 'In Pieces,' his being more hateful rather than seeking apology, though. He mocks his ex-wife, stating "There's truth in your lies / Doubt in your faith / All I've got's what you didn't take." The song has an electrifying guitar solo in it that leads it to an emotional finale, full of the disgust but pain the relationship caused Bennington. 'Valentine's Day' is similar, Bennington seeking self-reliance in the wake of a broken relationship. The song cries "I used to be my own protection, but not now / Cause my path has lost direction, somehow," Bennington singing about how his life has gone off-course after this relationship ended. In the grand finale, he croons "On a Valentine's Day / I used to be my own protection, but not now," looking back at how his life used to be at its most intimate moments before finally admitting that he is not enough for himself.

Perhaps the most familiar sound of forgiveness on the album is in the ballad 'Leave Out All The Rest.' The emotional single is the second full track on the record, the spacious synth and beautiful orchestra being backed by a hip-hop beat as Bennington croons over the track. 'Leave Out All The Rest' begs for both help and forgiveness, Bennington asking in the chorus, "Don't resent me and, when you're feeling empty / Keep me in your memory, leave out all the rest." He wants the bad memories that previously defined him to be vanquished, and for the person he's talking to to look at what he truly is, so that when he's gone, he can live on in their heart rather than be a fading memory. 'Shadow Of The Day' shares a similar sense of impending death, the song's message discussing how it can be hard to let go of someone once their gone, somberly chanting "And the shadow of the day / Will embrace the world in grey / And the sun will set for you" in its chorus.