Personally I think they are fantabulous! :)
I mean, they're a little too polished (trying to perfection? I cant verbalise what I mean!) or overly dramatic like [insert guitar solo here] at times, but I just embrace that :D :lol

As for the Linkin Parkness, yes, I too had that fear, and it was one of the factors that delayed me from getting their album straight away. But I downloaded some other tracks, did some 'research' and found that dude was just a guest singer for Bring Me to Life, and the rest really is not like that all all, not homeyish. She has such a great voice, which I am a sucker for, and I'm also a big sucker for piano and strings, which feature quite heavily on the album FALLEN.
I've also heard some of their older stuff, it's not as good as they're just finding thier feet, but they definitely do have a great sound, and I think they can only improve from now :)

As for them live, unfortunately I wouldn't know. Maybe they'll come to the Big Day Out festival in January, that would be great :)

I'm actually listening to them right now, they lyrics to this were so appropriate ;) ;)
Youre too important for anyone
Theres something wrong with everything you see
But I, I know who you really are
Youre the one who cries when youre alone


Oh the other thing that put me off was that they featured on the Daredevil soundtrack ;) LOL, but I got over it ;)

KATE :lol
As they drag me to my feet, I was filled with incoherence, Theories of conspiracy, The whole world wants my disappearance, I'll go fighting nail and teeth, You've never seen such perseverance, Gonna make you scared of me, Cause haemoglobin is the key