Linkin Park is back — and there’s a new lead singer in town.
The iconic rock band announced their return to music during a livestream via YouTube on Thursday, September 5, seven years after the death of frontman Chester Bennington. The group is back with two new members, a new album and a world tour.
Dead Sara singer Emily Armstrong has joined the group as co-lead vocalist, while Colin Brittain joins the band as drummer, replacing founding member Rob Bourdon. The musicians join original members Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Joe Hahn and Dave Farrell.
The band dropped its first new recording since Bennington’s death, “The Emptiness Machine,” on Friday, September 6. The track serves as the lead single from Linkin Park’s upcoming seventh studio album, From Zero, which will be released on November 15.
Ahead of the new album, the band is set to embark on their From Zero World Tour, which begins Wednesday, September 11, at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. They will also perform in New York City, Hamburg, London, Seoul and Bogota, Colombia.
During Thursday’s livestream, Armstrong joined the group for a live performance of Linkin Park’s new song, and also performed vocals on the band’s classic hits including “Crawling,” “Numb” and “In the End.”
The band’s reunion comes seven years after Bennington died by suicide in July 2017. He was 41.
“Our hearts are broken,” the surviving members shared in a statement via Facebook at the time. “The shockwaves of grief and denial are still sweeping through our family as we come to grips with what has happened. You touched so many lives, maybe even more than you realized. In the past few days, we’ve seen an outpouring of love and support, both public and private, from around the world. Talinda and the family appreciate it, and want the world to know that you were the best husband, son, and father; the family will never be whole without you.”
“Talking with you about the years ahead together, your excitement was infectious. Your absence leaves a void that can never be filled—a boisterous, funny, ambitious, creative, kind, generous voice in the room is missing,” the band continued. “We’re trying to remind ourselves that the demons who took you away from us were always part of the deal. After all, it was the way you sang about those demons that made everyone fall in love with you in the first place. You fearlessly put them on display, and in doing so, brought us together and taught us to be more human. You had the biggest heart, and managed to wear it on your sleeve.”
The statement concluded, “Our love for making and performing music is inextinguishable. While we don’t know what path our future may take, we know that each of our lives was made better by you. Thank you for that gift. We love you, and miss you so much.”
