Content advisory: This article contains mention of suicide. Please take care while reading.
Globally beloved rock band Linkin Park is back with a new single and upcoming album. Although Emily Armstrong delivered a stellar performance in “The Emptiness Machine,” many fans still feel the emptiness caused by the missing former frontman, Chester Bennington.
From the turn of the millennium, Linkin Park has been an internationally recognized group that has sold out arenas across the globe. Their debut album Hybrid Theory hit shelves in 2000, and it was all gas no brakes from there. They dropped seven studio albums in 17 years, and their fusion of rock, hip-hop, and metal helped define the musical tastes of many millennials with singles like “In the End,” “Somewhere I Belong,” “Numb,” and “Bleed It Out.”
However, everything came crashing to a halt a few months after the release of “One More Light.” In July 2017, Bennington, a man revered for his vocal range and iconic screaming, took his own life. He was found deceased in his Palos Verdes Estates home in Los Angeles, California on the morning of July 20th.
His passing came only two months after Bennington’s good friend, Audioslave’s Chris Cornell, tragically took his own life. Bennington had appeared and spoke at Cornell’s funeral. A lot of Bennington’s lyrics — and Linkin Park songs in general — were about facing mental and emotional struggles, and trying to find a place in a difficult world. Years later, many fans continue to deeply connect with songs like “One More Light,” especially with Bennington becoming a real-world example of the difficult truths of mental health.
As the world mourned the loss of the one-of-a-kind talent, Linkin Park also went on hiatus. Besides Mike Shinoda, the band’s backup vocalist and guitarist, dropping a few solo albums and singles, the group disappeared from the limelight. That was until they made their comeback in September 2024.
Linkin Park shared a few unreleased songs that featured Bennington. But, seven years later, the band is ready to move forward with another lead vocalist. They revealed the new single and album, “From Zero,” during a live performance. With Armstrong at the helm, it’ll become available on November 15. Linkin Park also brought on a new drummer — Colin Brittain — as longtime drummer Rob Bourdon elected to walk away from the band. Linkin Park is also going on a world tour ahead of the album’s release.
But, regardless of how well the album does and where Linkin Park goes from here, one thing is for certain: fans will continue to celebrate and appreciate the legend that was Bennington.
For immediate mental health support, the 988 hotline is available 25/7/365, and help is free and confidential. Find out more here.