It’s been a long road back for Linkin Park, one of the biggest bands of the 21st century. After lead singer Chester Bennington died by suicide in 2017, the alt-metal powerhouses that mixed hard rock with hip-hop went on an indefinite hiatus, with their future uncertain. But after meeting Dead Sara singer Emily Armstrong in 2019, Linkin Park secretly began working with her.
Then, on Sept. 5 — almost 24 years after they dropped their diamond-selling debut “Hybrid Theory” — the group announced its return, with Armstrong becoming co-lead vocalist with Mike Shinoda and Colin Brittain replacing Rob Bourdon on drums. However, the decision to have Armstrong replace Bennington was met with some controversy, including backlash from the late singer’s son, Jaime .
On his Instagram stories, he wrote about how it “quietly erased my father’s life and legacy ...
during International Suicide Prevention Month.” Jaime called out Armstrong for her alleged ties to Scientology and past support of convicted rapist Danny Masterson. “You have betrayed the trust loaned to you by decades of fans,” he wrote.
Still, all that didn’t stop Armstrong from receiving a warm welcome at Barclays Center on Monday night as Linkin Park performed one of just six shows that the band is doing worldwide before releasing “From Zero,” its eighth studio album — and first without Bennington — on Nov. 15. And the LP was previewed with new single “The Emptiness Machine,” which already tops.