Brad Delson, from left, Mike Shinoda, and Rob Bourdon, of Linkin Park pose in the press room with the award for favorite artist alternative rock at the American Music Awards on Nov 19, 2017. (Photo by Jordan Strauss)
Linkin Park is making a return with a fresh lineup and their first new music since the tragic passing of lead singer Chester Bennington in 2017.
On Thursday, the band launched a livestream to introduce their new members, vocalist Emily Armstrong and drummer Colin Brittain, who will join returning members Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Phoenix, and Joe Hahn. Armstrong will share vocal duties with Shinoda in this new era for the band.
Kicking off the event, the band performed their latest single, "The Emptiness Machine." Armstrong’s powerful voice seamlessly fits the band's iconic sound, evoking Bennington's style while maintaining her own distinct presence. This was especially clear during their performance of the classic hit "Somewhere I Belong."
“This is a big day for us,” Shinoda said as he introduced the lineup, noting that guitarist Alex Feder was standing in for Delson that evening. Addressing the audience, he added, “In the role of Chester Bennington tonight is each of you.”
Linkin Park also revealed that their new album, From Zero, will be released on November 15. This album marks a new chapter for the band, whose career soared in the 2000s, largely due to Bennington's unforgettable vocals. Bennington, who died at 41, took his own life shortly after the release of their last album, One More Light. Since then, the band has released several reissues, including anniversary editions of Hybrid Theory and Meteora, and this year's greatest hits collection, Papercuts.
Shinoda explained that the album's title, From Zero, reflects both the band's early beginnings under their original name, Xero, and their current journey forward.
Armstrong, formerly of the alt-rock band Dead Sara, and Brittain, a producer and songwriter who has worked with bands like Papa Roach and All Time Low, have now joined the group, replacing original drummer Rob Bourdon. A representative for the band confirmed that Bourdon has chosen to step down.
Shinoda expressed his enthusiasm for the new lineup, saying, “Working with Emily and Colin has been a pleasure. Their incredible talent and the music we’ve made together have brought a new energy to the band. We're blending our signature sound with fresh elements.”
In addition to the new album, the band announced the "From Zero World Tour," which includes five arena shows in cities like Los Angeles, New York, Hamburg, London, and Seoul this month, followed by a performance in Bogotá, Colombia, in November.
From Zero tracklist:
- From Zero (Intro)
- The Emptiness Machine
- Cut The Bridge
- Heavy Is The Crown
- Over Each Other
- Casualty
- Overflow
- Two Faced
- Stained
- IGYEIH
- Good Things Go
