Linkin Park has officially announced its return, but the band is recruiting new members ahead of its highly anticipated world reunion tour.
On Thursday, the Grammy-winning rock band confirmed speculation about its return to the music scene by announcing a world tour and new album during a livestream event, according to NME. Along with that, Linkin Park also officially introduced its new members.
Who are the new members of Linkin Park?
Emily Armstrong, formerly of another rock band called Dead Sara, will replace the late Chester Bennington as Linkin Park’s lead singer. Colin Brittain, on the other hand, will take over as the band’s drummer.
During the livestream, the band officially performed with their new members, singing Linkin Park’s new song “The Emptiness Machine” and some of the group’s classic hits. The members also took the opportunity to introduce their upcoming album, “From Zero,” which is due out on November 15, in time for their world tour.
The band’s co-founder, Mike Shinoda, shared the decision to team up with Armstrong and Brittain for Linkin Park’s return.
“The more we work with Emily and Colin, the more we love their world-class talent, their company, and what we create. We feel truly empowered with this new lineup and the vibrant, energetic new music we’ve created together,” said the band’s singer and rapper.
Shinoda also reflected on the meaning of the new album’s title, “From Zero,” saying, “Before Linkin Park, our first band name was Xero. This album title alludes to both those humble beginnings and the journey we’re on. Sonically and emotionally, it speaks to the past, present, and future—honoring our signature sound, but fresh and vibrant.”
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Linkin Park’s New Album and World Tour Details
“From Zero,” Linkin Park’s first new album in seven years, is now available for pre-order on the band’s website. The album’s lead single, “The Emptiness Machine,” is available on all streaming platforms.
In support of the new album, Linkin Park have announced a short world tour starting in September, with six shows scheduled in major cities including London, Los Angeles and Seoul. The tour dates are as follows:
September 11 – Kia Forum – Los Angeles, CaliforniaSeptember 16 – Barclays Center – New York, New YorkSeptember 22 – Barclays Arena – Hamburg, GermanySeptember 24 – The O2 – London, United KingdomSeptember 28 – INSPIRE Arena – Seoul, South KoreaNovember 11 – Coliseo Medplus – Bogota, Colombia
Pre-sale tickets for fan club members will go on sale starting Friday, September 6, and general sale on Saturday via the band’s official website.
Continuing after the passing of Chester Bennington
This comeback has been years in the making. Since Bennington’s death in 2017, the band has struggled to make an official comeback. In an interview with Billboard published Thursday, Shinoda revealed that Armstrong joined them in 2019. However, they were hesitant to call it a reunion at the time.
“[The band] met Emily around 2019 — she came over, we worked together at my old studio,” Shinoda shared, adding that the band was still wrestling with whether they wanted to continue as Linkin Park at the time.
Bassist Dave Farrell, also known as Phoenix, admitted that he initially struggled to make music again after Chester’s death.
“For a long time, I was like, ‘I don’t want to do any kind of music. It’s painful. I want to avoid that.’ It took me a while to start feeling like this was really energizing,” Farrell told Billboard. “Emily is like Linkin Park, Colin is like Linkin Park. The six of us working together, figuring things out—it’s so energizing, and I want to keep doing that.”
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Tags Linkin Park, Chester Bennington, Mike Shinoda