Emily Armstrong new lead singer of Linkin Park

NEW YORK –

Linkin Park is back with a new lineup, debuting their first new music since the death of lead singer Chester Bennington in 2017.

On Thursday, the band kicked off a livestream with new vocalist Emily Armstrong and drummer Colin Brittain, who will join returning members Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Phoenix and Joe Hahn in Linkin Park’s new lineup. Shinoda and Armstrong will share vocal duties.

The new lineup launched a new single, “The Emptiness Machine,” at the top of the stream. Armstrong’s performance style comfortably continues the band’s legacy: Her rich vocals recall Bennington without parodying it, which was immediately apparent on the set’s second song, “Somewhere I Belong.”

“This is a very special day for us,” Shinoda said as he led the introductions, and he announced that guitarist Alex Feder would be replacing Delson for the night. “In the role of Chester Bennington this afternoon are each and every one of you,” Shinoda addressed the crowd.

Linkin Park has also announced a new album, “From Zero.” It will be released on November 15th.

The rock-rap band was one of the most commercially successful acts of the 2000s, aided by Bennington’s vocals. At age 41, he committed suicide shortly after the release of the group’s final album, “One More Light.” In the years since, Linkin Park has released a number of reissues, including 20th-anniversary editions of “Hybrid Theory,” “Meteora” and, this year, the career-spanning greatest hits collection, “Papercuts.”

“For Linkin Park, our first band name was Xero. This album title refers to both these humble beginnings and the journey we are currently on,” Shinoda said in a statement announcing the upcoming release.

Armstrong comes from the alt-rock band Dead Sara, and Brittain is a songwriter and producer who has worked with Papa Roach, One OK Rock and All Time Low, among others. He replaces original drummer Rob Bourdon, who “has decided to step down,” a representative for the band told The Associated Press.

“The more we worked with Emily and Colin, the more we enjoyed their world-class talents, their company, and the things we were creating,” Shinoda said. “We feel truly empowered by this new lineup and the vibrant and energetic new music we’ve created together, weaving together the sonic touchpoints we’re known for while still exploring new ones.”

The band also announced the “From Zero World Tour,” featuring five arena shows in Los Angeles, New York, Hamburg, Germany, London and Seoul this month, and a sixth in November in Bogota, Colombia.

Tracklist of “From Zero”:

1. From Scratch (Intro)

2. The Void Machine

3. Cut the bridge

4. Heavy is the crown

5. Over each other

6. Victim

7. Overflow

8. Two faces

9. Spotted

10. IGYEIH

11. Good things happen