When Chester Bennington tragically passed away in July of 2017, the world mourned not just a singer, but a truly inspirational person. As Linkin Park took time to grieve and reflect, they eventually decided to continue their journey with a new voice. Known for her vocals with the Los Angeles rock band Dead Sara, Emily Armstrong brings a new sound to Linkin Park’s music.
With the band’s sudden return, people are left wondering why they picked it up again in the first place. After Bennington’s death, the band went on a six-year hiatus; the only performances they had done were memorials. When they decided to return, secondary vocalist Mike Shinoda expressed his concerns in an Apple Music interview. He was very apprehensive about the idea of having to carry all of the band’s vocals by himself.
The band tried out several new singers, but none had the chemistry they were looking for. That was until Armstrong auditioned and they decided she was the one for the job. On Sept.5 they released their first single with Armstrong, “The Emptiness Machine.” The new song showcases the band’s classic electronic rap-rock style complemented by her new raw and gritty vocals, offering a fresh but still familiar sound for hard-core fans. The song’s lyrics discuss themes of isolation, loss, and finding strength, staying close to Linkin Park’s trademark emotional lyrics.
Since its release, the single has sparked mixed feelings amongst the band’s large following. While some fans are excited about Armstrong’s addition to the band and the new direction, others remain wary, missing the voice of the late Bennington. “The Emptiness Machine” has ignited discussion within the fanbase, some being concerned that she will not be able to truly fill the gap in the band left by Bennington.
Critical fans argue that no matter how talented Armstrong is, her presence completely changes the dynamic the band previously had. Claiming that before Bennington’s death, Linkin Park as a band was just a few friends spending time together, but with Armstrong’s addition, everything was turned upside down.
Not long after, intense berating emerged upon learning of Armstrong’s connection to convicted criminal Danny Masterson. She soon publicly stated that she had cut her ties with Masterson and clarified that she does not support abuse in any form. Despite the chatter and criticism, musicians Dave Grohl and Courtney Love have publicly endorsed her.
While the commentary from Grohl and Love left some fans feeling reassured, others are even more disapproving, remembering that both of them have made a reputation for themselves of being untrustworthy with their feud regarding bands Nirvana and Foo Fighters, proving themselves in several instances to be less than admirable people.
Jaime Bennington, one of Chester Bennington’s sons, came out voicing his strong disapproval of Armstrong, claiming that Linkin Park failed to vet her properly and that there are a lot of people who dislike him, and he would not feel safe going to any of the band’s shows.
Armstrong quickly posted a response to address the allegations against her. In an Instagram post, she said that several years ago she was asked to support someone she had once considered a friend in court; she has not spoken to him since he was found guilty.
Shinoda has defended Armstrong on numerous accounts, regardless of what the critics have said. Telling the public that Armstrong and himself originally began writing music together as early as 2019 to revive Linkin Park, saying their pre-hiatus music was just the first chapter, and now they’re beginning a new one. Furthermore, Shinoda did not address anything that the Bennington family said.
He repeatedly stressed that Armstrong was not replacing Bennington, also stating that she was not trying to replicate his sound and she was completely herself and was not imitating Bennington. Amidst the chaos, Bennington’s mother Susan Eubanks was interviewed by Rolling Stone where she expressed her aversion to Shinoda’s choice to continue the band feeling, saying she felt “betrayed.”
Eubanks believes that Linkin Park is now trying very hard to erase the past as they move forward. According to her, the band members promised to alert her if they planned to reform the band. However, they did not. They knew that she would not be happy with their choice to bring Linkin Park back, but did it regardless of her wishes.
Eubanks also claimed that Shinoda told her he felt Linkin Park would sound better with a female singer and that if Bennington left he would most likely replace him with a woman. Taking into account that Shinoda had been wanting a female singer since before Bennington’s death, their new rebrand begins to feel as if it wasn’t a complete wildcard.
Despite the backlash, Linkin Park does not have any intention of breaking off the band again, and fans are inconsolable about the situation, wishing they would have just left Linkin Park as Bennington’s legacy. Whether the new direction is going to be a good decision or if it will be the band’s tragic end isn’t clear, either way, they will go down in history as one of the greatest alternative bands of the 21st century.
