Bands replacing band members after a split-up and/or death is a practice as old as time. The Rolling Stones drafted guitarist Mick Taylor after founding member/guitarist Brian Jones passed away—AC/DC welcomed vocalist Brian Johnson to take over the mic after Bon Scott passed away. Alice in Chains reunited in 2005 with vocalist/guitarist William DuVall after the passing of vocalist/founding member Layne Staley.
The above-mentioned bands experienced the loss of an iconic, irreplaceable artist, character, and figurehead, but instead of calling it a day, they persevered with new members and clearly managed to not only maintain their success but to grow it even more over the years. In 2024, I’m sure a whole generation of fans would wonder if the same would happen for Linkin Park.
Honestly, I never cared one way or the other about Linkin Park. Of course, I’d heard their hits “One Step Closer” and “In the End” (the latter being a fucking brilliant song), but aside from that. Nothing. I never saw them live. I never bought a CD. I never downloaded a song from Napster. Nothing. With that being said, why does a 50-year-old, cranky ass music journalist give a rat’s ass about Linkin Park? Well, it’s because their story is an “up from the ashes” kind of story and those are the type of stories I love.
In 2017, Linkin Park lost their lead vocalist, Chester Bennington, to suicide. Their vocalist was gone, and Linkin Park had also lost an iconic part of their band, the one fans felt close to and drawn to. Chester Bennington was that role, and unfortunately, as powerful as it may be, this isn’t a role that all people necessarily long to have, and at some point, they even struggle with the responsibilities that come with this position.
The big news of 2024 in the world of Linkin Park fans was that the band was reuniting with new vocalist Emily Armstrong seven years after the tragic suicide of lead vocalist/songwriter Chester Bennington. On September 5, 2024 (my 51st birthday), Linkin Park did a live stream from an undisclosed location in Los Angeles where this new chapter of Linkin Park would open, revealing a newfound energy, love, and connection to the songs via new vocalist and Dead Sara leader Emily Armstrong.
That night, I tuned in curiously to watch this performance, and I was so impressed and pretty entertained. This band was a different animal from many of their peers. They have a lot of other influences, which made their song selection interesting to me. I mainly focused on Emily Armstrong to take in what I would see in her project.
What was immediately apparent to me was Armstrong’s passion and respect for those earlier songs. Again, not knowing more than 2% of anything about this band, I didn’t have anything to compare her to since I only knew one “old” song by them. What I can tell you is that Armstrong’s performance was fantastic. She was full of energy, her delivery was mesmerizing, and her vibe and excitement gave me goosebumps. She didn’t look uncomfortable and she didn’t lack any confidence. Sometimes, I could sense a bit of nervousness, but it worked in her favor. It showed just how serious she was taking this gig. The look of absolutely love and appreciation proved that this experience definitely wasn’t something she was taking for granted.
Another thing that stuck out to me was the overall joy the band expressed from the stage. They were all smiles and playing well, but at times, I could sense a bit of hesitation, but that’s to be expected. That first night is always a big deal, especially with a new member, but I thought they were fantastic. Vocalist/guitarist Mike Shinoda just may be the happiest motherfucker playing music right now because the look of pure bliss and joy couldn’t be hidden. After the nearly 2 hour performance, the band looked exhilarated, pumped, and ready to do it again. The energy was so contagious and I loved seeing the connection to the audience.
The next day, I opened my browser and went straight looking for feedback from the fans of the show the night before with new vocalist Emily Armstrong. Making a change of this caliber in the Linkin Park community was understandably met with a mix of emotions. Understandably, the feedback was very much on the fence. People praised Emily Armstrong’s performance and expressed gratitude for breathing new life into their favorite band. Other fans seemed saddened and angry that Linkin Park would consider replacing Bennington. I read a comment that even went as far as to say that Linkin Park had tarnished and ruined the legacy of their music.
When I read that, I was reminded of how I felt seeing bands from my younger years, like Alice In Chains and Blind Melon, reuniting with new vocalists. It was a tough pill to swallow, but once I did, I opened my mind and gave them the benefit of the doubt. I’m glad I did because both bands blew me away.
Now, it’s fans of Linkin Park who can experience this firsthand, and honestly, I’m excited for them. Why am I excited? Because I know that feeling. I remember it very well. The sadness, the frustration (or anger), the doubt, and the unwanting are all genuine emotions that they will experience. Some will love it for what it is, and others will choose to either politely (or not so politely) not to hop back on that bus.
Whatever side of the fence you may reside on, in the end, it doesn’t matter. Once a fan, always a fan. I’m excited for all the fans who are embracing this new era of Linkin Park, and I hope you all love, nurture, and appreciate it. Re-live old memories while creating new memories. The songs will mean even more than before because you’ll see them played live, something you never thought would happen. And let’s not forget that a whole new generation of Linkin Park fans never got to see them. It’ll be the closest thing to a dream come true to them.
Linkin Park fans, you have my best. Enjoy this ride and love it for what it is (or what it isn’t.)
Don de Leaumont
Southeast of Heaven
10/08/2024
About The Author
