After a countdown of almost a week, Linkin Park held a live stream on social media on September 5th with their new vocalist, Emily Armstrong , known for her band Dead Sara , and their new drummer, Colin Brittain.
The live stream was a surprise performance that announced the band's return with a new lineup, a new album, and the release of their first single. This will be LP's first work in seven years, since the passing of iconic vocalist Chester Bennington .
The fans weren't expecting any of this and were overwhelmed by all the information the band had prepared for them, as well as the excitement of seeing the band together, especially without vocalist Bennington.
The news all came together during about an hour and a half of presentation, and many details may have gone unnoticed by fans. So here we've compiled everything we know about Linkin Park's new album so far.
Name
According to Mike Shinoda , in a statement, the name From Zero represents the humble beginnings the band had before they were called Linkin Park. He revealed that their name before the one that made them world-famous was Xero .
In this album, with this name, the musician said that he embraced the past, present and future, with a "deep appreciation for our new and old bandmates, our friends, our family and our fans."
Release date
During the album announcement at the event, it was revealed that From Zero will be released on November 15th of this year. The group did not say if there will be another single before then.
Cover
First single
The second track from the album From Zero , "The Emptiness Machine," premiered during the band's live performance. When the song started, fans immediately speculated that the single would include other surprises, but no one expected all this material to be revealed.
After the show, the music video for the song was released, which you can watch below.
Why did drummer Rob Bourdon leave Linkin Park?
In an interview with Billboard (transcribed by Kerrang! ), Mike Shinoda commented on his bandmate's departure: “Rob told us, I think it was a few years ago, that he wanted to distance himself from the band. And we understood that—it was already apparent. He was starting to show up less, to have less contact, and I know the fans noticed that too.”
Hybrid Theory relaunch Papercuts release . So, for me, as a friend, that was sad, but at the same time, I want him to do what makes him happy, and obviously everyone wishes him the best.”
Speaking about the new drummer, Shinoda shared that he met him around 2021: “I received an invitation to a session with some different writers, and Colin was one of the guys in the room, and I immediately connected with him.”
Who is Emily Armstrong, the new lead singer of Linkin Park?
Singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Emily is best known as the vocalist for Dead Sara, who released their self-titled debut album in 2012. The group has three studio albums in their portfolio: Dead Sara (2012), Pleasure to Meet You (2015), and Ain't It Tragic (2021).
Armstrong received significant attention as a singer even before the release of Dead Sara's debut album. Grace Slick said Armstrong was a singer she admired in a 2011 Wall Street Journal Courtney Love Hole 's 2010 album , Nobody's Daughter.
She has also recorded and performed with artists such as The Offspring, Beck, Demi Lovato, Awolnation , and Robby Krieger of The Doors.
Training
There was much speculation about the new vocalist when rumors began to surface about a possible return of the band. The list of possible vocalists included Amy Lee and Deryck Whibley from Sum 41 .
Fans were certain it would be a woman, as information had been leaked by colleagues in the group.
Linkin Park now consists of Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Phoenix, Joe Hahn , along with new members Emily Armstrong as co-vocalist and Colin Brittain (songwriter/producer of G Flip, Illenium, One OK Rock) as drummer.
Tour
The band also announced six arena shows in Los Angeles, New York, Hamburg, London, Seoul, and Bogotá as part of the From Zero World Tour . Exclusive pre-sales for the LP Underground fan club begin this Friday, September 6th, and general sales start the following day, September 7th. Visit the official website for more information.