Linkin Park Tap Emily Armstrong As New Singer, Announce Album, Tour

After going on hiatus following singer Chester Bennington’s 2017 death, Linkin Park’s surviving members today (Sept. 6) revealed that they’ve enlisted Dead Sara’s Emily Armstrong on vocals and songwriter/producer Colin Brittain on drums for a new album and world tour.

FROM ZERO is out Nov. 15 from Warner Records and is led by the single “The Emptiness Machine.” The new lineup of the band’s debut live performance took place this afternoon at a private Los Angeles event and is being streamed on YouTube for 24 hours.

A series of additional arena shows have also been announced for the coming days, beginning Sept. 11 in the band’s hometown of Los Angeles.

“Before Linkin Park, our first band name was Xero,” group member Mike Shinoda said in a statement. “This album title refers to both this humble beginning and the journey we’re currently undertaking. Sonically and emotionally, it is about past, present, and future — embracing our signature sound, but new and full of life. It was made with a deep appreciation for our new and longtime bandmates, our friends, our family, and our fans. We are proud of what Linkin Park has become over the years, and excited about the journey ahead.”

In recent years, Shinoda, Brad Delson, Dave “Phoenix” Farrell and Joe Hahn started hanging out again and reconnected with the creativity and camaraderie that drove Linkin Park in the first. Once that was established, the quartet invited friends and colleagues to their studio, which helped them forge connections with Armstrong and Brittain. Ultimately, the pair was asked to join the band, which the surviving members consider to be a new beginning rather than picking up where they left off.

“The more we worked with Emily and Colin, the more we enjoyed their world-class talents, their company, and the things we created,” Shinoda continues. “We feel really empowered with this new lineup and the vibrant and energized new music we’ve made together. We’re weaving together the sonic touchpoints we’ve been known for and still exploring new ones.”