Rumors about the new singer are overshadowing Linkin Park’s first album in 7 years

A new, controversial singer. The son of the former lead singer who accuses the band members of destroying his father’s legacy. At the same time, the first new album in more than seven years, which will be released tomorrow, is receiving good reviews. The return of the American rock band Linkin Park is very noisy, to say the least.

Linkin Park had big hits at the beginning of this century with songs like In the end (2001), Numb/Encore (2004) in What I have done (2007). The band appealed to a wide audience through its unique combination of metal and hip-hop, and the characteristic voice of lead singer Chester Bennington, who took his own life in 2017.

After Bennington’s suicide, there was silence around Linkin Park for a long time. But at the beginning of September the band announced suddenly to return on: a new album and a world tour have been released, and today it was announced that the band will be in the Gelredome next year. Additionally, Emily Armstrong was announced as the new lead singer.

Armstrong, 38 years old, was relatively unknown to the general public at that time, as the lead singer of a hard rock band from Los Angeles who never made it. The first response from her after the new single The Empty Machinewhich was shared at the same time as the news of the return, positive.

Soon after, fans started looking into Armstrong’s history and that’s when the tenor changed. For example, she appeared to express her support for the now-convicted actor Danny Masterson, known for, among others The 70’s Show: he is sitting at this time thirty years imprisonment for raping two women.

The connection between Armstrong and Masterson is very sensitive, because Chester Bennington was sexually abused for years in his youth, and that had a big impact on his later life.

In addition, there is a perception of Scientology around Armstrong, the controversial and mysterious group that has been described as a cult: her parents were famous members of Scientology and she was once seen at a Scientology gala.

Armstrong herself has not said anything publicly about her ties to Scientology. In addition, shortly after the issue of her relationship with Masterson, she posted a message on Instagram. She said she had represented “someone I considered a friend” at a court hearing several years ago.

“But soon afterwards I realized I shouldn’t have done that. I always try to see the good in people, but I misjudged him. I never spoke to him after that .”

At that time, Chester Bennington’s son, Jaime, among others, had already gone out to his father’s band, and especially to his co-frontman Mike Shinoda. He wrote in a series of Instagram posts that Armstrong’s choice had betrayed the trust of his fans and that “my father’s life and legacy have been quietly erased.” “

It doesn’t change that Linkin Park’s new album, From zerogetting mostly good reviews. The British newspaper The Guardian presented the record four out of five stars. According to the newspaper, Armstrong’s voice brings new energy to the group: “The fact that the band is able to sound new and current, without rejecting the past, is fantastic .

The Emptiness Machine, one of the songs from the new album with Armstrong as singer:

Music journalist Atze de Vrieze explains that changing lead singers doesn’t always go smoothly for bands. Especially if that singer was also charismatic and left an important mark on music, like Chester Bennington. “He had success with bands like AC/DC, Van Halen, Pink Floyd and Genesis. But take Queen for example: in the end, nothing has ever emerged as powerful as the original Freddie Mercury material.”

So he understands the skeptical attitude of Linkin Park fans, “especially if the new singer also seems to be associated with all kinds of dubious characters”.

Telegraaf music journalist Jean-Paul Heck thinks that Linkin Park has done a good job by not choosing someone who looks like Bennington. “Because you can’t replace something that special. But I think the uproar around Armstrong surprised them. These guys have a lot of integrity,” says Heck, who has interviewed the band several times.

At the same time, he expects that the storm surrounding the singer will eventually subside and then, according to him, the band could enter a new period of success. “To be honest: around 2017 they were a bit stuck as a band. It seemed like it was coming to an end.” That is not to be heard on the new album, says Heck, which he describes as “wonderful”: “They have been able to make a distance and that has been good for them.”