I will read the article to you. The debut album of rock band Linkin Park, ‘Hybrid Theory’ (2000), was groundbreaking in many ways. Combining rock, hip-hop, and electronic music (DJing), they created a hybrid rock sound. With consecutive successes like ‘One Step Closer’ and ‘In the End’ from the first album, ‘Meteora’ from the second album, and providing music for Hollywood blockbuster movie ‘Transformers,’ Linkin Park has left a mark in band history. They have sold over 100 million albums worldwide and won two Grammy Awards. They are also the only band to have their greatest hits album in the top 10 most streamed albums on Spotify.
Linkin Park faced a great tragedy when frontman Chester Bennington (vocalist), who suffered from depression due to childhood sexual abuse, passed away in 2017. The band fell into a long silence. Some members pursued individual projects, but Linkin Park as a whole was inactive. With Bennington’s strong presence, the band seemed on the verge of becoming fossilized. However, after a long period of remembrance, they returned with a new song after seven years.
The new vocalist is a woman named Emily Armstrong. By changing the gender of the vocalist, Mike Shinoda, the producer, rapper, and a close friend of Bennington, created another ‘hybrid’. Armstrong, who hails from the alternative rock band ‘Dead Sara’ formed in 2005, replaced drummer Rob Bourdon with Colin Brittain. Bourdon reportedly wanted to distance himself from the band after Bennington’s death.
With the resumption of activity after seven years, Linkin Park also began their ‘From Zero’ World Tour. Following performances in Los Angeles, New York, Hamburg, and London, they held a concert in Korea on the evening of the 28th. This marked their fourth visit to Korea and the first in 13 years.
At the concert held at the Incheon Inspire Arena on Yeongjong Island, over 14,000 fans showed up to support the band’s new beginning. As the only concert held in Asia, many foreigners were also in attendance. Fans who missed Bennington’s voice were initially hesitant about Armstrong’s vocals, but their doubts quickly turned into cheers. Her explosive vocal range captivated the audience.
When singing songs like ‘The Emptyness Machine’ and ‘Given Up,’ which are reminiscent of Bennington’s vocals, Armstrong displayed a raw and rich vocal tone. During ‘Heavy is the Crown,’ the theme song for the 2024 League of Legends World Championship, she hit high notes for more than 10 seconds, delivering both power and delicacy. In slower songs like ‘Leave Out All the Rest’ and ‘My December,’ she revealed her sensitivity and precision. At the end of ‘My December,’ fans were heard chanting “Emily! Emily!”
Shinoda stated in a media interview, “Passion is the driving force behind Emily’s voice. When she sings, she is 100% herself.” He also mentioned, “Emily is not trying to be Chester, and she is not trying to be someone else. That’s the best part.” He added, “We will leave Chester’s legacy as a legacy and we will try to write a new chapter for ourselves.”
Linkin Park’s precursor band was named ‘Xero.’ Their upcoming album, set to be released on November 15th, is titled ‘From Zero.’ It carries a dual meaning, reflecting the band’s determination to start from scratch. Linkin Park continues to overcome feelings of loss and carry on their own hope, as seen in lyrics like “I only wanted to be part of something” from ‘The Emptyness Machine.’ Like Autobots from ‘Transformers,’ whether they are cars or robots, their identity remains unchanged.
Kim Yang-hee, Reporter [email protected]