LINKIN PARK — Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Dave “Phoenix” Farrell, Joe Hahn, alongside new members Emily Armstrong (of critically acclaimed band DEAD SARA) as co-vocalist and Colin Brittain (songwriter/producer for G FLIP, ILLENIUM, ONE OK ROCK) as drummer — share their first brand new music in seven years.
The iconic band shared a deluge of treats for fans: a new single and video (premiering at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET),for “The Emptiness Machine”, plus a global livestream performance, and the launch of six upcoming arena shows in Los Angeles, New York, Hamburg, London, Seoul, and Bogota as part of the “From Zero World Tour”. LP Underground fan club exclusive pre-sales start September 6 and general on-sales September 7. Go to LinkinPark.com for more info.
These surprises herald the arrival of LINKIN PARK‘s first album since 2017, “From Zero”, on November 15.
Tomorrow, Friday September 6, the band joins longtime friend and Apple Music host Zane Lowe for an in-depth candid conversation about the incredible legacy of LINKIN PARK, the seven-year long journey to new music and their excitement for the future. Fans can tune in at 6 a.m. PT to watch the full interview.
Without expectations, Shinoda, Delson, Farrell and Hahn quietly began meeting up again in recent years. Rather than “trying to restart the band,” their instinct was to simply spend more time together, and reconnect with the creativity and camaraderie that has been at the core of their friendship since college. During this time, they invited various friends and cohorts to join them in the studio; among the guests, they found a special kinship with Armstong and Brittain. A natural chemistry drew these musicians back into its gravitational pull as they logged more and more hours in the studio. It was the sound of lifelong musicians rediscovering the uncontainable energy of a new beginning once again. Over this season, “From Zero” was born.
About the new era, Shinoda stated: “Before LINKIN PARK, our first band name was XERO. 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.”
Right out of the gate, “The Emptiness Machine” channels the DNA of LINKIN PARK, harnessing the band’s explosive energy and retaining the hallmarks of their instantly identifiable and inimitable sound. A chameleonic and catchy anthem, Shinoda‘s hypnotic melodies hand off to Armstrong‘s blistering chorus, over distorted riffs and head-nodding drums.
Shinoda elaborated: “The more we worked with Emily and Colin, the more we enjoyed their world-class talents, their company, and the things we created. 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.”
Ultimately, with “From Zero”, the band is looking to harness the purest energy of their past, present, and future. The new era has officially begun.
“From Zero World Tour” 2024
September 11 – Kia Forum – Los Angeles, CA
September 16 – Barclays Center – New York, NY
September 22 – Barclays Arena – Hamburg, Germany
September 24 – The O2 – London, UK
September 28 – INSPIRE Arena – Seoul, South Korea
November 11 – Coliseo Medplus – Bogota, Colombia
“From Zero” track listing
01. From Zero (Intro)
02. The Emptiness Machine
03. Cut The Bridge
04. Heavy Is The Crown
05. Over Each Other
06. Casualty
07. Overflow
08. Two Faced
09. Stained
10. IGYEIH
11. Good Things Go
This past May, Billboard reported that LINKIN PARK was considering a possible 2025 reunion tour with a female vocalist stepping in for late lead singer Chester Bennington.
LINKIN PARK‘s booking agency WME was reportedly taking offers for a potential tour along with headlining festival dates that would feature Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson and Dave Farrell, Billboard‘s sources said.
One of the sources told Billboard that LINKIN PARK was hoping to find a female vocalist to front the reunited band, a rumor which was first started in April by ORGY frontman Jay Gordon who mentioned during a radio interview that he had “heard” that LINKIN PARK was working with a “girl singer now”. When pressed, Gordon continued by saying: “Don’t quote me on that. I’m not sure who the singer is going to be, but I heard it was gonna be female. They might just try to move on like that. That ought to be interesting.” Jay later seemingly walked back his comments, writing in a Facebook post that he knew “nothing about any of that” and accused “people” of taking his words “out of context.”.
Photo credit: James Minchin III