Published 2024-09-06 14.41
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full screen The iconic metal band Linkin Park is back. The band’s new singer Emily Armstrong makes the single “The emptiness machine” a promising comeback. Photo: James Minchin III
SINGLE Seven years after singer Chester Bennington‘s tragic death, Linkin Park is back.
“The emptiness machine” is a promising sign of life from a band that rose from grief and valiantly fights on – with a singer who steals the show.
Linkin Park
The emptiness machine
Warner
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ROCK “One more light” seemed to be Linkin Parks swan song. Just two months after the album release, the singer took Chester Bennington his life, aged 41, leaving behind a band and a rock scene in tatters. Many had not had time to recover from their industry peers Chris Cornells suicide two months earlier.
Mike Shinodathe band’s rapping singer and producer, has never closed the door on a comeback but a return has seemed unlikely. That is, until April of this year when a cryptic countdown on the band’s social media immediately began spreading rumors of an imminent reunion.
The rumors turned out to be true.
Seven years after Bennington’s death, one of the most successful metal bands this side of the millennium is back with new music from the upcoming album “From zero”. An album title that is partly a nod to the band’s roots (Linkin Park was first called Zero) and partly refers to the group starting over from the beginning.
“The emptiness machine” begins somewhat blandly. Shinoda sings softly and carefully over the new addition Colin Brittains pounding drums without either the music or lyrics leaving much of an impression.
It’s probably a deliberate choice in order to hand over the baton to the band’s new singer with the greatest possible effect Emily Armstrongwho, with immediate charisma and power, announces himself a few minutes in just as the song ramps up. The singer, who comes from the rock band Dead Sara and is something of a well-kept secret, then grows stronger and more confident with each verse line.
Musically, Linkin Park returns with simple but effective pop rock instead of the hair-raising hybrid of electronic emo rock, pop, rap and metal that the band mastered in the 00s.
“The emptiness machine” breathes most “classic Linkin Park” in the youthfully emotional text, which by all accounts is about getting stuck in a destructive relationship or situation and losing yourself.
”Already pulling me in/Already under my skin/And I know exactly how it ends” is a foreboding stanza that echoes the pain from records like “Hybrid theory” and “Meteora”.
In the bridge of the song, the difficult teenage years are framed with just seven words: “I only wanted to be part of something”. The text line will hit many people hard.
I don’t envy Armstrong who has unreasonably large shoes to fill and will forever be compared to his celebrated predecessor, who after his death has attained an almost saintly status. Especially when her voice echoes Bennington’s mournful timbre, fragile sensibility and striking blackness.
As Armstrong roars the chorus ”Let you cut me open just to watch me bleed/Gave up who I am for who you wanted me to be” for the last time, the strength of her voice has the potential to rip open old wounds. By then, she has managed to steal the show from her bandmates.
“The emptiness machine” is all in all a decent song. Hardly a ground-breaking “Hybrid theory” banger, but it undeniably awakens a curiosity ahead of the album release in November.
It is also an achievement.
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Who is Emily Armstrong and what role does she play in the new Linkin Park lineup?
Table of Contents
Linkin Park Returns with New Singer Emily Armstrong and Promising Single ”The Emptiness Machine”
After a seven-year hiatus following the tragic death of lead singer Chester Bennington, iconic metal band Linkin Park has made a remarkable comeback with their new single “The Emptiness Machine” and a brand new singer, Emily Armstrong. This marks a new chapter in the band’s history, and fans are eagerly awaiting their upcoming album “From Zero” set to release in November.
The new single, “The Emptiness Machine”, is a promising sign of life from a band that has risen from grief and is valiantly fighting on. Emily Armstrong, who hails from the rock band Dead Sara, brings a new energy to the band with her powerful vocals and charisma. She announces herself a few minutes into the song, which initially starts with Mike Shinoda’s soft singing over Colin Brittains’ pounding drums. As the song ramps up, Armstrong’s voice grows stronger and more confident, stealing the show from her bandmates.
Musically, Linkin Park has shifted towards a simpler but effective pop-rock sound, departing from their signature hybrid of electronic emo rock, pop, rap, and metal. The lyrics of “The Emptiness Machine” breathe with a classic Linkin Park feel, exploring themes of getting stuck in destructive relationships and losing oneself. The song’s lyrics, particularly the foreboding stanza “
What can fans expect from Linkin Park’s new album “From Zero”?
Linkin Park Makes Triumphant Return with New Album “From Zero” and Single “The Emptiness Machine”
After a seven-year hiatus, iconic metal band Linkin Park is making a triumphant return with their new album “From Zero” [[2]], set to release on November 15. The band’s comeback is marked by the debut of their new singer, Emily Armstrong, who brings a fresh energy to their music.
The journey back to the music scene began when Mike Shinoda, the band’s rapping singer and producer, never closed the door on a comeback. In April this year, a cryptic countdown on the band’s social media sparked rumors of an imminent reunion [[3]]. The rumors turned out to be true, and Linkin Park is now back with new music that promises to deliver the same emotional intensity that fans have grown to love.
The band’s new single, “The Emptiness Machine”, is a promising sign of life from a band that has risen from grief and is valiantly fighting on. The song begins softly, with Shinoda singing carefully over Colin Brittain’s pounding drums, before handing over the baton to Armstrong, who brings a new level of charisma and power to the music [[1]]. Armstrong’s voice grows stronger and more confident with each verse line, making her a standout addition to the band.
Musically, Linkin Park returns with a more streamlined pop-rock sound, compared to their signature hybrid of electronic emo rock, pop, rap, and metal that defined their earlier years. However, “The Emptiness Machine” still breathes classic Linkin Park in its youthfully emotional lyrics, which explore themes of getting stuck in a destructive relationship or situation and losing oneself.
The song’s foreboding stanzas, such as “Already pulling me in/Already under my skin/And I know exactly how it ends”, echo the pain and intensity that fans have come to expect from records like “Hybrid Theory” and “Meteora”.
The new album “From Zero” is a nod to the band’s roots, as Linkin Park was initially called Zero. The title also signifies the band’s decision to start anew, after the tragic loss of their original singer, Chester Bennington, who took his life in 2017.
Linkin Park’s comeback is a testament to the band’s resilience and dedication to their music. With Armstrong at the helm, the band is poised to make a fresh impact on the music scene, while still honoring their roots and the legacy of their previous work.
Get ready to experience the new era of Linkin Park when “From Zero” drops on November 15.
