Photo: James Minchin III
Linkin Park are in the midst of a a six-date comeback tour with new singer Emily Armstrong and are giving fans in Paris, Dallas, and São Paulo a chance to see them live with three new tour dates. The band also officially released "Heavy Is The Crown" after live-debuting the new single during a show in Hamburg, Germany over the weekend. The track is the second offering off their upcoming album FROM ZERO, following lead single "The Emptiness Machine."
"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," founding member Mike Shinoda said in a statement. "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.”
FROM ZERO is slated for a November 15 release and will be Linkin Park's first album since Chester Bennington tragically took his own life in 2017.
Since announcing their reunion with Armstrong taking Bennington's place on vocals earlier this month, reactions have been pretty polarizing. Chester's son Jaime Bennington, whom he shared with former partner Elka Brand, slammed Shinoda for his role in hiring Armstrong due to her ties with Scientology and actor Danny Masterson, who was convicted of rape.“You have betrayed the trust loaned to you by decades of fans and supporting human beings including myself," he wrote on Instagram. "We trusted you to be the bigger better person. To be the change. Because you promised us that was your intention. Now you’re just senile and tone deaf.”
Chester's mom Susan Eubanks also spoke negatively about the reunion, revealing the band didn't let her know before announcing the big news. “They didn’t let me know, and they probably knew that I [wasn’t] going to be very happy. I’m very upset about it,” Eubanks said. “I feel like they’re trying very hard to erase the past. They’re performing songs that Chester sang. And I don’t know how the fans are taking it, but I know how I take it. And having [Armstrong] singing my son’s songs is hurtful.”
Conversely, Chester's widow Talinda seemingly showed support for the singer by responding to one of her Instagram posts with a series of fire emojis.
Listen to "Heavy Is The Crown" and see an updated list of tour dates below.
Linkin Park 2024 Tour Dates
09/24 – London, UK @ The O2
09/28 – Seoul, South Korea @ INSPIRE Arena
11/03 – Paris, France @ La Defense Arena
11/08 – Dallas, TX @ Globe Life Field
11/11 – Bogota, Colombia @ Coliseo Medplus
11/15 – São Paulo, Brazil @ Allianz Park