NEW YORK (AP) — Linkin Park is back with a new lineup and debuting their first new music since the 2017 death of lead singer Chester Bennington.
On Thursday, the band kicked off a livestream showcasing new singer Emily Armstrong and drummer Colin Brittain, who will join returning members Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Phoenix and Joe Hahn in Linkin Park’s new lineup. Shinoda and Armstrong share vocal duties.
The new lineup launched into a new single, “The Emptiness Machine,” at the top of the stream. Armstrong’s performance style comfortably continues the band’s legacy: Her full-throated vocals recall Bennington without attempting parody, immediately evidenced on the second song of the set: “Somewhere I Belong.”
“This is a very special day for us,” Shinoda said as he led introductions, mentioning that guitarist Alex Feder was filling in Delson for the night. “In the role of Chester Bennington this afternoon is each of you,”…