Linkin Park realizes that a triumphant return is not guaranteed.

While many fans will be thrilled by the rock band’s comeback with a new album and tour, some might reject this new version, viewing it as disrespectful to the legacy of their late singer, Chester Bennington, who passed away in 2017.

The band released “From Zero,” their eighth studio album, on November 15, marking their first album since Bennington’s passing. This album introduces Emily Armstrong, the former lead vocalist of Dead Sara, who now shares powerful vocal duties with Mike Shinoda, a founding member of the group since 1996.

The iconic nu metal and electro-rock sound of Linkin Park is still present, but it’s a significant challenge for guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Dave Farrell, DJ and video director Joe Hahn, and new drummer Colin Brittain (original drummer Rob Bourdon departed after Bennington’s death).

Emily Armstrong’s Role in Linkin Park

Armstrong is an inherently powerful vocalist, conveying her energy across the 11 tracks with remarkable intensity. Her fierce growls even eclipse the heavy guitar riffs in “Casualty,” while her emphatic declaration, “From now on, I don’t need you” in “IGYEIH,” resonates with conviction.

The album’s singles, which have been making waves on rock radio since September—such as the brooding “The Emptiness Machine,” the energetic “Heavy is the Crown,” and the catchy “Over Each Other”—feature a blend of dynamic beats, sharp guitars, and electronic elements, all retaining the classic Linkin Park essence.

The band, who first performed with Armstrong live in September, will kick off a 50-plus date global tour starting January 31 in Mexico City. Despite the irreplaceable loss of Bennington, their willingness to embrace change with Armstrong deserves recognition and admiration.

The Best Track on Linkin Park’s ‘From Zero’ Is ‘Good Things Go’

This track embodies a true duet, as Shinoda expresses the weariness of fleeing from oneself: “Maybe I’m just too eager/maybe I lost the plot … (expletive) all your empathy,” he raps in the bridge. Armstrong counters with a tone reflecting her emotional restraint, singing, “only you can save me from my lack of self-control.”

This closing song serves as a fitting conclusion to an album that is bound to stir a wide range of emotions among fans, exploring dark themes while occasionally reaching for light and existing somewhere in between.