Susan Eubanks, the mother of the late Linkin Park lead singer Chester Bennington, has voiced her discontent with the band.

In a Thursday interview with Rolling Stone, Eubanks revealed that the band, particularly co-founder Mike Shinoda and DJ Joe Hahn, did not inform her about their plans to work with new vocalist Emily Armstrong, who is replacing Bennington.

“I discovered that Emily Armstrong had joined the band through Google,” Eubanks stated. “I feel betrayed. They promised to tell me first if they ever decided to do something like this. They didn’t reach out, and they must have known that I wouldn’t be happy about it. I’m really hurt by this.”

YSL News has contacted a representative for Linkin Park to get their response.

Linkin Park has been performing with a joint vocal effort from Shinoda and Armstrong as part of their From Zero World Tour, which started at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on September 11. The band, which includes Brad Delson, Dave “Phoenix” Farrell, and new drummer Colin Brittain, took a hiatus following Bennington’s passing in 2017.

Emily Armstrong Singing Chester Bennington’s Songs ‘Is Painful,’ Says His Mother

Armstrong, who was announced as the new addition to the band on September 5, was said to be “owning every inch of the stage” during the lengthy concert, which featured 27 songs. She sang lead on crowd favorites like “Crawling,” “Lying from You,” and “Burn It Down,” appearing as though she had deep familiarity with the songs.

“I feel like they’re making an effort to erase Chester’s legacy. They are performing songs that he previously sang,” Eubanks expressed to Rolling Stone. “While I’m unsure how the fans are responding, I know how I feel. It’s painful for me to see Armstrong singing my son’s songs.”

At the tour’s opening night, Shinoda told the audience that performing again “isn’t about erasing the past. It’s opening a new chapter for the future. We love playing for you all and are thrilled about our new album.”

“You realize that you’re singing for Chester tonight, right?” Shinoda remarked before starting a sing-along for “Points of Authority.”

Chester Bennington’s Mother Says She Feels ‘Deeply Distressed’ by Linkin Park’s Revival

Eubanks suspected that Linkin Park would tour again, but she had anticipated that Shinoda would take on the vocal responsibilities.

“I assumed Mike would perform the songs, and they simply wouldn’t sound quite the same,” she mentioned. “I would’ve accepted that, but I’m not okay with someone replacing him and trying to imitate what he did.”

“I truly believe no one can replicate Chester’s distinct voice. It was shocking to me, and I felt deeply distressed that they are trying to accomplish exactly what Chester did but are failing.”

Eubanks expressed her immediate negative feelings toward their September 5 livestreamed performance which introduced Armstrong: “It was uncomfortable to hear her struggling through high notes. I left the stream as quickly as I could.”

Eubanks’ grandson, Jaime Bennington, has also criticized Linkin Park’s new path on social media.

“If I could communicate anything to the band, it would be that I feel betrayed. You made a promise to let us know and didn’t follow through. This isn’t the right approach,” Eubanks remarked.

“Don’t have her perform Chester’s songs and pretend this has always been how it should be. It’s as if they are trying to erase him.”

In an interview with Billboard on September 5, Armstrong shared her perspective on performing Bennington’s music.

“When I perform these (older) songs, with a distinctive voice that many adore — it’s like, ‘How can I express myself here while also honoring the emotion and essence that he brought to the band?’ That was the challenge I faced,” she explained. “It’s Chester’s singing, along with mine, but my goal is to preserve the feelings I experience when listening to the track, as that’s what resonates with the fans. I hope to capture the passion that I can bring to it.”

This marks the band’s first tour since the One More Light World Tour in 2017, which was abruptly ended due to Bennington’s passing that July. Their upcoming album, “From Zero,” is set to be released on November 15, making it their first album since Bennington’s death.

Contributions by: Bryan Alexander, YSL News