Linkin Park announces return with Emily Armstrong as new co-vocalist; single The Emptiness Machine released, album From Zero releasing November 15

[Stalker]

I was just about to post this too.
You can't just write the accusation off as "mudslinging from another scientologist who she had a falling out with". That the post was from Cedric is actually super important because of how close he is personally to the Danny Masterson case, as well as being a former member of the CSI who has been very critical of the organisation since leaving. Also if people have heard about the whole accusation that "scientologists killed a former members dog by throwing it poisoned meat" thing, that was Cedric's dog.

It gives me a real pause about celebrating this, even though it is just accusations.

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My thing is that it's very one sided right now, We know she attended Dannys trial as his friend at the time but didn't enter the courts. We don't know how much she did if anything to defend him or how aware she was of his crimes. We don't know if shes still connected to scientology at all still or how long shes been "out". Seemingly she was someone "born" into the cult but you'd assume the current members of LP wouldn't want her around if they knew she still held similar beliefs.
Until proven otherwise I don't think it's fair to assume she was aware and supportive of Danny Masterson's behaviour

She could be someone who was blindsided by her friend being a rapist and after learning about his actions distanced herself from him and the cult

 

[You know who I am]

Holy shit I had no idea they would come up with a full blown live show.

I cried my eyes out, I fucking love Emily already. I never thought I'd see this band getting back together and I know that wherever Chester is, he is happy. This was fucking wild, also world tour what?!

 

[Coldman]

Hey she sounds great [reads the Cedric post] lol nvm

 

[CloseTalker]

Wow, this thread is super active. Didn't realize Linkin Park was this popular haha

 

[Kemal86]

Unless there's actual proof, I don't think so:

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I'm not sure what would proof would be sufficient for you, and there is indeed very little out there. But there should be no question that, at the absolute very least, the following is true:

Emily is a Scientologist
Emily and Danny knew each other closely

The title card to this music video is "Danny Masterson Presents"

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

 

[Fat4all]

oh i was wondering where i heard Dead Sara before

they were all over infamous second son lol

 

[Brazil]

oh i was wondering where i heard Dead Sara before

they were all over infamous second son lol

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Oh shit!

 

[Fat4all]

Oh shit!

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they did a cover of heart shaped box that i think was in the reveal, or trailer

had a few other songs around it too, think the devs were fans

 

[Darkatomz]

oh i was wondering where i heard Dead Sara before

they were all over infamous second son lol

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Wait what??

 

[Shizuka]

I hope they announce a show in Brazil soon after their Colombia show this year, even if they're saying they'll tour next year.

 

[Fat4all]

Wait what??

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found it, it was the credits where the cover of heart shaped box was


View: https://youtu.be/MJiRp5wjqx0?si=i2JJpoPVTfT1xfp8

 

[beelulzebub]

I'm not sure what would proof would be sufficient for you, and there is indeed very little out there. But there should be no question that, at the absolute very least, the following is true:

Emily is a Scientologist
Emily and Danny knew each other closely

The title card to this music video is "Danny Masterson Presents"

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

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Cedric is very outspoken on Instagram. If there are receipts or even just a reaction to this news, I'd expect he will post something there, and I imagine sooner rather than later.

Definitely not about "scientologist mudslinging," it goes a lot deeper than that, so it'd be nice if it wasn't framed that way ITT.

 

[Dremorak]

OK, skimming more of it and I just don't like her version of the raspy singing screaming. When she sings she's good. When she does a proper scream like "SHUT UP WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU" she's good. But the standard Chester singing scream? Not a fan of her version

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This is pretty much my take too.
There are parts where shes amazing and then other parts that just don't work as well

Hopefully they settle into a groove and end up in a good spot

 

[Stalker]

I'm not sure what would proof would be sufficient for you, and there is indeed very little out there. But there should be no question that, at the absolute very least, the following is true:

Emily is a Scientologist
Emily and Danny knew each other closely

The title card to this music video is "Danny Masterson Presents"

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

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That's the title card because the whole channel is Danny Matersons

Bronson Island is an indie rock web show featuring live sessions hosted by actor/DJ Danny Masterson.

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Here's the actual video.

View: https://youtu.be/y5vr_Vhoumc

 

[ZeoVGM]

The other cool thing that I noticed is that we didn't have to change gender in any of the lyrics. In the whole f–king catalog! All the singles, all the songs, and we didn't have to change any words. And that's great — I feel so lucky.

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I somehow never really noticed that. There really wasn't a single Linkin Park song that gendered the subject of the lyrics? I guess that just helps a band make music that everyone can relate to but I just never noticed.

 

[King Alamat]

I somehow never really noticed that. There really wasn't a single Linkin Park song that gendered the subject of the lyrics. I guess that just helps a band make music that everyone can relate to but I just never noticed.

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Well, if you don't count "She Couldn't", "Across the Line" and "Carousel", but hell, it's not like those are ever getting played live.

 

[OfficerRob]

She's a lot better when she doesn't overuse the forced raspiness, she was great on Waiting for the End

 

[Paquete_PT]

OK, skimming more of it and I just don't like her version of the raspy singing screaming. When she sings she's good. When she does a proper scream like "SHUT UP WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU" she's good. But the standard Chester singing scream? Not a fan of her version

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This is my take as well. She has a very cool presence on stage, clearly likes the material and her singing voice sounds great. But when she is straining the voice she's screaming and there's no musicality to it, doesn't sound good to me. But the band is great and Mike feels happy as a kite. I'm sure they can come up with material that is more suitable to her voice.

 

[ZeoVGM]

Well, if you don't count "She Couldn't", "Across the Line" and "Carousel", but hell, it's not like those are ever getting played live.

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Hah, yeah. And "Across the Line" is structured very specifically where the first verse uses "he" and the second verse uses "she."

 

[Shizuka]

I think they'll find a happy medium between her own vocals and what the older songs require from her. They'll tour the whole world, plenty of time and opportunities to get there.

 

[Crissaegrim]

Whelp, just found out she's a scientologist and basically an apologist for Danny Masterson. Yikes.....what a bad look for LP.

 

[SoH]

If you are not aware Cedric's wife is one of Masterson's victims so this isn't random shit slinging and deserves to be taken seriously. The tweets are deleted but you can still read the text retrieved in his wiki references.

At the Drive In Singer Accuses Actor Danny Masterson of Raping His Wife

And further alleges that The Church of Scientology has been attempted to cover it up.

www.metalsucks.net

Cedric Bixler-Zavala - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Bixler-Zavala, Cedric [@cedricbixler_] (November 16, 2017). "My wife pressed charges against Danny Masterson a year ago after learning of the other victims that he and the Church of Scientology had silenced. Twitter, TMZ, LAPD are all bought and paid for" (Tweet). Retrieved February 25, 2018 – via Twitter.

Bixler-Zavala, Cedric [@cedricbixler_] (January 7, 2018). ". @ilariaurbinati as per @Scientology policy were you CC'd by the church when my wife reported her rape by Danny Masterson? How long have you known about it. Did you willingly participate in helping cover up the other victims rapes? #GoldenGlobes black" (Tweet). Retrieved February 25, 2018 – via Twitter.

Just as a heads up, Emily is a known Scientologist and was accused by Cedric from At The Drive-In of being besties with, and defending, Danny Masterson.


View: https://imgur.com/a/FI5avP8

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[CielYoshi]

Re: Emily accusations, whatever the truth may ultimately be, I'd trust that the rest of the band, and especially Mike, would've conducted a background check and confronted her about this stuff before even thinking of letting her in. I'd even venture that if she was still sketchy and Mike had still let her in, LP right now would be Mike, Emily and 4 random dudes.
I don't want to downplay her misguided beliefs or defenses, but I'm pretty damn sure Mike wouldn't have let her join without at the very least knowing about this stuff.

 

[JigglesBunny]

The highlights were easily Lying From You and One Step Closer. She did seem to wobble a bit on The Catalyst and Crawling, but it could have just been nerves.

Let's be real here she was given an impossible task. To come out the gate swinging like this immediately is nothing short of miraculous.

 

[RayCharlizard]

Re: Emily accusations, whatever the truth may ultimately be, I'd trust that the rest of the band, and especially Mike, would've conducted a background check and confronted her about this stuff before even thinking of letting her in. I'd even venture that if she was still sketchy and Mike had still let her in, LP right now would be Mike, Emily and 4 random dudes.
I don't want to downplay her misguided beliefs or defenses, but I'm pretty damn sure Mike wouldn't have let her join without at the very least knowing about this stuff.

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Yeah I mean... Chester himself was a victim of sexual abuse. This is a subject that hits close to home for the band.

 

[Aselith]

I like it, it's a jam

 

[JigglesBunny]

Re: Emily accusations, whatever the truth may ultimately be, I'd trust that the rest of the band, and especially Mike, would've conducted a background check and confronted her about this stuff before even thinking of letting her in. I'd even venture that if she was still sketchy and Mike had still let her in, LP right now would be Mike, Emily and 4 random dudes.
I don't want to downplay her misguided beliefs or defenses, but I'm pretty damn sure Mike wouldn't have let her join without at the very least knowing about this stuff.

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This is where I'm at. Mike might have fallen into the stupid NFT bullshit early on but by all other accounts, he's a damn good guy and he wouldn't taint the legacy of the band with someone he hasn't vetted.

 

[Lukar]

Re: Emily accusations, whatever the truth may ultimately be, I'd trust that the rest of the band, and especially Mike, would've conducted a background check and confronted her about this stuff before even thinking of letting her in. I'd even venture that if she was still sketchy and Mike had still let her in, LP right now would be Mike, Emily and 4 random dudes.
I don't want to downplay her misguided beliefs or defenses, but I'm pretty damn sure Mike wouldn't have let her join without at the very least knowing about this stuff.

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Yep. That's where I'm at. I'm not going to judge her until we hear something more recent. I want to know what she's like now, not what she was like years ago during a time that was probably complicated for her due to a prior friendship with someone who may not have been who she thought he was.

 

[Darkatomz]

I'm going thru some of the bigger Dead Sara songs and I can't say I'm a fan... I'm gonna guess and say Mike was introduced to Emily when he did production work for Demi Lovato a couple of years ago and because they are both on WB.

 

[Landawng]

Damn "Lying From You" sounded dope. She's pretty good on some of the other stuff too. I couldn't care less about her being a "Scientologist". Hopefully it works out for these guys

 

[Shizuka]

View: https://youtu.be/SRXH9AbT280?si=XCtqSh3zP5pDlAFT

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

Music video is dope as hell.

 

[King Alamat]

Whelp, just found out she's a scientologist and basically an apologist for Danny Masterson. Yikes.....what a bad look for LP.

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Yeah, regardless if she winds up full-throatedly renouncing that shit, I gotta add this to the list of first-wave nu-metal alumni fuckery I posted in the last thread. I can't admit that this isn't muting my excitement.

 

[TheZynster]

The highlights were easily Lying From You and One Step Closer. She did seem to wobble a bit on The Catalyst and Crawling, but it could have just been nerves.

Let's be real here she was given an impossible task. To come out the gate swinging like this immediately is nothing short of miraculous.

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hope she don't blow her voice out....some of those rough chester like chorus lines sounded brutal on her chords.....

 

[Firewithin]

listening to Numb right now. its good

 

[JigglesBunny]

hope she don't blow her voice out....some of those rough chester like chorus lines sounded brutal on her chords.....

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Chester used to scream until he was literally coughing up blood on stage, it's a tough fucking gig. I wouldn't mind if they revamped things to be a little lower register and less strenuous, but I get the initial impulse they have right now to try and maintain that same ferocity that Chester brought to the vocals even if its to Emily's detriment. Hopefully they figure something out.

 

[King Alamat]

Chester used to scream until he was literally coughing up blood on stage, it's a tough fucking gig. I wouldn't mind if they revamped things to be a little lower register and less strenuous, but I get the initial impulse they have right now to try and maintain that same ferocity that Chester brought to the vocals even if its to Emily's detriment. Hopefully they figure something out.

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That ninth album is gonna be a sedate americana record.

 

[Rickyrozay2o9]

The most Important thing is that Mike and the band feel reenergized and willing to create. With Emily being the new lead she's clearly capable of handling all eras of LP while also having her own unique voice. I haven't been in love with anything LP have done post Minutes to Midnight, a few really good individual songs on the following albums but nothing collectively. The new single does sound good, but we'll see, after hearing her voice over the older songs It's like damn you guys clearly picked a vocalist that has massive power vocally, but will your music exploit that sound? guess we'll find out what direction they go in.

 

[FrsDvl]

Not big on the new song, but that live performance was great. I'm fully on board!

 

[Sevacro]

Whelp, just found out she's a scientologist and basically an apologist for Danny Masterson. Yikes.....what a bad look for LP.

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A cultist and rapist defender? Yikes if true.

 

[dreamfall]

Oh goodness I didn't want to know - she was doing great! But that Scientologist bit is fucking disgusting - another dissociate art from the artist bit? Already? Can't do it.

 

[Porco Rosso]

She sounds fantastic in the studio but really not feeling those live vocals at all. She sounds worn out.

 

[CielYoshi]

hope she don't blow her voice out....some of those rough chester like chorus lines sounded brutal on her chords.....

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To be fair, those early songs were also rough on Chester at the start, it was only through several tours that he learned when to tone down his voice and when to let it out.

 

[JehutyRunner]

oh i was wondering where i heard Dead Sara before

they were all over infamous second son lol

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That was actually how I got into them. They were in the reveal trailer with Weatherman and then that E3 gameplay trailer with the cover of Heart Shaped Box.

 

[Ulbrick]

I've cried so much in the past two hours.

I honestly love that they're enjoying themselves again.

 

[WildGoose]

Lying From You was good, and I thought they absolutely nailed Papercut. Everything else was... fine, I guess. I thought the new track was pretty standard post-Meteora LP, not really my thing.

 

[asmith906]

Meteora and Hybrid Theory are some of my favorite albums of all time. It feels weird hearing another vocalist sing those songs. I imagine she'll have to work hard to win people over.

 

[RayCharlizard]

The Billboard interview is really good, really hitting on a lot of the questions I had watching the live show. Them talking about how tough it was re-learning some of the songs in a new key for Emily makes me feel better about it being tough learning to listen to them that way lol.

 

[WarMacheen]

Just catching up on the stream

"in the role of Chester Bennington is each of you"

whew, right in the damn feels man.

One Step Closer was great, Lost of pretty good also, and Bleed It Out was much better than expected.

Then I read some of the thread...well, damn, we can't have anything good.

 

[TheDestructiveSquirrel]

found it, it was the credits where the cover of heart shaped box was


View: https://youtu.be/MJiRp5wjqx0?si=i2JJpoPVTfT1xfp8

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Maybe she can sing for Nirvana too lol

That's the one band I would never expect to come back with a new singer (other than the few one offs that have happened)

 

[RedMercury]

It's not for me but hey if this is the direction they want to go, good on them.