Jaime Bennington, son of the late Chester Bennington, has publicly criticised Linkin Park for their recent decisions, particularly the inclusion of Emily Armstrong as the new lead vocalist.
Armstrong, known for her role in the rock band Dead Sara, has been under scrutiny for her past support of Danny Masterson, an actor recently convicted of rape, as well as her connections with the Church of Scientology.
As per Rolling Stone, the controversy intensified after Jaime Bennington’s series of Instagram stories, where he accused Linkin Park co-founder Mike Shinoda of “quietly erasing” his father’s legacy.
His statements were made during International Suicide Prevention Month, adding a layer of poignancy to his claims. Jaime expressed his disappointment with the band’s direction, stating that the members have betrayed the trust of their fans and himself, accusing them of being “senile and tone deaf.”
“People aren’t having a difficult time wrapping their head around the prospect of LINKIN PARK reinventing itself,” he wrote. Bennington also called out the band for not acknowledging controversies and claimed that Shinoda and the rest of Linkin Park “have betrayed the trust loaned to [them] by decades of fans and supporting human beings including myself.”
He continued: “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. Insane.”
In response to the backlash, Armstrong addressed her attendance at Masterson’s trial on her Instagram Stories. She clarified that she had attended only one hearing, initially to support a friend, but soon realised her mistake and ceased any further interaction with Masterson.
Despite the controversies, Linkin Park are moving forward with their music career. They recently announced their eighth studio album, From Zero, scheduled for release in November. This will be their first album since 2017’s One More Light, which was the last to feature Chester Bennington. The band debuted their new lineup and music, including the lead single “The Emptiness Machine,” in a recent live performance. Notably, co-founder Brad Delson has decided not to tour but will continue as an off-stage member of the band.
