LINKIN PARK has shared professionally filmed video of the band’s performance of the song “Heavy Is The Crown” on September 24 at O2 Arena in London, United Kingdom. Check it out below.
LINKIN PARK‘s setlist for the London concert included two new songs, “The Emptiness Machine” and the aforementioned “Heavy Is The Crown”, both of which will appear on the band’s upcoming album “From Zero”, due on November 15 via Warner. It will mark LINKIN PARK‘s first full-length effort since 2017’s “One More Light”, which was the last LINKIN PARK album before the death of lead vocalist Chester Bennington.
London marked the fourth concert of LINKIN PARK‘s comeback mini-tour, following dates in Los Angeles, New York and Hamburg. All four shows featured LINKIN PARK performing a two-hour set on a high-tech stage shaped like an aircraft carrier, allowing for a unique production as well as a greater-than-usual number of tickets sold at each venue.
As was the case with the Los Angeles, New York and Hamburg shows, the London gig showcased LINKIN PARK‘s new singer Emily Armstrong and drummer Colin Brittain, who have joined returning members Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Dave “Phoenix” Farrell and Joe Hahn in the band’s new lineup. Guitarist Alex Feder is filling in for Delson at all LINKIN PARK concerts for the foreseeable future.
“Heavy Is the Crown” is the 2024 League Of Legends World Championship Anthem, marking the band’s first collaboration with Riot Games.
Late last month, LINKIN PARK added three November dates to the “From Zero” tour, in Paris, Dallas, and São Paulo.
In an interview with Billboard about LINKIN PARK‘s comeback, Shinoda explained that drummer Rob Bourdon — who had founded the band with Mike and Brad — had decided to exit LP.
“Rob had said to us at a point, I guess it was a few years ago now, that he wanted to put some distance between himself and the band,” Shinoda said. “And we understood that — it was already apparent. He was starting to just show up less, be in less contact, and I know the fans noticed it too. The ‘Hybrid Theory’ re-release [in 2020] and ‘Papercuts’ release [this past April], he didn’t show up for anything. So for me, as a friend, that was sad, but at the same time, I want him to do whatever makes him happy, and obviously everybody wishes him the best.”
According to a press release, Shinoda, Delson, Farrell and Hahn “quietly began meeting up again in recent years” and “rather than ‘trying to restart the band,'” they worked with numerous musicians and “found a special kinship with Armstong and Brittain.”
Regarding the band’s new lineup and future plans, Shinoda said in a statement: “Before LINKIN PARK, our first band name was XERO. This album title refers to both this humble beginning and the journey we’re currently undertaking. Sonically and emotionally, it is about past, present, and future — embracing our signature sound, but new and full of life. It was made with a deep appreciation for our new and longtime bandmates, our friends, our family, and our fans. We are proud of what LINKIN PARK has become over the years, and excited about the journey ahead.”
“The Emptiness Machine” is said to “channel the DNA of LINKIN PARK.” Shinoda said the band feels “really empowered with this new lineup and the vibrant and energized new music we’ve made together,” adding that they are “weaving together the sonic touchpoints we’ve been known for and still exploring new ones.”
