Chester Bennington‘s son Jaime has slammed Linkin Park for hiring Emily Armstrong to replace his father as the group’s lead vocalist following controversy surrounding her ties to the Church of Scientology and actor Danny Masterson, who was convicted of rape last year.
Jaime Bennington posted a series of Instagram stories highlighting in detail his issues with the current lineup, directly aiming his comments at Mike Shinoda who has, according to Bennington, “restricted interactions on social media.”
“People aren’t having a difficult time wrapping their head around the prospect of LINKIN PARK reinventing itself,” he wrote. He went on to point out that the issues he and fans of the band have are Armstrong’s “history in the church,” referring to Scientology, and support of Masterson. Bennington goes on to say that the band has “quietly erased [his] father’s life and legacy in real time…during International Suicide Prevention Month.”
Bennington goes on to call out the band for not acknowledging controversies and points out 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 continues: “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.” (Reps for Linkin Park declined Rolling Stone‘s request for comment.)
Armstrong co-founded the rock band Dead Sara and made her debut as Linkin Park’s new vocalist during a live performance last week alongside new drummer Colin Brittain. Brittain replaced founding member Rob Bourdon. The band also announced a new album titled From Zero as well as a new tour. This will be Linkin Park’s eighth studio album and first since 2017’s One More Light, the band’s last album to feature Chester Bennington, who died by suicide two months after the album’s release.
Armstrong’s appointment as the band’s new vocalist was met with significant backlash, especially once her connection to Masterson came to light. The Mars Volta’s Cedric Bixler-Zavala had resurfaced claims that she had supported Masterson during the pretrial hearings; Bixler-Zavala’s wife Chrissie Carnell-Bixler was one of several women who accused Masterson of sexual assault. Armstrong responded on her personal Instagram Stories soon after, writing that she only attended one hearing and became convinced of the actor’s guilt soon after.
“Several years ago, I was asked to support someone I considered a friend at a court appearance, and went to one early hearing as an observer,” she wrote. “Soon after, I realized I shouldn’t have. I always try to see the good in people, and I misjudged him. I have never spoken with him since. Unimaginable details emerged and he was later found guilty.” Armstrong did not address her ties to the Church of Scientology.
The new Linkin Park lineup is due to embark on a six-city international tour this month and will be releasing their new album, From Zero, in November. The band’s debut performance also gave a taste of their new music with lead single, “The Emptiness Machine.” Guitarist Brad Delson, who co-founded the band alongside Mike Shinoda and Rob Bourdon, announced that he will not be touring with the band but would remain a member in an off-stage capacity.