Linkin Park performed the TV debut of their comeback single “The Emptiness Machine” Tuesday on NBC’s The Tonight Show.
“The Emptiness Machine” marked the first entirely new, non-archival LP song since the death of frontman Chester Bennington in 2017 and the band’s first release with new vocalist Emily Armstrong. It’s the lead single off their upcoming album, From Zero, due out Nov. 15.
Along with the performance, co-vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mike Shinoda sat down for an interview with host Jimmy Fallon, during which they talked about how excited the band is to be releasing new music and playing shows again. Shinoda told Fallon that after playing their show at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Sept. 11, he and his bandmates were “euphoric for, like, 48 hours.”
“To be this many years in and to feel that genuine adrenaline and excitement and happiness was, like, there’s nothing like it,” Shinoda said.
Fallon also mentioned that the LP comeback is going “smoothly” except for one thing — no, not the Armstrong/Scientology and Danny Masterson controversy, but when Shinoda accidentally ran into a mic stand during the LA show.
Shortly after she was announced as Linkin Park’s new vocalist, Armstrong, who’s reported to be a Scientologist, issued a statement saying, “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,” referring to Masterson, who was later convicted of rape.
“Soon after, I realized I shouldn’t have,” she said, adding that she’s “never spoken with [Masterson] since.”
Meanwhile, “The Emptiness Machine” has debuted at #21 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Linkin Park’s highest position on the all-genre chart in 15 years.
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