Linkin Park was formed all the way back in 1996. They blended rock, alternative, and hip-hop music and released several successful albums. Right from the start, there was something different about Chester Bennington, the band’s lead vocalist.
His songwriting skills made him a fan-favorite. From the release of their debut albums, a lot of fans could relate to the lyrics and agony of the songs. With realities in lyrics and rawness in his voice, he accomplished something great in the music world.
Chester was sexually abused as a child. He was the victim and the assailant was an older male friend. The abuse continued until he was 13 years old. He couldn’t ask for help because he didn’t want others to think he was gay or lying. Sadly, it took a big toll on his mental health as he approached his teenage years. That’s what got him into songwriting to pour out his frustrations on paper. It was also reflected in his voice.
This can be clearly seen in the band’s debut album, ‘Hybrid Theory’. An example of what is mentioned above is the album’s third single ‘Crawling’. We all can feel the whole song. Right from the beginning Chester proved that he was a great vocalist with the song. He also commented on the lyrics.
“That song is about taking responsibility for your actions. I don’t say ‘you’ at any point. It’s about how I’m the reason why I feel this way. There’s something inside me that pulls me down.”
He also shared that this song was difficult to perform. In an interview in 2009, with Spin. He revealed, “Crawling has caused me the most trouble live more than any other song. Crawling is about feeling like I had no control over myself in terms of drugs and alcohol, hence the line ‘These wounds they will not heal.'”The screams in his voice can easily be heard. The major notes and minor ones overlap and the way the notes go on even after the music stops, it’s just great. Bennington has made it look easy with the way he sings.
Sadly, Chester passed away on July 20, 2017, leaving behind his wife and six children. It was a huge shock to the rock world. He battled depression all his life, with his own childhood trauma and later, addiction. His death was a great loss to the music industry. We miss him, dearly.
Listen to ‘Crawling’ down below.
