Chester Bennington’s former band Grey Daze have released the first track from their upcoming tribute album, featuring the late rocker’s vocals.
‘What’s In The Eye’ is the lead single from the as-yet-untitled LP from the Linkin Park frontman’s 90s’ grunge outfit – comprised of Sean Dowdell, Mace Beyers and Cristin Davis – who he was planning to reunite before his untimely passing at the age of 41 in July 2017.
The emotional song, which features Chester’s original vocals from when he was 17, was originally recorded in 1993 and 1996, and "focuses on a friend’s premature death in a car accident and trying to understand the loss, relaying an emotional intensity that every listener will not only understand, but instantly connect with", as per a press release.
The full album will be released via Loma Vista Recordings, with more details including its title and release date yet to be confirmed.
The label’s founder and President, Tom Whalley, commented: "As a teenager, when these recordings were done, he had this incredible raw and somewhat undeveloped voice that had an incredible tone.
"He had this ability to sing great rock melodies punctuated by that unmistakable guttural scream. Chester’s voice had a personality that made you a believer.
"Listening to the new versions of these tracks, I think it represents everything that the band members and the family told me that Chester wanted to achieve with re-recording this body of work."
Drummer Sean believes the ‘In The End’ hitmaker – who tragically took his own life – would have loved the re-written and modernised version of ‘What’s In The Eye’, but admitted it’s "bittersweet" because he’s not able to share it with his bandmate.
He told Kerrang! magazine: "There is a depth in the lyrics on this record.
"Chester sings every word like he believes every single emotion attached. It’s bittersweet for me.
"There’s that big, obvious looming thing that he’s not here to share this with me.
"But I’m very proud in how we curated this music.
"We took almost three years to make this record after he passed. I think he’d be quite proud of what we did."
It was previously revealed that the late singer’s son Jaime, 23 – who he had with ex-partner Elka Brand, whose son Isaiah, 22, he adopted – had joined forces with the rest of the band members to release the unheard tracks.
Chester’s widow Talinda – who recently remarried and had children Tyler, 13, and nine-year-old twins Lilly and Lila with the rock star – his mother Susan Eubanks and son Jamie penned open letters about the project.
The ‘Numb’ hitmaker also had 17-year-old son Draven with ex-wife Samantha.
Chester Bennington’s Grey Daze bandmates release new tribute single
