A7X's M. Shadows says Linkin Park "have every right to move forward"

November 22, 2017

[Photos by: Avenged Sevenfold/Instagram, Mike Shinoda/Instagram]

Avenged Sevenfold vocalist M. Shadows is speaking out about the possibility of Linkin Park continuing without Chester Bennington, saying the band “have every right to move forward” with their music-making career.

Shadows, who was a guest performer at Linkin Park's Chester Bennington tribute concert last month, recently speculated on the group's future without Bennington in an interview with Eddie Trunk, as reported by Blabbermouth.

The A7X frontman, who calls Bennington “one of the best vocalists of our time,” says he doesn't feel his friend and Linkin Park member Mike Shinoda will end the band completely, citing the musician's strong work ethic.

“It's going to be tough,” Shadows says. “But at the same time, Mike [Shinoda] is such a hard worker and he's so dedicated to that band and put so much time in that I can't just see him just being done with it… I just can't see him letting that go. I don't think it's possible and I think it would be a shame if he did.”

While the surviving members of Linkin Park have yet to definitively state if they'll carry on without Bennington, who unexpectedly died in July, Shadows thinks the group's love of music will propel them into a new era.

“They're human beings and they have a long life to live,” says Shadows. “And I think if they love music this much, they have every right to move forward… Knowing Mike as well as I do, he's always been, in my opinion, the leader of that band. [He's] the guy who gets things going, the guy who gets demos going, the guy who obsesses over every detail of that band.”

Do you think Linkin Park will continue without Bennington? How would you feel about a new studio album from the band?

Sound off in the comments below.

Watch more: Frank Zummo's drum tribute to Chester Bennington