Linkin Park's co-lead vocalist Mike Shinoda is releasing his full-length solo debut, previewing two of the album's tracks "Crossing A Line" and "Nothing Makes Sense Anymore" along with the official announcement. The album, Post Traumatic, served as a way to help Shinoda grieve the tragic death of friend and former bandmate Chester Bennington, who died in December.
After releasing the deeply personal three-song Post Traumatic EP earlier this year, Shinoda continued working on music on his own which eventually resulted in the 16-track album. All three songs from the EP will appear on the album as well. "It’s a journey out of grief and darkness, not into grief and darkness,” Shinoda said in a statement, reiterating that the songs are about healing as much as they are about tragedy and loss.
"If people have been through something similar, I hope they feel less alone," he explained. "If they haven’t been through this, I hope they feel grateful."
If the full album is anything like the recent EP, it's a slight sonic departure from the darker, rockier sounds that earned Linkin Park millions of worldwide fans. While "Crossing A Line" sorts through Shinoda's conflicted but hopeful and redemptive feelings, "Nothing Makes Sense Anymore" deals with the kind of pain that comes after any life tragedy.
When he released the EP earlier this year, Shinoda said his decision to release solo projects was a way to navigate the "personal and intimate experience" of grief.
"This is not Linkin Park–it's just me," he explained. "Art has always been the place I go when I need to sort through the complexity and confusion of the road ahead. I don't know where this path goes, but I'm grateful I get to share it with you."
Post Traumatic is now available for pre-order.
