Bennington first gained prominence as a vocalist following the release of Linkin Park's debut album Hybrid Theory (2000), which was a worldwide commercial success. The album was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America in 2005, making it the best-selling debut album of the decade, as well as one of the few albums ever to achieve that many sales. Linkin Park's following studio albums, from Meteora (2003) to One More Light (2017), continued the band's success.
Bennington formed his own band, Dead by Sunrise, as a side project in 2005. The band's debut album, Out of Ashes, was released on October 13, 2009. He became the lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots in 2013 to release the extended play record High Rise on October 8, 2013, via their own record label, Play Pen, but left in 2015 to focus solely on Linkin Park. As an actor, he appeared in films such as Crank (2006), Crank: High Voltage (2009), and Saw 3D (2010).
On July 20, 2017, Bennington was found dead at his home in Palos Verdes Estates, California; his death was ruled a suicide by hanging. Hit Parader magazine placed Bennington number 46 on their list of the "100 Metal Vocalists of All Time". Writing for Billboard, Dan Weiss stated that Bennington "turned nu metal universal".
Bennington possessed a three octave tenor vocal range, beginning at the low bass G (G2), and reaching its peak at the tenor G (G5). His vocals showed tremendous durability for the entirety of his career. Altheapi of Rolling Stone wrote: "Bennington's voice embodied the anguish and wide-ranging emotions of the lyrics, from capturing life's vulnerable moments to the fury and catharsis found in his belted screams, which he would often move between at the turn of a dime."
Talking about his favorite bands and influences, Bennington mentioned Stone Temple Pilots, Alice in Chains, Arcade Fire, Circle Jerks, Descendents, Deftones, Jane's Addiction, Metallica, Ministry, Minor Threat, Misfits, The Naked and Famous, Nine Inch Nails, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Refused, Skinny Puppy, Soundgarden, and A Tribe Called Quest. Bennington also considered himself as "a huge Madonna fan", crediting her for making him grow up wanting to be a musician.
After Bennington's death, his widow Talinda Bennington launched a campaign called 320 Changes Direction in honor of her husband to help break the stigma surrounding mental illness.
Karma Killer
Chester Bennington Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm kicking in the twilight as she comes
Time waits at a darling
Spooning the thickness out and feeding our open mouths
The price you pay is always
Chorus
Sunshine, Karma Killer
Time waits at the darling
When your following the animals around (around)
I spread through the morning
Feeding our open mouths and spooning the thickness out
The price you pay is always
Chorus (x2)
My eyes are weary now
My eyes are weary
My eyes are weary now
Chorus (x2)
Karma Killer
Will I ever miss you?
The lyrics in Chester Bennington's song Karma Killer have a lot of potential meanings, as they are abstract and metaphorical. It seems that the song deals with themes like the destruction of a relationship, the struggle to move on, and the way that our actions can come back to bite us, also known as karma. In the first verse, the singer is screaming and kicking against the "twilight" (the end of the day or end of a relationship, perhaps) as something approaches. There is a sense of urgency and fear, but also a feeling of being unable to escape this impending doom.
The second verse is a bit more opaque, but it seems to continue the themes of feeding and being fed, with "the thickness" being spooned out for them to consume. Again, there is a sense of desperation and dependence, as if the singer can only survive by taking in what is given to them. The chorus brings in the idea of the "Karma Killer," someone or something that has caused harm or imbalance in the world, and also the idea that they are too familiar, perhaps suggesting that this entity is something that the singer has encountered before. The repetition of "Sunshine" juxtaposes the brightness and warmth of that word with the darkness and violence of the rest of the lyrics, creating a sense of irony and contrast.
Overall, Karma Killer is a complex and multi-layered song that would benefit from further analysis and interpretation. However, the powerful emotions and vivid imagery create a vivid and compelling piece of music that showcases Chester Bennington's talent and versatility as a songwriter.
Line by Line Meaning
I scream through the morning
I am shouting my frustrations loudly as soon as I wake up
I'm kicking in the twilight as she comes
I am restless and anxious as night turns to day
Time waits at a darling
Our limited days pass by quickly and are precious
Spooning the thickness out and feeding our open mouths
We indulge in excesses until our appetites are satiated
The price you pay is always
There are inevitable consequences to our actions
Too high, I'm too familiar
The cost of my choices and habits is too great, but I can't break free from them
Sunshine, Karma Killer
The happiness we seek can be fleeting and even dangerous in the long run
When you're following the animals around (around)
We're not really in control of our lives, we're just on a predetermined path
I spread through the morning
My energy and influence fill up the early hours
My eyes are weary now
I am tired of the cycle of mistakes and consequences
Will I ever miss you?
Do I need to let go of my harmful habits and choices before it's too late?
Contributed by Juliana O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bri Vanessa
a classic! Chester was the reason why i found this song when i fell in love with LP years ago. this songs never get OLD!
rip chazz!
Влад Бережной
That's he best song!
Rogue Claudia
chesters voice is like my paradise.. makes me try even harder to improve my musical abilities
SuuChhyy
Chester's voice is unique, one of its kind, there is no other in the world. It's hard to disagree, this man is FUCKING LEGEND greetings from POLAND /// RIP Chester B ~
pench Parraga
Legend never die 100% Chester Charles Bennington..🤘
François Le Coadou
good memories, i listened to this song a lot during my youth...
Shauna O Brien
Great song ! Chesters voice is very distictive (:
ForTheLoveOfMusic
I absolutely adore this song!
Phil Loynes
something somebody had posted reminded me about this song and I checked it out after about 10 years since I last heard it. Nostalgia to the max!
Brett
Saw these guys live, must be near 20 years ago! They were great 👍