Chester Bennington’s first band Grey Daze have dropped a new song, “Soul Song,” accompanied by a touching video directed by the late singer’s son, Jaime Bennington.
“Soul Song” is a booming alt-rock ballad that moves from atmospheric verses tinged with electronic elements into an epic chorus bolstered by big grunge guitars. “And freedom rained,” Bennington howls, “God has come/With the rivers of blood/Pushed back in my veins.”
The video for “Soul Song” incorporates archival footage of Bennington and sprawling nature scenes with Jaime at their center. In a statement, the director said of the clip: “This music video is about my spiritual connection to the other side and my literal experiences with the elusive and, at times, incomprehensible presence of my father after death. ’Soul Song’ is about the many ways in which we come to enlightenment, into knowledge, and the many ways we fall away from it. This is my personal experience with that.”
Grey Daze co-founder and drummer Sean Dowell described working with Jaime as “one of those full-circle moments where we remembered meeting Chester at an even younger age than Jaime… [He’s]a burgeoning filmmaker so when he offered to do this video, well, we couldn’t think of a better way to present this song.”
“Soul Song” will appear on Grey Daze’s upcoming compilation, Amends, which is set to arrive June 26th via Loma Vista Recordings. The band had been plotting a reunion before Bennington’s death in 2017, and the album was completed by surviving members Dowell, bassist Mace Beyers and guitarist Cristin Davis, with the help of Bennington’s widow, Talinda, and his parents.
The record features re-recorded versions of songs from Grey Daze’s little-known Nineties output, paired with Bennington’s re-mastered vocals. The record also includes guest appearances from Korn’s Brian “Head” Welch and James “Munky” Shaffer, Helmet’s Page Hamilton, Bush’s Chris Traynor, Laura Pergolizzi, P.O.D.’s Marcos Curiel and Breaking Benjamin’s Jasen Rauch.
