Dead By Sunrise

Dead By Sunrise was formed in Los Angeles, California, in 2005 by Chester Bennington, renowned as the lead vocalist of Linkin Park. The band emerged from Bennington’s desire to explore musical material that did not fit Linkin Park’s stylistic framework. During the writing process for Linkin Park’s album “Minutes to Midnight,” Bennington developed songs that were darker and moodier, prompting him to pursue them as a separate project. The lineup included Amir Derakh and Ryan Shuck from Julien-K and Orgy, along with Brandon Belsky, Elias Andra, and Anthony “Fu” Valcic.

The genesis of Dead By Sunrise began earlier, with Bennington and Shuck collaborating informally, recognizing the potential of Bennington’s acoustic compositions. The band’s initial name was “Snow White Tan,” but it evolved to Dead By Sunrise, a name reflecting Bennington’s personal struggles and a journey from a “self-destructive place” to “rising from the ashes.” Recording for their debut album, “Out of Ashes,” commenced in July 2008 following Linkin Park’s touring commitments. Produced by Howard Benson, Bennington was involved in all aspects of the album’s creation, from writing on acoustic guitar to programming and production, showcasing a blend of grunge, pop rock, and punk rock influences. The album was released worldwide on October 13, 2009, with singles “Crawl Back In” and “Let Down” serving as key releases.

The band’s live debut featured performances of “Walking in Circles,” “Morning After,” and “My Suffering” at the 13th anniversary party for Club Tattoo in Tempe, Arizona, in May 2008. Dead By Sunrise also toured alongside Linkin Park in Europe, Japan, and America, occasionally joining Linkin Park during their sets. Despite initial intentions to release subsequent albums every five years, new material became less likely due to Linkin Park’s evolving musical direction. The band saw a lineup change in 2012 when Frank Zummo replaced Elias Andra on drums. Following Bennington’s death in July 2017, Dead By Sunrise members reunited for a tribute concert in Las Vegas in September 2017 and later performed at Linkin Park’s memorial concert for Bennington in October 2017.