GREY DAZE, the Phoenix-based rock band that birthed one of the most recognizable voices in modern rock music, Chester Bennington, has released a new single, "Soul Song", and an accompanying video, which was directed by Bennington's son Jaime.
"Soul Song" is the fourth single to be released from GREY DAZE's forthcoming album, "Amends', due on June 26 via Loma Vista Recordings. It follows previously released tracks "Sometimes", "Sickness" and "What's In The Eye".
"Having Jaime involved in the recording of 'Soul Song' meant so much to all of us," explains GREY DAZE co-founder and drummer Sean Dowdell. "It was one of those full circle moments where we remembered meeting Chester at an even younger age than Jaime, and to now be recording with his son… it was a highlight of recording 'Amends'. Jaime is a burgeoning filmmaker so when he offered to do this video, well, we couldn't think of a better way to present this song."
Jaime Bennington explained his vision for the video: "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."
"Amends" is the origin story of one of modern rock's most recognizable voices and also a full circle moment among friends. The album is the fulfillment of a planned GREY DAZE reunion that Chester had announced prior to his untimely passing. The remaining bandmembers — Dowdell, Mace Beyers (bass) and Cristin Davis (guitar) — along with Talinda Bennington (Chester's widow) and his parents, made it their mission to see the project through with assistance from Tom Whalley, the founder of Loma Vista Recordings and former Warner Bros. Records chairman during LINKIN PARK's tenure at the label. Dowdell, Beyers and Davis selected the tracks from the band's mid-'90s, but largely unknown, catalog and re-recorded the music in 2019 to accompany Chester's re-mastered vocals. Produced by Jay Baumgardner, several musicians leant their time and talent to the album, including KORN's Brian "Head" Welch and James "Munky" Shaffer, Page Hamilton (HELMET), Chris Traynor (BUSH, HELMET, ORANGE 9MM), LP (Laura Pergolizzi), Jaime Bennington, Jasen Rauch (BREAKING BENJAMIN), Marcos Curiel (P.O.D.) and Ryan Shuck (ORGY).
"Amends" is available in a variety of collectible formats with several iterations available exclusively via the band's web site. The CD comes as a 16-page case-bound book; a first pressing, ruby red vinyl variant exclusive to the band's webstore; and a numbered deluxe edition featuring both a CD and LP, which includes the first ever disc tray designed for vinyl, a 60-page book with never-before-seen photos, 180-gram red and white splattered vinyl, and a collectible set of band memorabilia dubbed the "Grey Daze Archive."
