A man built from tragedies, Chester will live in our hearts always

As I write this today, I don’t write this piece objectively. I write this as an honest fan, one of the million souls that received respite through his voice. Chester’s agonised screams forming a distinct melody resonated with the angst built inside of us. As he and the rest of Linkin Park foraged into the world of Nu Metal becoming the significant flag bearers of the genre, a new generation of youngsters emerged into the nouveau millennial school of thought in the Indian milieu.

I speak on behalf of those troubled souls that were wedged between the solo explorations of new-age ideas and well-meaning albeit regressive parents. Unsaid words, angry soliloquies and a flurry of confused thoughts found expression through his lyrics laden with emotions as raw as ours. Linkin Park was the anchor that got us through the dreaded nights of imploding anger, Chester Bennington being the pivot.

For most of us, Linkin Park was our first band and boy, did they imprint themselves on our hearts! Right from Crawling to In the end, their songs echoed with millions of teenagers in India who found solace in Chester’s voice.

Chester was one of a kind; he could take human emotions and present it to the world in its purest form, without romanticising them. As Jean-Luc Godard said art attracts us only by what it reveals of our most secret self, Linkin Park did have this connection with its audience and it was more intimate and strong because it was fuelled by Chester’s warrior aura.

Linkin Park (LP) was the hope that most of us sought and found through them. Perhaps they were one of those few or the only Nu Metal band that never swore in its songs, LP only fostered a warrior spirit in all of us while being unaware of the significance of their musical existence in our lives. With time, we grew out of Linkin Park and moved onto other bands leaving it behind cradled in our past in the safe reserves of our memories that we only revisited when hit by a trauma or depression. However, they were an integral part of our crucial teenage years. To think of a world without Chester is heart breaking.

As all of us will have to deal with your death Chester, swarms of your fans silently support each other in the process of gripping reality completely aware of the personal battles we’ve fought in our lives with your songs as our war-cry. A man built from tragedies, you touched lives beyond your comprehension. If only we could sooth your troubled mind like you soothed ours!

Chester Bennington, you may have lived here for 41 years but you will be celebrated for eternity. Hope you finally find your freedom. Rest in Peace, the lone balladeer, because in the end it does matter.