Grey Daze opened the first ever Download TV, a weekend long virtual festival (June 12 – 14) from the creators of Download Festival, with the premiere of their video for “B12”. The song is from the Phoenix-based band’s forthcoming album, Amends out June 26 via Loma Vista Recordings.
“Everything we’ve done surrounding the upcoming release of Amends has been to honor Chester,” explains Grey Daze co-founder and drummer Sean Dowdell. “The video for ’B12’ is no exception. We wanted to celebrate all that has been accomplished in seeing Amends, a release he had wanted to bring to life, and in this video we not only brought his lyrics to life, we also were able to feel his presence as we performed alongside his vocal track.” The live performance is interspersed with clips from the recording of the song, which features contributions from Head and Munky of KORN. Head said of the track: “…the range, the power, the melody, and the flow… it sounds like he’s (Chester) in his prime.”
Grey Daze have released a number of profound videos in support of the 11-song release, offering fans a look into the early musical moments of one of modern rock music’s most beloved singers. “What’s In The Eye” showcased live footage of the band, sharing some of Chester’s first moments as a front man. “Sickness” portrayed the real life story of Sean becoming Chester’s “big brother” after witnessing him being bullied. “Sometimes” proved how powerful Chester’s lyrics were, even as a teenager, with the clip showcasing his words, “Maybe things will get better, maybe things will look brighter” against the backdrop of the COVID-19 crisis. “Soul Song” was possibly the most heart-warming of all, with Chester’s son, Jaime Bennington writing and directing the visual piece. In an interview with Alternative Press, Jaime explained that the video, which was set at a beloved family getaway in Sedona, Ariz., was reflective of his experience with mindful meditation, saying: “Through it, I have not just spoken with him but seen him with my own two eyes. And that is what this video is about. It’s about that practice. It’s about the lasting power of memory and about taking grief at my own pace.”
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 band members – 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). An eight-part video series titled “Making Amends” documented the process of bringing the album to life.
Amends is available in a variety of collectible formats with several iterations available exclusively via the band’s website. 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, 180g red and white splattered vinyl, and a collectible set of band memorabilia dubbed the “Grey Daze Archive.” Digital and other standard versions of the album are available HERE. Pre-orders on the band’s webstore include instant downloads of “What’s In The Eye,” “Sickness,” “Sometimes,” “Soul Song” and “B12.”
