RIP Chester Bennington

When the news of Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington's passing broke this afternoon, I was legitimately in disbelief. It felt like losing an old friend or relative whose relationship you had taken for granted, only to realize how much you missed them once they were gone forever.  Linkin Park's first two records (2001's Hybrid Theory and 2003's Meteora) were full of energetic, angst-ridden anthems that defined my middle school years and played an essential role in developing my love for heavy metal and music in general. While I haven't enjoyed any of the records they've put out since they shifted away from the nu-metal genre on 2007's Minutes to Midnight,  Hybrid Theory and Meteora are still among my all-time favorites. RIP Chester and thanks for the great music.