Linkin Park Honors Chester Bennington on Anniversary of His Death

Chester Bennington’s former bandmates are paying tribute to the Linkin Park frontman, who they called their “brother,” a year after his suicide.

Band members Mike Shinoda, Joe Hahn, Dave Farrell, Rob Bourdon and Brad Delson all signed their names to an emotional tribute to Bennington, opening up about the year since his death.

“To our brother Chester, It has been a year since your passing—a surreal rotation of grief, heartbreak, refusal, and recognition. And yet it sill feels like you are close by, surrounding us with your memory and your light. Your one-of-a-kind spirit has authored an indelible imprint on our hearts—our jokes, our joy, and our tenderness,” they captioned a photo of the singer.

“Eternally grateful for the love, life, and creative passion you shared with us and the world. We miss you more than words can express,” they continued, signing their initials with “love” and adding the hashtags #MakeChesterProud and #320ChangesDirection.

They also provided contact information for the Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

On July 20, 2017, Bennington was found dead by suicide in his Los Angeles home. He was 41. He was survived by his widow Talina Bentley and six children. The Grammy winner had struggled with depression and substance abuse for years before his death.

At the time, Linkin Park released a statement, writing, “The demons who took you away from us were always part of the deal… After all, it was the way you sang about those demons that made everyone fall in love with you in the first place.”

The band continued to honor Bennington at various events throughout the year, like at a tribute concert at the Hollywood Bowl in October and when they dedicated their American Music Award to him after unexpectedly showing up to the awards ceremony.

Bennington joined Linkin Park in 1999. The band released its most recent album, One More Light, in May of last year, two months before Bennington’s death. Shinoda released his debut solo effort, Post Traumatic, last month, telling PEOPLE that he used the album as an outlet for his grief.

“I was writing all this stuff the way I was processing it,” he said. “I think that’s therapeutic, in the long run.”

“On the first half of it, there’s a really palpable sense of grief, and then as it goes on, it brightens up and goes to other places,” he added.