Stone Temple Pilots released High Rise on October 8, 2013, through their own Play Pen label. The five-song EP featured Chester Bennington alongside guitarist Dean DeLeo, bassist Robert DeLeo and drummer Eric Kretz, following the band’s split with original singer Scott Weiland earlier that year.
“Black Heart” gave the musicians an opportunity to explore a different side of Bennington’s singing. Robert told TheStreet that he wanted to connect different guitar chord textures, and the vocalist’s performance suggested John Lennon to him. The band followed that direction as the song developed. Robert understood that listeners associated Bennington with Linkin Park, but believed working in another musical setting would reveal more of his abilities.
Dean had been certain about the choice of singer before they started recording. “There was only one name that was brought to that table, and that was Chester,” he told MusicRadar. He called Bennington, and they agreed to work together before gathering in a room. Song ideas began traveling between them as MP3s. By the time they met to play, Robert had a rough version of “Out of Time” ready, giving the new lineup somewhere to start.
The writing and recording took place in Robert’s basement studio. He told Loudwire that he stopped during a session to point out where they were: grown men, years into their careers, making music downstairs together. It reminded him of learning to play as a kid. Having all four musicians involved gave the work a feeling he had missed, and Bennington’s familiarity with STP mattered. The singer had grown up listening to the band, helping the bassist feel comfortable both writing new material and revisiting the catalog.
The basement housed equipment Robert had spent years collecting. He told M Music & Musicians that the self-produced EP was recorded through a restored 1971 Neve console, with microphone selection and placement providing the main technical decisions. Dean also drew on his brother’s guitar collection, including Gretsch Country Gentleman models the band had not used before and a semi-hollow Kent. Familiar instruments remained part of the sessions, but working at Robert’s house gave them access to different choices.
The decision to release five songs reflected the time available. Robert told M Music & Musicians that he would have liked to complete a full-length album, but Bennington needed to return to Linkin Park. They had to make their sessions count. Dean likewise said they had enough material for an album; fitting the work into their lives was the obstacle. From their earliest conversations, he and Bennington had agreed that STP could not interfere with their families or Linkin Park.
Those commitments eventually determined how long the partnership could continue. In November 2015, Bennington and STP announced an amicable separation. The singer explained that dividing himself between two bands and his family meant one commitment was always receiving less time than it deserved. Dean, Robert and Kretz echoed the scheduling problem while describing their time together warmly. They also said more music had been written and some recorded, but High Rise was the only EP released during their 2013–2015 partnership.
