"High Rise" is an EP by the American rock band Stone Temple Pilots, released on October 8, 2013, through their self-record label Play Pen, LLC. This EP marked the first release by the band without former lead vocalist Scott Weiland, who was fired in February 2013. It is also the only release featuring Chester Bennington of Linkin Park on lead vocals. Bennington left the band in 2015 and tragically passed away in 2017. The EP included two singles, "Out of Time" and "Black Heart," and received generally mixed reviews from critics.
In February 2013, Stone Temple Pilots dismissed Scott Weiland, prompting him to publicly express his confusion and frustration over the situation. He questioned how he could be terminated from a band he had founded and claimed the remaining members had no right to perform as Stone Temple Pilots with another singer. This led to legal disputes between Weiland and the remaining members—guitarist Dean DeLeo, bassist Robert DeLeo, and drummer Eric Kretz. They sought to prevent Weiland from calling himself a former member of the band, while Weiland counter-sued for wrongful termination. Both parties eventually settled out of court, allowing the band to continue under the STP name with Bennington.
On May 18, 2013, Stone Temple Pilots debuted with Chester Bennington at the KROQ Weenie Roast, performing "Out of Time." The following day, the band offered a free digital download of the song on their official website, which also featured new promotional images including Bennington. He had previously expressed that joining Stone Temple Pilots was a lifelong dream.
In discussions about new material, Bennington indicated that the band was unlikely to record a full-length album soon, given their independent status and lack of a label. Instead, they decided to focus on releasing music one track at a time, leading to the decision to release an EP rather than a full album. On October 3, 2013, a complete stream of the EP became available on Pandora Radio, showcasing the singles "Out of Time" and "Black Heart."
