Back in the 90s where my heart for music lies, Korn lorded it over like a dark, imperious demon in dreadlocks spewing death, menace, and countless Dropped D riffs and bass slaps in adidas sneakers and sweaters: It was the age of Nu Metal, and Korn was the single biggest reason the term became part of musical lexicon.
In my pre-Korn era (at least before their hit 1996 album Life is Peachy), I was into grunge – Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots and some good old Metallica and Guns n’ Roses. I was in high school then and these bands songs kept my fingers blistered and busy on my out-of-tune guitar. For a moment, I thought life can’t get any better. Those bands were my rock n’ roll gods and nothing can stop and top them, That was until I went to college and heard one of my classmates playing a song called “no place to hide” on his portable radio. The chorus (or refrain, dunno the difference really) sounded like a madman being chased or haunted by demons. The singing steadily grew from desperate pleas to diabolical howls and growls, from tense whispers to blood-curdling cries. Damn, I thought. That was sheer musical genius. The singer Jonathan Davis was an ex-mortician and his naturally dark lyrics which comprised of nursery rhymes, images of drug abuse, murder, pedophilia and incomprehensible growls presented a unique form expression that struck me as pure badass. I know I’m not alone in feeling this. In fact, the Philippine nu metal scene was already crawling with Korn-fed bands like Greyhoundz, Cheese (now known as Keso) Slapshock and Chico Science (now known as chicosci).
Grim lyrics, cool porma and guttural screams aside, it was the unique, clunky and heavy guitars that really caught my attention. There was something about the sound of guitarist Brian “Head” Welch’s playing that evoked apocalyptic images of pandemonium, hell, malice, guilt, shame, anger, hatred, demons and dementia whenever I listen to sick songs like “Shoots and Ladders”, “Freak on a Leash”, “Got the Life” and “All in the Family”.
Not even avowed Satanist Marilyn Manson can make me imagine vile beings and morbid thoughts the way Korn does everytime I pay one of their songs a listen. Come to think of it, Korn is a conjugate of “Corn” which is synonymous with “Horn” (think Unicorn or Cornucopia). Try playing “Twist” on headphones while you are alone, inside a dark and quiet room and you’ll know what I mean.
It was all good and peachy until Welch decided to leave the group in 2005. Head’s controversial departure caused a lot of stir among Korn fans after he claimed that he had “found Jesus” outside of his drug and party crazed lifestyle as a member of Korn. No one believed him initially but the guy was dead serious. A lot of hardcore Korn fans believed the sound will suffer inevitably. Well, it did in my opinion.
Flash forward to Korn of today. After internal bickerings, member changes, so-so albums and an evident move away from their heavier, industrial metal sound of yore, ex-Korn founding guitarist Brian Welch comes out with a new album – and a 2000-year old faith.
With jet black eyeliners, long dreadlocks, two tattoo covered arms and a menacing beard, Head looked straight out of a horror movie but the guy’s complete turnaround in favor of fatherhood (he’s a single dad) and faith is nothing short of admirable. His zeal was such that he still found places to tattoo bible verses on his graffiti covered skin. He even had an image of Christ tattooed on his hand to keep him from masturbating.
Now that’s effort. Whether he owed it to God or to himself alone is out of the question. I’m just glad when people change for the better. Well, at least in terms of outlook, NOT looks.
As for his solo album “Save me from Myself” which was released last September 9, Welch did the vocals himself and did not disappoint. As for his music, let’s just say that with songs like “washed by blood” and “flush”, fans of the old Korn sound of the 90s would surely love this album.
Save him from himself… welch was an idiot but… some how i love him and some how i just think about how he could abondon his group…its hard. in the other hand, i am like him…our lives is too close too eachother. specially in that case. i had a group & i left them by this fucked mistake. damn…
YO this dude is gay man i mean i like him and all but to just leave korn like that i mean i read his book and every thing but i cant my band like that that would screw up our friendship and stuff i mean i have korn on my ipod and can all of their songs on my guitar but its your life man your choice later yo
Anybody who hears this guy talk know he would have been dead soon the way he was going. Pretty shallow for anyone to find fault for the guy getting it together and taking care of his kid, but we live in shallow times.
Dudes, i ve read the book too and it is very moving. yeah. it would be hard to just leave a band youve been with since younger years, but i believe Head made the rite choice. i believe in following christ, he found a better way. a happier peace and a new, refeshed life. A christian life. i still wonder wat band hes in now cuz id totally buy every album they put out!!!