| CD REVIEW Brian “Head” Welch |
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Band : Brian "Head" Welch In February 2005, worldwide legions of Korn fans were shocked when guitarist Brian “Head” Welch (who’d been at the foundation of the band and been instrumental to making it the multi-million album selling act they’d become) announced he would step out of the band after having been “saved by Christ”! Understanably, the news made for a media frenzy as everyone wanted to know about the man’s reasons for making an end to this important chapter of his life. While Brian stated that he’d actually been able to kick a decade’s worth of drug and alcohol abuse overnight by turning to the Faith Of Christ, and was now gonna dedicate his life to both Christ, and the single-parent upbringing of his daughter Jennea, he also announced that he was certainly not retiring from the music business! Committed to changing modern American youth through his music and other entertainment ventures, he started out by writing an autobiography of his life titled Save Me From Myself, which got released in July 2007. The book soon hit the New York Times Best Seller List in the non-fiction category, bringing the man acclaim as a successful author. In a way, you can see the Save Me From Myself album as a musical expression of that same life story, as Head actually goes through the several stages of his life with Kornleading up to him finding his faith, etc! The music [vocals, lead guitars & synth/ string/ choir sounds by Head, helped out by drummer Josh Freeze (of A Perfect Circle, Evanecence and Nine Inch Nails repute), plus bassists Trevor Dunn and Tony Levin (the latter known from his past cooperations with Alice Cooper, Peter Gabriel, David Bowie, amongst others). Additionally, there’s also a children’s choir, used during the track “Re-Bel”, and you also get a home recording with his daughter (and really, both are sóó cute!!!), who’s also in the children’s choir, by the way] in which he expresses this, is very much the same “Alternative Metal” as he used to compose for his former band. Just like in Korn, you’ll find Brian singing both aggressive and calmer type vocals (the latter slightly more…and yes, occasionally you’ll find the two singing styles within the same song!) and alternating more aggressive (but always etherically beautiful) tracks with calmer passages. Convince yourselves by checking out the music that’s available through audio or video at either (www.)brianheadwelch.net or (www.)myspace.com/brainheadwelch. The album already out since September in the US, there’s already been a live promotion of the album that same month…although I have no idea with which people he’s done that. Late December a round of closed auditions started at Driven Music Group for a new live band to take onto the road again in the future…but so many people reacted for a chance to do an audition as well, they decided to give people a chance (the first round, sine qua non, finishing Feb. 2nd…so if you read this after, don’t even bother anymore!!!). In between bringing out his autobiography and the album, Brian hasn’t exactly been idle, writing a new book titled Washed By Blood (also the title of the album’s closing track), which is really concentrated on the latter part of his autobiography, the part where he kicks the alcohol and drug abuse through the acceptance of God as his father and Jesus Christ as his Lord. His daughter, who’s only in 5th grade, was so impressed with the recent positive events that had taken place in her fathers (and her own) life that she wanted to read the book, and actually made a book report of it for school (check the blogs on the man’s MySpace page). Darn good album, and a pity it’s already out since last year, because it would’ve made my year-lists! 98/100 Tony. |