Korn in need of Head

Story by Phil Bonyata
Photos by Karen Bondowski

Korn is beginning to feel it's age. Together for almost 12 years now the early innovators of rap-metal have been trying to find their way back onto the dark throne they once sat on so confidently after co-founder Brian "Head" Welch left the band to live by the treachings of Jesus.
The band opened with the fire breathing of "It"s On" punching the start-stop rhythms out with sub sonic tenacity. Lead singer Jonathan Davis, wearing black leather pants and signature black tank top, let his brooding vocals loose as he screamed and wailed while hunched over and cursing the lyrics to the ground. "Clown" found drummer David Silveria still delivering the heart pounding foundation while bassist Fieldy Arvizu kept perfect time. All of Korn's music is structured in a chaotic, yet directioned fashion with plenty of abstract chords progressions and unusual rhythms. Except they were missing one thing. The band decided not to replace Head and try to have guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer fill in as best he could on both rhythm and lead. On many signature Head solos there were noticable gaps where the band simply couldn't fill the great holes. While it may be hard to replace him - it would have certainly been better to to have had an able guitarist with some fire in their belly and a dark heart to bridge what was missing.
"Counting on Me" and "Here to Stay" both played out their heavy creepiness wth mixed results. The band took a few missteps on the former as they lost synch several times. Korn unleashed it"s ritualistic medley of "Shoots and Ladders," "Need To," "Lies," "Make Me Bad," "Thoughtless," "A.D.I.D.A.S." and "Twist" to the delight of the fans. "Make Me Bad" also lost a lot of it's stamina as the crowds' enthusiasm seemed to wane with the bands" loose wanderings. There were many times that the audience was at it's fist pounding and crowd surfing best - but these were usually reserved for Korn's older catalogue.
"Freak On a Leash" turned the masses at The Eagles Ballroom's into a sea of waves - coarsing back and forth as Davis devilishly delivered with his frothing vocals. The wickedness continued on the apocalyptic "Blind." Davis screamed the signature challenge "Are you ready?" The song started with a slow groove and Davis' restrained vocals started gaining on volume, power and speed. Then his ascending scream "I can see, I can see, I'm going blind." was followed by the band climbing even higher. Reminding many that Korn is still capable of assualting one's senses with extreme malice.
While their music still remains subversive and bleak - their musical landscape has lost some of it's dark and barren soul with the departure of Head.
Mudvayne have decided to lose their masks and make-up and let their music do the talking. Maybe not a good idea. While looking like they walked out of a Halloween party dressed as circa 1997 Pantera - the bands' sound hasn't changed from the same angst-ridden adrenaline-posers that have pushed repetition and artless mediocrity to new heights. Lead singer Chad Gray screams lyrics and profanities into the mic like a whore that just got stiffed by her John - while the band churns along like an aimless freight train carrying a load that never existed. Mudvayne might consider putting the masks and makeup back on to help conceal their stale and mediocore style of music.

David Silveria	Fieldy Arvizu
Jonathan Davis	Mudvayne
Jonathan Davis	Mudvayne
Korn Fans	James "Munky" Shaffer

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