A Whosoevers interview with Head and Fieldy

I just wanted to share a very special interview with Head and Fieldy of Korn. This interview (below) begins with the two musicians early years in high school and Korn and progresses to their respective conversions to Christianity. This interview is all the more remarkable in my eyes considering that Head and Fieldy were two fifths of one of the biggest metal bands in the world; Head chose to leave the band upon his conversion in 2005 while Fieldy decided to remain after his own conversion shortly afterward. Korn's influence within the metal world is undeniable, they were among a very select few groups of bands that launched the phenomenon that became known as nu-metal. Nu-metal's meteoric rise in popularity saw Korn launched into the stratosphere and join the pantheon of legendary metal and hard rock bands such as Black Sabbath, Led Zepplin, Metallica and Slayer. Similarly, along with material success, popularity and fame came with it a 24/7 party lifestyle of drugs, alcohol and sex. They were quite literally living like rockstars with the full legitimacy of actually being two of the most successful and influential musicians of the '90s.

This interview is testimony to the power of God that after the world had swallowed them up and spat them out leading to broken marriages, self-destructive addictions and depression that verged on the suicidal He would meet with them where they were, lift them up, heal and restore them. Several years have passed since the two men gave their lives to Christ and now they are using their talent and fame to help others know the love of God. Both men have released autobiographies documenting their journey to faith but until recently there had not been much contact between them. Again this interview is testimony to the reconciliatory nature of God's love that has brought both men back together again not just as friends or fellow musicians but as brothers in Christ - with a cause to see the lost saved. The harmony God so graciously blesses us with in our lives and relationships is beautiful and this interview is such an amazing reflection of this.

This interview means alot to me because my own faith has been encouraged so profoundly through their own testimonies and careers since becoming Christians. But it also means so much to me because of their history, because of the fact that when I was a teenager these two men, along with their band members in Korn were some of the most powerful cultural influences of our youth. Although I was always more into P.O.D. nevertheless Korn still played an important role in initiating my friendship circle into the world of alternative culture and nu-metal. I can still remember hanging out at my friends houses, their bedroom walls covered in Korn posters. Being so intimate with their careers makes this interview all the more wonderful because it truly proves the extraordinary power of the Gospel to bring light into darkness and hope into despair.

Enjoy.

The Whosoevers

The Whosoevers aren't exactly new, they were established in 2009 so have been around for a few years now, but while I have been following their events from a distance, casually taking a passing interest in them it's only recently that I've been really impacted by their mission and message!

So who or what are the Whosoevers? The founders of the Whosoevers are Ryan Ries, Sonny Sandoval (P.O.D.) and Brian 'Head' Welch (Love and Death/ex-Korn). The Whosoevers are a movement - a lifestyle and a positive stance against the depravity of the world and the artificiality of religion. The Whosoevers aren't a church or a denomination, they are a group of Christians prepared to live for Christ - their message is one of love and repentance leading to a personal relationship with God.

P.O.D. have been a major influence in my life for the past 11 years. They completely and radically revolutionized my view of Christianity. The Whosoevers are a natural extension of Sonny's career and ministry in P.O.D. - it is the part of Sonny's faith that lies behind the passion in P.O.D.'s music. Sonny's relationship with Christ and his experiences touring the world with P.O.D. have profoundly impacted his life and given him a heart to save the youth of today. It is this desire that led him to co-found the Whosoevers. Worship is more than music - it is a lifestyle and this is precisely what the Whosoevers are about: a true worshipful lifestyle.

The great thing about the nature of the Whosoevers is that anyone who is a Christian can identify themselves as a Whosoever based on the truth of John 3:16 from which the movement bases its name from:

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever shall believe in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

Seeing a movement that's not based around religion, a movement that is the very definition of grass-roots Christianity fills me with awe and excitement. And the Whosoevers are a grass-roots movement - the alternative music and culture that they are so intrinsically connected with is the vehicle with which they live out their faith, as an expression of the counter-cultural nature of the Gospel. Christianity is not about conformity to this world's values - it is about killing the flesh, dying to one's self and submitting to another: Jesus Christ. This is the culture that I was initiated into through P.O.D. but for so long they remained the sole source and reference of another view of Christianity. Now the Whosoevers has birthed that lifestyle as a movement for the Kingdom of God. That is a movement and a Kingdom I want to be a part of; a movement that stands for truth, love and hope. Therefore I am a Whosoever!

for more information: www.thewhosoevers.com

The Dark Knight Rises Trailer 3

Excited does not do this film justice. For over a decade my favourite film has been the Matrix; a film that was groundbreaking for its time with an intelligent plot, superb special effects and top quality fight choreography. The film had everything: style and substance, action and emotion, intelligence and spirituality, which is why for so long no other film has come close to touching its greatness in my eyes. That is until now. The Dark Knight Rises has the potential to replace the Matrix as my favourite film of all time. So what is so special about the Dark Knight Rises? The latest trailer is the best indication yet of just how good this film could be. I will now break down the reasons why I have such high expectations of this film:

Batman:
I want to start with the most obvious - the protagonist, Batman. Batman is my favourite comic book superhero - he's highly intelligent (an expert in criminology), he's athletic and strong with genuine martial arts training from Asia not just some conveniently endowed super powers; he fights out of a strong moral conviction in the injustice of evil and is the personification of the virtues he seeks to encourage in Gotham City. Above all he's a man with an unwavering sense of hope that Gotham is redeemable from the crime and evil that ensnares it. Very few other comic book environments take on anthropormorphic qualities such as Gotham City, it's as if the city itself is forsaken in the perpetual clutches of evil but Batman alone stands as the vanguard and bulwark of all that is good and decent and righteous. Christopher Nolan has truly captured the essence of Batman as a character in his portrayal of Bruce Wayne/Batman played by Christian Bale. Bale's Batman is a far more imposing physical specimen than any of his predecessors incarnations as well as having a far greater sense of authenticity from Bale's other action roles. What I love most about Nolan's reboot is his emphasis on Batman as the Dark Knight. This was a sublime and genius decision and piece of storytelling. The Dark Knight bears all the right connotations connected with the character of Batman: an edgy antihero that inspires fear and intimidation into his enemies as well as a servant, a guardian and a protector of all that is good in Gotham.

Bane:

Every great hero needs a great villain and the antagonist for Nolan's swansong is non other than the most physically dominant and one of the most highly intelligent villains in the entire Batman legend - Bane. While the Joker will always be Batman's arch-nemesis and the late Heath Ledger's iconic portrayal was a masterpiece that will stand the test of time, Nolan was right to keep Bane till last. While the Joker is pure evil - a self confessed "agent of chaos", Bane was the first villain to break into the Batcave and break Batman's spine, in the cult classic graphic novel Knightfall. There could be no better villain to end the trilogy than the villain who legitimately defeated the Dark Knight in the comics. This automatically creates the speculation, will the film stay true to the comics and will this be the end for Bale's Batman or is the allusion to the Knightfall story in the new trailer a red herring? Nolan has intelligently created massive hype for this film simply through Bane's inclusion, because of the vast amounts of options Bane as a character gives him. But just as Bale is a casting triumph, so too I believe is Tom Hardy as Bane. Hardy's shaved head, mask wearing Bane may seem far more human that the Lucha Libra masked, venom enhanced Bane of the comic books but he is altogether far more sinister. This brings me to what I believe is so special about Hardy's Bane: the voice. There is something innately sinister about not being able to discern someone's true voice. The distortion and muffled effect of Bane's mask upon his voice gives me chills. His image, his gait, his screen pressence is absolutely undeniable, when you see Bane on screen you are drawn in, compelled to watch what he does and yet terrified at the same time of the horror he is capable of unleashing.

Catwoman:
No Batman trilogy would be complete without Catwoman, Bruce Wayne's on/off love interest in the graphic novels makes her debut along with Bane in the Dark Knight Rises. Again like Bane, Nolan's inclusion of Catwoman automatically sparks interest and speculation - is she good or bad? Will she become Wayne's girlfriend or sidekick? Will she meet a happy or tragic end? The casting of Anne Hathaway came as a suprise to some but like the rest of Nolan's casting I am sure it will be vindicated. From the latest trailer Hathaway's Catwoman is true to the comic books and will play an instrumental part in the story's conclusion. I am very much looking forward to the interplay and chemistry between Batman and Catwoman as hinted at in the trailer.

Technology:
Where would Batman be without his gadgets? Batman Begins introduced the Batmobile, the Dark Knight the Batpod and now the Dark Knight Rises the Batwing. The scale of the final film is truly phenomenal judging from the trailers, from the opening prologue of an aeroplane heist, to all out civil war and an aerial battle with the Batwing.

Films get bigger and better every year so it takes something very special and extraordinary to break the mould and stand above all the high tech special effects. Everything in the Dark Knight Rises trailer suggests this film will be one of the greatest films of all time. The trilogy has amazing depth in scope, storyline, character development, casting and action.

Love and Death 'Chemicals' EP review

'Chemicals' is the debut EP from Brian 'Head' Welch's new band Love and Death. The EP itself is but an appetiser for the forth coming debut album to be released later this year. The EP consists of five tracks, lead single Paralyzed, Devo cover track Whip It and title track Chemicals, along with two remixes of Paralyzed and Chemicals. Immediately fans of Korn and Head's solo album will hear the trademark signature guitar sounds that made Korn so iconic back in the mid to late 90s. To the informed listener 'Chemicals' sounds like a band with a strong sense of identity: Brian has managed to evolve his style further through the blending and syncronising of his efforts in Korn and his solo endeavour. The music is heavy, at times crushing and at others atmospheric, but every chorus containing infectious hooks. Brian has managed to capture the energy that characterised his earlier riffs with Korn that made their music so dark and powerful.

Lyrically, Brian reaches into those dark aspects of his past and continues his cathartic exorcism of his former demons. The lyrics will resonate very strongly with those who appreciated his solo album as well as Korn fans who found a voice for their pain and struggles in Jonathan Davis bearing his soul. Brian and his new band members have crafted a strong gothic image for Love and Death and this is reflected in the subject matter of the lyrics. 'Chemicals' is a dark and edgy EP that has rediscovered Brian's unique guitar style that reverberates as powerfully across the heavy music landscape today as it did back in 1994. If 'Chemicals' is anything to go by Love and Death are a band that will satisfy the cravings and longings of many heavy music fans for years to come.

My only criticism of the EP (and it is a minor one considering the calibre of the tracks) is that it is so short. Only two original songs, plus a cover track and two remixes. However, the EP serves perfectly to put Love and Death on the map ready for the full length album later in the year and is still great value for the low price its available for on itunes.