Saturday 5 May 2012

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.




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2 comments:

  1. WickedBreath6 May 2012 at 02:05

    I agree with you 100% on the review, nice work! I absolutely love the three first songs. The remixes I didn't love equally as much as I thought that they were hardly "re-mixed" and seemed too much the same as the originals, but this has put my hopes up high for the full-length for sure. Brian is such an inspiring figure these days anyway. I know Jasen Rauch of RED has had a hand in crafting these songs but Brian is the one who's singing and playing from the heart here, and it's immensely strong. Even with the issue of shortness, this is more powerful than a lot of albums out there, including Korn's three most recent CDs.

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  2. Ewen Ebsworth6 May 2012 at 08:52

    thanks Jon, yeah Head is such an inspirational artist. I prefer this EP to the Stillwell Surrounded by Liars EP, although I still enjoy Stillwell's EP Fieldy is just not as strong a guitarist as he is a bassist and Chemicals just oozes Head's iconic riffs, he is definitely the more original guitarist. Overall I'm really excited about Love and Death, Head definitely has the right amount of charisma for a front man and his vocals are strong too, he's really improved as a solo artist since Save me from myself.

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