Korn’s Brian ‘Head’ Welch says he and fellow guitarist James ‘Munky’ Shaffer have connected like never before while recording the band’s upcoming 12th album.
Welch returned to the fold ahead of 2013 album The Paradigm Shift, having left in 2005. And after spending three years on the road in support of the release, he says he and Shaffer are performing at the top of their games.
Welch tells 95.5 Klos: “Me and Munky have connected in a way that we haven’t, literally, in years and years. The last record was awesome, and I love it. But we connected at Carolina Rebellion in 2012, I played one song with them.
“Two weeks later, I was on the phone with Munky, and then a couple of weeks after that, I was in the studio with them. So it was, like, ‘Hey, you wanna come write with us?’
“So we’ve had time to hang out and jam together for three years on the road. And so me and Munky really have connected as guitar twins, guitar duo, whatever you wanna call it. And so this is a really guitar-heavy record.
“And for the first time in our whole career, we recorded our guitars at the same time, facing each other and just jamming, riffing out.”
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Welch adds that the as-yet-untitled album – which Korn hope to release this year – is the record Korn fans have been waiting for.
He adds: “I don’t wanna blow it up or whatever too much, but I just really feel like it’s the Korn record that all the fans have been waiting for.
“The intensity in Jonathan’s vocals and the music, the heaviness of it, is like no other Korn record in years. So I’m really, really excited for people to hear it.”
Korn are currently on tour and will play at this year’s Download festival.
Korn remaining 2016 tour dates
May 30: Brussels Ancienne Belgique, Belgium
May 31: Rockhal Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
Jun 02: Milan Gods Of Metal, Italy
Jun 03: Nuremberg Rock Im Park, Germany
Jun 07: Lodz Power Festival, Poland
Jun 09: Nickelsdorf Nova Rock, Austria
Jun 10: Download 2016, UK
Jun 13: Utrecht Tivoli Vredenburg, Netherlands
Jun 15: Prague Aerodrome Festival, Czech Republic
Jun 16: Pratteln Z7 Kontzertfabrik, Switzerland
Jun 17: Clisson Hellfest, France
Jun 23: Montebello Amnesia Rockiest, QC
Jun 25: Dallas Gexa Energy Pavilion, TX
Jun 26: Woodlands The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, TX
Jul 08: Hartford Xfinity Theatre, CT
Jul 09: Syracuse Lakeview Amphitheatre, NY
Jul 10: Bristow Jiffy Lube Live, VA
Jul 12: Cincinnati Riverbend Music Center, OH
Jul 13: Noblesville Klipsch Music Center, IN
Jul 16: Bridgeview Toyota Park, IL
Jul 17: Maryland Heights Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, MO
Jul 19: Englewood Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre, CO
Jul 20: Salt Lake City USANA Amphitheatre, UT
Jul 22: Albuquerque Isleta Amphitheatre, NM
Jul 23: Phoenix Ak-Chin Pavilion, AZ
Jul 24: Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre, CA
Jul 26: Clarkston DTE Energy Music Theatre, MI
Jul 27: Holmdel PNC Banks Arts Center, NJ
Jul 29: Mountain View Shoreline Amphitheatre, CA
Jul 30: Las Vegas Mandalay Bay Events Center, NV
Aug 02: Austin 360 Amphitheatre, TX
Aug 03: Woodlands The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, TX
Aug 04: Dallas Gexa Energy Pavilion, TX
Aug 06: Noblesville Klipsch Music Center, IN
Aug 07: Cincinnati Riverbend Music Center, OH
Aug 09: Maryland Heights Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, MO
Aug 10: Bonner Springs Providence Amphitheatre, KS
Aug 17: Albuquerque Isleta Amphitheatre, NM
Aug 21: Clarkston DTE Energy Music Theatre, MI
Aug 23: Torono Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, ON
Aug 24: Cuyahoga Falls Blossom Music Center, OH
Aug 25: Burgettstown First Niagara Pavilion, PA
Aug 27: Syracuse Lakeview Amphitheatre, NY
Aug 28: Mansfield Xfinity Center, MA
Aug 30: Holmdel PNC Bank Arts Center, NJ
Sep 01: Hartford Xfinity Theatre, CT
