So today's monday, and you all know what that means. Time for my review of a movie or music for the week! So this week, I have got to talk about "Save me from Myself", Brian "Head" Welch's new record.
So first of all, let me say if you've heard anything by Korn, you'll have a basic idea of the record's over all tone and sound. It's not terribly ground breaking. There's not really a lot of innovation, and many of the songs actually follow a similar pattern of a raging, minor verse that progresses into a sweeping, huge, major chorus with a slow down bridge and a recap of the chorus to end it. Honestly, it's taken me about a month or so to really get into it because of this. I heard his single "Flush" and wasn't that impressed and there were no stand out tracks on the album. That is, until I sat down and really gave the album a fair listen through, and that's where the negative comments end really.
So some background may be helpful before I begin to explore the themes of the record. A lot of us know that Head was in Korn as their primary guitarist. While in Korn, he did all the things that big rock stars will do. He sought fulfillment in drugs, alcohol, and sex for years and realized that the life he was leading wasn't fulfilling. He became involved with some christians and started going to church and through God working in his life he quit speed and left Korn and began a powerful spiritual revival. It's all in his book "Save me From Myself", so I won't do much other than say you have to read it, it's great.
As with most CDs worth giving a listen to, Head spent a lot of time visiting themes in his life and putting together a record full of honesty and deep reflection. The single I've already mentioned, "Flush", while not a stand out track was clearly picked as the single because it's the most blatant reflection on how the rocker lifestyle isn't what it seems and depicts several different people struggling with drugs, alcohol, sex, and all the consequences with these things. "Adonai" is a sweeping exhortation to seek after God as an escape from life's troubles. He even has a song dedicated to 50 Cent that was a demo track entitled "Cheap Name" that was re-recorded and renamed "Home". Give it a listen, it's intense.
But the track that reached out and hammered me (which I always enjoy in a record) was "Die, Religion, Die". The issue of religion and it's damage caused is one I myself have spent much time reflecting on. This is honestly a huge step in theology to say that religion is not how Christ wanted us to live. The whole song is from the perspective of Christ the reflects on how many Christians have lost the ability to sympathize and focus to strongly on condemning the world around them and have the idea that church is a building, not a body of believers. This song's message is so strong that I'd recommend that all Christians hear it and reflect on what Head is actually saying and not be put off by the surface of the lyrics and look deeper into the idea that religion is man made and can actually be a force for evil at times.
As a whole, I really enjoyed the record and it refused to leave my CD player and iPod for several days. The record is infectious and very approachable. This is probably the reason for the repetition making it totally forgivable. I love this record and you should check it out regardless of your feelings towards hard rock because of what it can teach us about the culture it came from and understandings of faith that will challenge most anyone.
