‘Wake up sleepy, wide AWAKE! I am the walking dead; I am Death’s best friend’. Seriously probably one of my favorite opening lines for a song. And it’s not for some weird or even macabre reason. There is something about the opening track of Love and Death’s debut album Between Here and Lost. ‘The Abandoning’ is seriously probably one of the best songs I have heard in a long time. There is something so vulnerable and open about this song, something that is so inspiring and motivating. I repeat this song every morning on my walk to work. And as much as I love the song, I love the video!

I would like to back track before carrying on to my thoughts on the other songs on this amazing album, I would like to give you a little background insight on the men behind this masterpiece. In my teenagers, I had two obsessions that completely consumed my summers completely: zombies and Korn, neither of which I was willing to give up even as I got older. But in 2005, my opinion on Korn wasn’t so high anymore.

Brian “Head” Welch became a Christian, and from there decided to stray from his band of the last decade to focus on his life as a father and his own solo career. And to be honest, Korn just didn’t seem the same anymore. It was as if part of what made Korn the amazing band it was, was definitely missing. Brian went on to release his own solo album ‘Save Me From My Myself’. To be honest I can’t comment on said album because I have never heard it. But in 2009, he joined with Michael Valentine on bass, Dan Johnson on drums, Ralph Patlan, Brian Ruedy on keyboard and Scott von Heldt on guitars and backing vocals. Within the following years, Scott, Brian Ruedy, and Patlan made their exits from the bad. In 2011, the final piece to this awesome group of men was discovered through Youtube auditions. 15 year old J.R. Bareis was officially the final member of this now four piece band.

Following the amazing opening track I previously mentioned is one amazing cover of Devo’s “Whip It”. I have heard obviously more than my share of covers over the years and this one by far is my favorite. From there you go into this emotional rollercoaster that comes from the depressions, anxieties and trials these men have gone through. Honestly, this album is a must buy for metal fans everywhere. Brian “Head” Welch has one amazing voice, personally one I enjoyed more than Jonathan Davis. And now that Brian Welch is back with Korn, I will say that Korn will get back what I feel it lost in 2005. Personally, I hope that Head will stick with Love and Death because the loss of this band will give me that sense of loss I felt with Korn since Head’s previous exit. I cannot wait to see what they will come up with next.  


Final Rating: 9/10