At this weekend’s Epicenter music festival in Rockingham, North Carolina, KORN guitarist Brian “Head” Welch spoke to SiriusXM‘s Jose Mangin about the progress of the recording sessions for the band’s new album. The follow-up to 2016’s “The Serenity Of Suffering” is once again being produced by Nick Raskulinecz and will feature songwriting collaborations with GOLDFINGER‘s John Feldmann.

Welch said: “I’ve never seen Jonathan [Davis, vocals] work so hard on a record since [2002’s] ‘Untouchables’. He’s always involved — don’t get me wrong — but he has a different passion, because he went through a lot last year. He has time, he has energy, he has pain, and he just grabbed the record. It’s so special.”

Asked when fans can expect to see the new KORN album in stores, Welch said: “We are kind of in a little argument with the label about the date, so we’re trying to keep it all peaceful — things happen. But it’s coming out.”

Welch also talked about KORN‘s upcoming summer co-headlining tour with ALICE IN CHAINS. UNDEROATH will join as special guest on all dates, with HO99O9 and FEVER 333 opening on select shows. Produced by Live Nation, the 30-city outing will kick off July 18 in Del Valle, Texas at Austin360 Amphitheatre and make stops in Dallas, Nashville, Toronto, Denver and more before wrapping September 4 in Mountain View, California at Shoreline Amphitheatre.

“We were talking about it and we wanted different… ALICE IN CHAINS has their own thing,” Welch said. “They’re iconic. We wouldn’t be doing what we’re doing if it wasn’t for bands like ALICE IN CHAINS. And then we wanted to throw a band with energy before them. UNDEROATH has a great energy, and the FEVER. So it’s just a great mix of different styles and everything. So I’m so excited. But it’s like a dream come true to tour with ALICE IN CHAINS.”

Davis‘s estranged wife Deven Davis died in August at the age of 39. The former girl-on-girl porn star suffered with sobriety and substance abuse throughout her life.

Welch told Good Company last year that KORN‘s next disc would likely be “a combination of maybe both [‘The Serenity Of Suffering’] and [2013’s ‘The Paradigm Shift’]. We’ll try some new stuff though, but we’re gonna definitely focus on guitars again.”

“The Serenity Of Suffering” marked the second KORN album since the return of Welch.

Fonte: Blabbermouth.net