Brian "Head" Welch has been absent from the ranks of Nu Metal heavyweights Korn since departing the band in 2005 for religious reasons. However, as Metal Hammer are now reporting, the guitarist appears to be returning to the fold for two of the band’s Rock Am Ring shows next June. The festival takes place in Germany between June 7th and 9th and will see the band perform alongside the likes of The Prodigy and Bullet For My Valentine and Airbourne.
Welch originally left the band after converting to Christianity, releasing a statement that he had
"...chosen the Lord Jesus Christ as his savior, and will be dedicating his musical pursuits to that end." Welch explained his conversion to a Christian radio show back in 2009:
"I was walking one day, just doing my Rock & Roll thing making millions of bucks, you know success and everything, addicted to drugs and then the next day I had Revelation of Christ and I was like, everything changes right now!"
Also in 2009, guitarist Munky Schaffer claimed in an interview that Welch had approached the band about rejoining:
"Brian actually contacted us recently and wanted to come back to the band. And it was not the right time... for us. We're doing well, and it's kind of like... It's kind of like if you divorced your wife and she went on and she stayed successful and her career flourished, and you go back and [say], 'My gosh, she's still hot. Baby, can we get back together?' 'Wait a minute... All the stuff's been divided, and it's like...' I don't see it happening right now."
Welch performed with Korn for the first time since his departure in May of this year, joining the band for an encore at the Carolina Rebellion event.
