Black Light Burns: Has Wes Borland found a cure for his past?

by Joy Shannon

photo by Critter

Black Light Burns has just debuted an album called Cruel Melody and the only thing "cruel" about it is that not enough people have heard it. The brainchild of former Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland, Black Light Burns might cause knee-jerk reactions from those familiar with Borland's prior band. However, you can, or at least should, be granted immunity from your past band's reputations by writing an excellent album. Though Borland's lyrics on the title track on Cruel Melody state "my past is a poison and I'll never find a cure," I insist he has found an antidote in such a compelling album.

Cruel Melody's in-studio creation was the result of a talented group of musicians, which included Danny Lohner (Nine Inch Nails, A Perfect Circle) on bass, guitar, keyboards and sound design, Josh Freese (Nine Inch Nails, A Perfect Circle) on percussion, and Josh Eustice (Telefon Tel Aviv) on additional keyboards and sound design.

Borland had several side projects both during and after his tenure with Limp Bizkit, most notably Big Dumb Face and Eat the Day. Black Light Burns, though, is the first endeavor that features the guitarist on vocals. Hearing his voice, which sounds like an angrier Dave Gahan, is a revelation and one wonders why he hasn't been singing all along?

Additionally intriguing is the artwork that graces the album cover and inserts. Borland created the album art, which consists of oil paintings featuring eerie, yet graceful, figurative pieces. Over the years, he has created an interesting body of work in this realm, painted in the large scale. When we met, Borland mentioned that he has had several galleries, most recently one in Florida, express an interest in his pieces.

Black Light Burns is an intense and driving force in the live setting. On stage, the line-up consists of Borland on vocals and guitar, Marshall Kilpatric (The Esoteric) on drums, Nick Annis (Open Hand, Turn of the Screw) on guitar and Sean Fetterman (Turn of the Screw) on bass.

I caught Black Light Burns in concert in Dallas at one of the first dates of the band's summer tour. The group put on a passionate and intense performance for a small, yet devoted crowd of fans, many of whom were mouthing along with the lyrics. There was something to be said for that, as the album had only been out for about a week. What particularly struck me about the live show was the visual element to it. Wes paints his face with intricate, almost Celtic or Persian influenced patterns and continually douses himself with water. This, at first, concerned me for his hydration; with the amount of running around he does he never seems to drink any water. However, it sure does look cool when he shakes and drops of water catch the stage light. Guitarist Annis has the best afro since Foxy Brown and both he and bassist Fetterman are equally passionate in their playing. Drummer Kilpatric smears black lipstick across his mouth and drums like an angry dictator giving a speech through his drumsticks. I asked Marshall if it was intimidating to step into the shoes of such a well-known drummer as Freese but, as a drummer with a distinctive style of his own, he said he was given full creative reign with his live drum parts.

Opening for Black Light Burns was a local Dallas band called LaME (pronounced lame). The band was a pleasant surprise that night with its unique, melodic metal. LaME was particularly excited to play with Black Light Burns because they were fans of Borland's guitar work with Limp Bizkit. Taylor Walding of LaME insists that "Wes Borland was indeed the creative force behind Limp Bizkit. No disrespect to bassist Sam Rivers, drummer John Otto, or even the hip-hop influence in the band provided by former House Of Pain member DJ Lethal or the ever-infamous Fred Durst... but even the surface of the simplest of frat-anthems like LB's 'Break Stuff' was rippled by the complexity of Borland's riffs." 

Walding continues, "At the height of their popularity, many LB fans focused their attraction to the band on Wes, and Black Light Burns is for them, and many more."

It seems to me that Borland has finally found a music project in which he can fully realize his musical talents. According to drummer Kilpatric, he and Borland "are already concocting ideas whenever there is time" with the hope of putting together a sophomore release. I already can't wait for the next album.