Review Summary: If I say that this is my favourite Korn release, will the Korn fans anger-meter increase from angsty to furious? How can cliché guitar work with annoying effects and cringing vocals lead to a "great" rating?
To tell you from the start, I’m not a nu-metal fan. Although Deftones is one of my favourite band at the moment, I dig some SOAD and Ill Nino, I purely like some Linkin Park and Slipknot for the nostalgia. From all those bands, Korn was after Limp Bizkit and Taproot my least favourite nu-metal band. Yet I quite liked this album, which was hated endlessly by Korn-fans, tr00 metalheads and any other person that couldn’t see the beauty within this record. I shall give a reason now of why I like it.
Although there are lots of atrocious tracks that never should see the daylight, they are pretty much overshadowed by the better ones.
Unlike most Korn listeners, I can’t stand Korn’s self-titled album and the follower
Life Is Peachy. Of Course,
Blind was a decent listen and
Clown was great as ever, but I failed to see the enjoyment in songs such as
Daddy and
Fagot. It could be that that kind of music just wasn’t build for me. Although I fulfil to the requirements to love Korn (white boy at the age under 18 and above 12, being angry at the whole world), I’d rather listened to Black metal, or Melodic Death Metal. The point is that this nu-metal is too straight-forward. There is no complexity to be found in a nu-metal song (Deftones makes an exception) and lyrically and instrumentally it’s very simple and close-minded.
Then again, I listen to music solely to like it, regardless of what genre it is, which meaning it wants to bring over. If the music is listenable and uses the right notes, I like it. That’s probably the reasons why I like this record. Songs such as
Hating and
Alone I Break have incredible good riffs. Although it is in no way unique, with the exception of the guitar effects that are often used to give the music an extra dimension, it is enjoyable.
As soon as
Here To Stay kicks in, it’s obvious that Korn wanted a heavier sound. With a low guitar sound (I believe it’s an A), and simple drums it’s a typical nu-metal song. Jonathan Davis vocals however have changed somewhat. His old vocal style was the inspiration for every nu-metal vocalist. Angsty shouts with no end, barely showing real emotion layered over decent lyrics. The style he uses now is more a insanity driven than ever, and it quite works with the instrumentation. Sadly, he overuses his new technique, making the music very annoying.
Make Believe starts with a rather original guitar effect (that will happen pretty often in this record), but the verses and choruses are atrocious because of Jon’s whiny vocals.
This formula is used the whole time. Sometimes for the better, like the perfect hate-song
Thoughtless and the rather memorable closer
No One’s There. But most times for the worse, like the atrocious industrial song:
Wake Up Hate or the generic and boring
I’m Hiding. Sadly most of the time, the songs stay in the latter part, being either filler or just bad executed songs.
It might seem weird, that after such a run-down with an overload of bad tracks the album is still worth a 3.5.
Thoughtless and
No One’s There are however two of the greatest songs Korn has ever made. That might seem nothing in my books, but they are really astounding. Strange how a simple chord riff with a generic lead riff can lead to such appalling things such as
Hating or
Hollow Life. Another two great tracks that deserve a place in my I-Pod.
This is probably Korn’s most misleading record. It’s hard to see beauty within Jon’s vocals or Munky’s and Head’s riffing. Even Fieldy’s annoying bass slapping and David’s simple drumming does help towards the group that is called Korn. This record is just somewhat more experimental than their older efforts. I’m not grading this because of originality, which is still almost nothing. But simply, “Because I enjoy it”.
Pros:
- Lead and ground riffing goes very well together.
- Jon’s weird vocal does work at times.
Cons:
- Lyrics are beyond bad.
- Sometimes, Jon’s weird vocal doesn’t work.
- Same formula over and over again.
Top 5 songs:
1. Thoughtless
2. No One’s There
3. Hating
4. Hollow Life
5. One More Time
Songs that I don’t care for:
Every other song, save for Alone I Break and Blame
