Review Summary: Some songs deliver, but others lack bass parts, second guitar parts, good lyrics, and emotion.
When I first heard that korn was going to make an album that would sound old school. I was excited. I couldn't wait. I started pulling out their old cds and listening to them just to help me refresh my mind with the good old days. I followed this album until its release. When I finally got it. I put it on my i pod and started listening. Here is what I thought of it.
The first track "Uber Time" should not have been on the album providing that both of the first two albums don't have an intro, but the song leads perfectly into "Oildale" which is, lyrically, the best song on the album. The lyrics remind of 1994's "Clown" when it says "show me i'm a pussy and your harder than me" well you hear almost the same lyrics on "Oildale" when JD says "What a puss, think your so tough." The middle is just magnificent. It was hard and dark like "blind". The guitars were perfect as well. They could of ditched the extra music though. The next song "Pop A Pill" delivers a crunching riff and JD basically screams the lyrics the whole song. Its a song that would most likely belong on the album TALITM. "Fear Is A Place To Live" was a simpler song. They obviously didn't care about this song. The lyrics are stupid, and they repeat the chorus a lot as well. "Move On" reminds me kinda like "Blind" with basically the same verses, but the chorus is a lot longer and the middle has a lot less anger in it. "Lead The Parade" was the closest song to there tradition of "scatting lyrics". Its fast, but the lyrics are almost pointless. "Let The Guilt Go" should not be a single. The lyrics are stupid, they repeat the chorus a lot. The best part is the middle, where it sounds really angry, but the rest is pointless. "The Past" reminds me of a song that would be off of "Issues" it's along the line of alternative rather than Nu metal. I personally like the song. The chorus is pretty emotional, and the riffs during the chorus is killer. "Never Around" could be a song that maybe could fit on "Life Is Peachy". The guitar parts have to be a lot better though, and maybe a little fix in the lyrics. I kinda dig the evil laugh. All though I have never heard laughing on a single korn album. Its sounds kind of dark. The bass in the middle is the only superb bass part in the whole album. Pretty good song. They could of ditched the extra music though. "Are You Ready To Live" is probably the most original song on the album. As JD sings the verses the bass is there to make even darker. The guitar is pretty damn good. The squealing sound in the second verse is something that would have been on "issues". The middle is emotional. They could have taken the little solo out though. But the lyrics are good, and the song is probably the most solid song on the album. "Holding On All These Lies" is not that good. JD cries but it sounds kinda fake from my point of view. The lyrics are pretty stupid. Unless "I never meant to hurt you" was another lie his step mother told him, the lyrics are pointless. The solo is stupid. There is no real bass part in it. It lacks almost everything.
So that is what I thought of the album. It had its highlights, but nothing absolutely got you going.
Album Highlights:
Oildale (Leave Me Alone)
Pop A Pill
The Past
Never Around
Are You Ready To Live?
OK songs:
Move On
Lead The Parade
Album Struggles:
Fear Is A Place To Live
Holding All These Lies
Let The Guilt Go
Uber Time
