Korn
Korn

Release Date: 1994 | Tracklist

“O tempora, o mores”. Not having to deal with any real problems, Generation-X was unjustifiably whining. It claimed that it would make rock serious again (as opposed to glam’s “rock and roll all night” attitude), yet suddenly, problematic relationships between spoiled kids, pseudo-alienation and resignation from anything that was actually important, had replaced war, injustice, poverty, racism and loss, that troubled previous generations. This way, Jonathan Davis in Korn’ s self-titled debut is a perfect example of everything that Generation-X was; he yells, he screams, he shouts, complaining about society’s brutal imposition over him and declaring that he felt alone, backstabbed and abused. Not in the classy way Metallica judged their Friends of Misery or their Gods that Failed, not even in the sarcastically brilliant way Tool treated sexual abuse in Prison Sex, but, in a “wait and you’ll see” kind of way. Sometimes, he feels as dangerous as a little barking dog; all noise, no real threat. But was he Korn’s weak link indeed?

First of all, it’s no secret that Korn revolutionized heavy metal, however the critical hit was musical rather than verbal. Surely they were inspired by Rage Against the Machine and Faith no More, but they introduced a heavier-than-earth sound that made good use of funk’s grooves, hardcore’s directness and rap’s rhythmic stability, all seen through the distorted prism of death metal bands such as Morbid Angel (does anyone remember their cover of God Of Emptiness?). Munky and Head were competing in heaviness through a barrage of sick, bouncy riffs, while their interplay was so flawless in its austerity, it made solos seem dated and redundant. As for the melodies, well, this was Davis’ duty, and for Korn circa 1994, if vocals were melodic nothing else needed to be. Still, backed up by alternative metal’s most skilful rhythm section, that made the grooves effective and the heaviness tolerable, the result was amazingly catchy (but not at all pop) and undeniably original. The nu-metal hybrid was born.

Korn’s new experiment depended very much on Jonathan Davis. Instead of him being the weak link, this whole new sound orbits around his voice and personality. His outbursts in “Blind” made it the hit it became, while “Faggot” would have just been an uninteresting series of riffs if it wasn’t for the constant tension he created. In “Shoots and Ladders” he turns kid songs into nightmares in a unique, disturbing way. Exactly because he was showing signs of being unable to actually argue (a symptom that tantalized pretty much that whole generation), he was cruel in personalizing everything. “I have been through this, so you need to listen to me”. Did this make him more believable? Even if the answer is negative, Davis’ screams and cries in the end of “Daddy” give the word “theatrical” a whole new meaning.

Korn’s debut album was an experiment that bore bands like Limp Bizkit and Papa Roach, but it also brought forth Deftones, System of a Down and Slipknot. For more than a decade, metalheads needed to write lyrics that dealt with angst and despair, solos became unnecessary and heavy grooves obligatory. To see how big this was, just think if albums even like Aenima lack any of the above. The times were clearly changing. And if “Korn” could not be considered a classic as far as actual quality goes, then the very same term is poor to describe “Korn” s influence and importance.

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3.8 excellent

Rank: #193 for 1994