Review Summary: Korn keeps proving time and time again they are here to stay with 'The Nothing'
Twenty five years is a very long time for a band to stick around, let alone stay as popular and compelling as Korn has done. Many have said that they sort of lost their direction during the duration of Head’s departure. Now that he's back though, many seem to think that they have found their groove again. Although I can sit here and argue that it never left, what I can say is that their thirteenth effort ‘The Nothing’ definitely has elements that many early Korn fans have been missing.
It all starts off with the intro track ‘The End Begins’, with bagpipes sort of reminiscent to ‘Dead’ from 1999’s ‘Issues’. Its a little more dynamic, Rays drumming is obviously a little tighter than Davids in my opinion. Jonathan's cries are heard underneath the layers of him yelling ‘they’re coming’. Its a very beautiful introduction to the album, almost as if you are descending down this seemingly never ending hole very slowly. Then when ‘Cold’ starts, you finally seem to hit the ground really hard, and the horror show begins. The second track on the album starts off with very heavy hitting instrumental that bumps with very loud speakers, it almost catches you by surprise a little bit. Jonathan’s death growls layered over the instrumentals makes the song that much heavier and faster right before it gets to the verses, where it slows down to a give you those funk elements. All that the song is missing is that the rest of album seemingly isn't missing a very heavy breakdown right before the pre chorus and song closer. A lot of debate has gone around on the lead single ‘You’ll Never Find Me’ being a good choice as the first single, and I believe it was. It has all of the elements of the album on it. It also reminds me of ‘Blind’ from 1994’s self titled effort in terms of structure. Has the short verses that transition into a dynamic but very short chorus. When the breakdown finally comes though, the song turns into a whole different monster and doesn't look back. They saved their best two efforts though for their fourth and fifth tracks though. ‘The Drakness is Revealing’ starts off very ‘Black is the Soul’ and ‘What We Do’ like with the beginning building up to this awesome opening riff, with the verses having the old school squeaks and squeals, Fieldy’s percussion like bass, and beautiful work with the symbols by Ray. The pre chorus and chorus is easily catchiest on the album, but turns into the breakdown where Jonathan brings this crazy flow that puts you in such a different mood, and again the song just doesn't look back. ‘Idiosyncracy’ is the albums heaviest track, and I don't think its even close. Everything about the songs instrumentals screams Pantera. The bass is insanely brutal, reminds you of anything on ‘Take A Look in the Mirror’. The breakdown in this song brings some of Jonathan’s most brutal lyrics ever. You can really hear the emotion as he repeatedly screams ‘God is making fun of me/he’s laughing up there I can see’. Its a very brutal track and will be a fan favorite definitely.
The interlude of the album ‘The Seduction of Indulgence’ cools you down a bit and prepares you for the more melodic and less heavy part of the album. ‘Finally Free’ and ‘Can You Hear Me’ are more slow burners and carries more of the bands prior elements. ‘Finally Free’ starts off very slow and melodic and builds up to an insane breakdown. While the ladder has no growls or screams of any kind, and has these synths that are almost closer to 2013s ‘Paradigm Shift’. The song stays dark, and would serve as a great radio single. ‘The Ringmaster’ has a ‘Shes Like Heroin’ from System of a Down vibe to it in the verses, while bringing in that arena ready melodic chorus. What stands out about the track though is the beat boxing and the very catchy breakdown almost reminiscent of 1998’s ‘Got The Life’ and ‘Freak on a Leash’ put together. Its very groovy and in your face. ‘Gravity of Discomfort’ serves as the albums second catchiest chorus, and would serve as really good radio single as well. Things pick back up to a heavier note though when ‘H@Rd3r’ comes on. The whole song screams of the ‘Take A Look in The Mirror’ era, especially with the vocals, but they obviously saved the best lyrical performance for ‘This Loss’ and ‘Surrender To Failure’. ‘This Loss’ contains all of the elements that this album has. The beginning and verses almost reminds me of Radiohead’s ‘Paranoid Android’, very atmospheric, dark, and oddly satisfying. It immediately breaks into a frenzy of Korns signature bass heavy tracks. The chorus has those melodic yet heavy guitars and you can really feel the emotion is Jonathan’s lyrics and delivery. The middle part brings you a Queen-esque feeling with the layering of the Jonathan’s voice and his very Freddie Mercury like verses right before it turns back into another brutal breakdown. The last track sort of reminds you of Jonathan Davis’s solo stuff or of ‘Im The One’, a B-Side from 2005’s ‘See You on the Other Side’. The tribal thump of the drums along with Jonathan’s beautiful delivery leaves you with a beautiful ode and send off to his wife Deven, who had passed right before the recording of this album. Although the track is short and leaves you wanting more, it leaves just as much impact as most of any of Korn’s last tracks.
To wrap it up, Korn really impressed me with this album. It has elements of all of their past works in there, but at times brought out either a heavier side of those elements. The emotions and pain are really delivered quite nicely by Jonathan on this album. Overall, ‘The Nothing’ will go down as one of their best records to date. You wouldn't think anyone would say that about a band who has been around for 25 years, but the band keeps managing to surprise us all and keep delivering good music to date.
