Review Summary: Now that 'Head' is gone, all we really have left, is that dusty old cover of KoRn's debut to look back on for the good 'ole memories.
KoRn was a band of many words. So many people went through this pioneered trait as if it was from God. A signal flash to signify the arrival of a whole new kind of music that could've easily determined the overall outcome of the music industry determined to shine bright, but this, this is just going too far. Besides my being too cynical, and demoralizing this album out of existence, came the plain and simple fact that KoRn has had their time on stage. With six studio albums before this piece, they have had plenty of time to put together their heirlooms in the past, and reflect years later on how they were the ones who pioneered their genre, and pretty much mastered it at that. See aside the other nu-metal bands, who have no place at all in the music business such as Limp Bizkit, KoRn comes off as the messiah to nu-metal. But it was to last no more than a couple of weeks after the horror that was 'Untouchables'. And releasing TALITM only nailed another nail into their coffin. Granted, they excelled at what they did back when, but since 'Issues', they have only the thin line to hold on through the rest of their time, whenever that may be.
I’m horrified, absolutely horrified. Okay, just wait a minute. So, I’m to understand that 'Head' left? Well, okay, but, why in the world did KoRn have to go on? I don’t understand why this legacy wasn’t left behind the instant that the band knew deterioration was at hand. Even that notion, was years prior to this release. Perhaps I’m being a tad harsh of the guys, but I just can’t imagine the side-shows that were going on in the studio during the making of this. But whatever the ultimate cause, it is fully to blame for the hideous outcome of this record. Putting aside my just sitting here and throwing random little *** comments at the album, perhaps an actual defense is at hand here.
The album kicks off with 'Twisted Transistor'. Now let me just say, after listening to the last song in TALITM "When Will This End?", I have come to the conclusion no later than the chorus for 'Twisted Transistor' comes on, that KoRn's little lyrical genius left in them after their debut, is gone. "Because the music do, and it is reaching, inside you, forever preaching". Enough said about that. I’m getting shivers down my spine just writing that quote. 'Politics' is another example of horrid lyrics. It seems as though the small notion of "bad ass" that started coming off in "Untouchables" is starting to expand even more in this album. The same thing goes for 'Hypocrites', which is an oxymoron in this album, seeing how KoRn is doing the exact same thing fought against in this song.
'Souvenir' is one the best songs on this album in my opinion. It re-employs KoRn's "tortured' style of lyrics, and kind of goes back to the true roots of this band. But, alas, without 'Head; in their tearing up the sound barrier with his eerie appearances and raw sounds, this song still doesn’t do the trick for me. '10 or a 2-Way', good god, what is this? The band is still going on and on with this hypocritical sense. ("Be ***ing her till the season change") At this point in the album, I’m starting to lose all faith, and thinking that KoRn can never resurrect themselves after 3 bad albums in a row. But then, 'Throw Me Away' cuts on, and a grin came across my face. I dare say this is the best song on the album. The eerie sound is present here, the creepy lyrics exist, and the song doesn’t seem to completely destroy itself with the chorus, like most tracks do on this album. But, the main issue with this track is that it tends to overstay its welcome. By the middle of this song, it kind of leaves your mind as a song, and enters again as more of time card filler that KoRn had to add to meet their quota for the day. But even still, after the rest of the songs so far, this is an amazing comeback.
Basically, what we see with next few tracks, especially 'For No One', and maybe even 'Liar' is the same amount of that hypocritical aspect that wrecked the album. The lyrics here are awful, and the fact that this is starting to sound like a distorted version of Limp Bizkit, isn’t making it any better in the slightest. I'd also love to sit here and tell you about how much the last track of this album ruins everything, but you really just have to listen to it, and you'll know what I mean. Maybe I’m still being too cynical on the whole thing, but there is never an excuse for KoRn to keep on going. And now, well it’s too late to stop now. You can’t end your career with this. Maybe the simple notion also, is that KoRn has grown too old. 'For No One' is kind of like that moment when parents try to act like they're part of the times with a teenager and talk 'cool' with them as if they know what the 'slang' is. It’s also the equivalent in how awkward it is as well. 'Liar' does the exact opposite; it takes an adult situation, and makes childish lyrics present the message. The whole thing was a trashy, 3rd grade-like mess.
Well, the last track is the ultimate downfall for this album. I’m not exactly sure what KoRn was trying to do with ‘Tearjerker’; I don’t even know what the song name even is. But it's this put-together of a very soft ambient-like structure with a major atmospheric influence implanted in it. As a matter of fact, the lyrics here aren’t hypocritical either. They actually go out of their way to bring back that tortured lyrical style KoRn has grown to be famous for, for getting, and wasting away their fans. So what's the problem here? Well, it’s just that song becomes much too repetitive, kind of like 'Open Up' did, or 'Throw Me Away' did. This song starts off as a feeling of peace, and then cuts on depressing lyrics, but with a cliché feeling to it. This song is an assorted mess of various aspects that come together to make a metal song. But, this isn’t metal in the slightest. This song comes off as more an extremely long interlude you might hear more appropriately in "Issues'. And the end does nothing more than turn up the volume, with some of the most gut-wrenching vocals from Jon Davis that become almost unbearable. And the fact that the chorus in this song is so long, doesn’t make this any better, for this part anyway.
So, to wrap up the simple point, KoRn has become a wasted effort in the end after all. What started off as the pioneered, mastered version of an ultimatum has turned into the very things they were all against in their debut. Also, put in the point about 'Head' not being here anymore and maybe even the awfully average drumming, with the horrific distortions of guitar, and bass on most of these tracks and you get an overall bad album. Also, what depressing lyrics are found here, are sorely overdone, and KoRn really needs to find a new way to get about this angst style they seem to not be able to get away from. But combining certain features of the album, you do get a decent sense of the atmosphere this album presents, and at least composure was put in a halfway organized manner. But even still, it will never, ever be enough to satisfy the wretched hunger for that sound from the debut that is apparently, never coming back. And it’s like I said before, KoRn can’t stop now, they have to keep going till they make a decent album again to end this dead legacy. The expired lyrics, dead instruments, and poor singing have descended this album down to the lowest area in the massive pile of Korn's cds. Maybe for just one day if you came along, and wiped the dust off of the 1994 prodigy KoRn, and looked at that cover a lot, and realized what’s happened here, then maybe you can avoid the misfortune of listening to this.
