In My Opinion: Korn Still Deserve Your Attention
Korn. Ask any teenage alternative fan about them and they’ll most likely respond with “like, on the cob?” and have no idea you’re referring to one of the greatest alternative metal bands to grace humanity’s collective ears.
Despite a fading popularity, Korn are a band that deserve continued attention and have built a legacy worthy of praise. 35 million albums sold, seven platinum certifications (with two doubles, one triple, and one five times platinum), two Grammy awards (seven nominations), and two MTV Video Music Awards (eleven nominations). Oh, and they earned a slot in the ‘Kerrang! Hall of Fame’.
Breaking out of Bakersfield, California with their ground-breaking and infectious self-titled debut album, Korn were a leading force in the nu-metal phenomenon that raged through the late 90s and early 2000s. Korn struck gold with a slew of back-to-back bangers including ‘Follow the Leader’ in 1998, ‘Issues’ in 1999, and ‘Untouchables’ in 2002, establishing them as one of the best-selling metal acts of the era.
Riding the success and massive popularity of the nu-metal scene, Korn headlined huge festivals worldwide and entered the Top 10 on the Billboard charts with a staggering TWELVE albums. The band continued to reign supreme across three more albums before seemingly falling into obscurity. After twelve years with the band, founding member Brian ‘Head’ Welch left Korn for religious reasons, with management stating, “[Head has] chosen the Lord Jesus Christ as his saviour, and will be dedicating his musical pursuits to that end.”
Korn’s progression then started taking a surprising turn.
Their 2011 effort ‘The Path to Totality’ saw Korn mash up their iconic brand of alternative metal with dubstep and drum & bass producers such as Skrillex, Datsik, and Noisia. The album was met with a lukewarm response, with many Korn fans jumping ship and leaving the band behind.
Where most people may cry that Korn took a misstep and failed, it’s seen by others that Korn should be praised. Korn have always pushed boundaries, they’ve always set out to break new ground. Their debut album changed the progression of alternative music.
The approach to bass guitar taken by bassist Reginald ‘Fieldy’ Arvizu is unique and fresh, using the instrument more as a percussion element rather than a musical one. Jonathan Davis’s voice is a unique, crooning, often atonal monstrosity that just works. Taking a close look at Korn reveals that the band is built upon individuality, raw emotion, and unique direction.
So to say Korn ‘changed’ or ‘sold out’ or whatever other phrases may be thrown at them is to sell Korn short. By partnering with electronic producers and adding dubstep elements to their sound, Korn were simply being Korn: pushing the limits of their sound and sailing uncharted waters.
Many fans saw their follow up ‘The Paradigm Shift’ as a return to form. With Welch returning to the crew on guitar for his first release in eight years, the album saw many of the heaviest elements of their career make a strong comeback. Despite this, sales still didn’t touch the heights of their hey-day.
Here we come to 2016, on the cusp of their new album ‘The Serenity of Suffering’, and from what has been released so far it is safe to assume Korn are back in force and ready to reclaim their throne. Likewise, opinions on the newest material has been favourable and heralded as the Korn that fans once loved, with both official videos clocking several million views each.
Korn’s new album ‘The Serenity of Suffering’ is set for release on Friday, the 21st of October. Check out the videos for Insane and Rotting in Vain below!
