Label: Roadrunner Records
Release date: 13. 9. 2019
Album length: 44:20 min
Production: Nick Raskulinecz
For the California nu metal outfit Korn, it’s almost a miracle that they managed to stick around at all. The band has been through lineup changes and experimented a ton musically, which the fans didn’t exactly approve of. The dubstep experiments especially come to mind here. Nu metal itself hasn’t been popular for a long time, and only a few bands managed to hang in there. Korn still fill arenas and can practically make a living from music, which is undoubtedly a success these days. But Korn are a pretty hard-working band. Albums come out regularly, and they’re already up to their 13th studio record.
The previous album, The Serenity of Suffering, won back the trust of quite a few people. Not only did Korn keep the darkness, but stylistically and sonically it harked back to the band’s golden days, when they put out Issues (1999) and Untouchables (2002). Korn clearly started to realize they were back on the right track and did everything to stay there.
For The Nothing, they decided to keep their trademark punch while making the whole thing even gloomier. Korn are known as a pretty dark band as it is, so you’d probably wonder how they could possibly make it all even darker. Korn have always proven their darkness through morbid, personal lyrics, low-tuned guitars, assorted effects and the use of keyboards too. The band promised another guitar-heavy album, with the darkness even more present in the lyrics. Singer Jonathan Davis had his life turned pretty much upside down in 2018. First his mother died, then his ex-wife, who died of a drug overdose. And that undoubtedly shows on the record.
The opening track The End Begins already signals that the album will be dark. David plays the bagpipes on it, and his vocals are undeniably pretty morbid. The first single Korn put out is Cold, which doesn’t actually sound all that dark. It’s a fairly typical, hard-hitting Korn track with a strong chorus. But you can tell right away that the band isn’t going to skimp on production. Every instrument is audible, and the sound is loud, clear and full. Just as it should be for Korn.
With each following track, the true picture of this album gradually emerges. But Korn haven’t strayed from their path at all. They sensibly stick to their style. More darkness can definitely be felt as early as You’ll Never Find Me, thanks to a calmer section and Davis’s emotional vocals. Jonathan Davis can still win you over with his voice. He’s got a distinctive tone, and he never seems to run out of imagination with his vocal lines either. Korn have proven their darkness countless times throughout their career, so on The Nothing it’s confirmed mainly through the lyrics. A very good example is the text of Idiosyncrasy:
Crawling down the path, I’m helpless, reaching for the light I see
Every time I get too close, the light proceeds ahead of me
Taking deep, I take a step, standing up, I take a breath
Running towards the light, I feel the fingers wrapped around my neck
God is making fun of me
He’s laughing up there, I can see
At the very start, the album doesn’t come across as all that dark. It feels more like a fairly typical Korn record. But when Korn slow things down and shift into a more doom metal tempo, Davis really comes into his own. A good example is the track Can You Hear Me, especially the chorus:
Can you hear me? ‘Cause I’m lost
And I may never come back again
And while my heart keeps holding on
I know I’ll never be the same again
The closer the album gets to the end, the same problem as on its predecessors pops up again. The record has a track or two too many, and they don’t really rise above average either. H@rd3r is definitely worth singling out for its powerful, punchy section. To wrap things up, Korn offer the solid This Loss and the morbid outro Surrender to Failure.
There’s nothing to complain about when it comes to the performance and the sound. Davis’s vocals remain the band’s trademark. Guitarists Head and Munky are still strong players with their crushing guitars and knack for adding effects. Bassist Fieldy has always stood out with his distinctive sound and lines. And drummer Ray Luzier once again delivered excellent rhythmic dynamics, and his inventiveness and variety give the record a special stamp. You can hear the band working as one unit, so it’s hard to pick a favorite.
With The Nothing, Korn deliver another superbly produced record packed with punch and darkness. It’s an album that will thrill the band’s followers. It’s no masterpiece, but the band has a dozen albums behind them, so keeping up this level of quality is respectable in itself.
8/10
Tracklist:
- The End Begins
- Cold
- You’ll Never Find Me
- The Darkness is Revealing
- Idiosyncrasy
- The Seduction Of Indulgence
- Finally Free
- Can You Hear Me
- The Ringmaster
- Gravity Of Discomfort
- H@rd3r
- This Loss
- Surrender To Failure
Lineup:
Jonathan Davis – vocals
James ‘Munky’ Shaffer – guitar
Brian ‘Head’ Welch – guitar
Reginald ‘Fieldy’ Arvizu – bass
Ray Luzier – drums
