Nu metal pioneers Korn have just released their 13th studio album, The Nothing. The record follows 2016's The Serenity of Suffering, and was released, in true Korn fashion, on Friday the 13th. So it's officially National Korn Day in our book!
But jokes aside, this sh*t is heavy. Frontman Jonathan Davis says the lyrics are a reflection of the trauma and emotions he's been wrestling with since his ex-wife passed away last August.
"The whole record is about basically the same thing," he said.
"All the songs are about this dark energy that’s followed me around, and with all the things going on last year, it’s me embracing it… trying to navigate myself through the chaos that was going on at the time."
Opener "The End Begins" is driven by haunting bagpipes, and you can hear Davis crying and screaming in despair. "I get overemotional sometimes," he said, of the recording process.
"I don’t try to do that. I don’t wanna f**kin’ cry. It just overtook me. It happens to me live. Do you know how many times I’ve cried on this tour? I’m not Mister Macho. If I have to cry, I cry. I let it out. If you don’t, you build up and get all kinds of other problems. It’d be a better f**kin’ place [if people understood that]."
The music itself isn't as heavy as The Serenity of Suffering, but much like its predecessor, it's guitar-driven, energetic and vocally intense. In their nearly 30-year career, Korn have crafted their image by confronting personal demons and battling internal chaos. The Nothing looks these demons in the eye, and captures an overwhelming sense of darkness.
"Jonathan really uses his lyrics and writing records as therapy for himself,” guitarist "Head" said, of the writing process.
"It’s like he processes his pain with music and creativity. The thing he went through last year was the worst you could go through, losing someone like that—the mother of your kids. It’s just another level than other records. It’s really special, really raw, and extremely authentic."
The lyrics really drive the album home, as Davis takes his listeners through several genres of grief throughout his life. The chorus in "The Darkness is Revealing" channels the singer's emotional turmoil.
"What is this I'm feeling?," Davis wails, "Is it a new beginning? Am I purging past regrets, facing the hurt I’m dealing? How does one start healing? The darkness is revealing the bittersweet reality that this is the help I'm needing."
The Bakersfield veterans return to their roots in "You'll Never Find Me," which recalls the band's earlier days with eerie guitar riffs and progressive aggressiveness, while "Cold," another of the album's previously released singles, explores some of their heavier tendencies with arena-friendly choruses and thunderous guitars and drums.
"I’m on my way, this is the day. This is the time to break it down. Get out my way, nothing can stay. This is the time to break it down," Davis sings.
Some demons, though, you can't outrun. That's something Davis assures in the outro of "The Seduction of Indulgence"– a chilling callback to 1994's "Daddy," in which he revisits a severe childhood trauma.
Korn also got their creative wheels spinning on this record, with stunning new visuals in their music videos and live performances this past summer.
While Davis toured his solo Black Labyrinth last year, the rest of the band– James “Munky” Shaffer (rhythm guitar), Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu (bass), Brian “Head” Welch (lead guitar) and Ray Luzier (drums)– got to work on the new album with producer Nick Raskulinecz, who also produced The Serenity of Suffering.
Davis, meanwhile, locked himself away in his Bakersfield studio to write the lyrics. When he returned, he brought with him some new techniques, like layered vocals for explosive choruses, and and the band transformed their sound into something bigger than ever before. In Davis' own words, they went full-on Queen and ELO.
The bone-chilling stand out, "Can You Hear Me" explores some of the band's 2010's sound with some electronic elements, and its music video displays some of the new visuals Korn are toying with.
The rockers recently wrapped up a co-headlining tour with Alice in Chains where they performed the The Nothing's lead single "You'll Never Find Me" every night.
No word yet on a full support tour, but you can check out our latest Tour Update with Korn, and head to their website for all upcoming tour info!
