Review by Tosh Davies
Back in 1995 I was lucky enough to see the latest sensation from the world of metal play live shows on both sides of the Atlantic. Causing a right old kafuffle and splitting opinions everywhere they played, that band was Korn (or for the purists KoЯn). Heralded as innovators of the Nu-Metal movement, many said it would not last. Well look-a-here punk! It’s 2013 and Korn are releasing their eleventh album. That’s right, eleventh!
Last album The Path of Totality was a dub-step-infused beast, welcomed by most fans like a rattlesnake in a lucky dip contest. Well, never fear because Korn have come out of the blocks with a cracking album to redeem themselves from all that dub-step nonsense, maybe partly due to the fact that they welcome the return of Brian “Head” Welch on guitar which has bolstered their sound with a reinvigorated purpose. Either way, it’s impressive. The bass lines are fat and full, the guitars de-tuned to within an inch of their lives, and Jonathan’s vocals are as gnarly and random as ever. Harmonies and hooks swirl like an all-devouring tornado with the slightest hint at some dub-step fills to fatten up the sound even more. ‘Love & Meth’, the catchy-as-hell single ‘Never Never’ (which even Planet Rock have included on their playlist), and the truly massive ‘Mass Hysteria’ all form the new and improved Korn sound.
Korn have matured respectfully. Always innovators in their chosen style, quickly approaching their 20th anniversary, The Paradigm Shift is testament to a band that has survived changes both personal and within the genre to come out the other end with a massive ‘Fuck You’!
8.5 out of 10
Track Listing:
- Prey for Me
- Love & Meth
- What We Do
- Spike in My Veins
- Mass Hysteria
- Paranoid and Aroused
- Never Never
- Punishment Time
- Lullaby for a Sadist
- Victimized
- It’s All Wrong
