For many years I have been a Korn apologist. They were an easy band to love when I was a young, angsty man in the late 90s. Since around 2002 they have been a favourite target for ridicule, former fans trying to show how “grown up” they have become by verbally attacking a band that had previously given them much joy. The reason I will always defend Korn is that they are restless souls who often try something new just for the hell of it. Their MTV Unplugged album was not great but I can respect any metal-oriented band acting against their instincts and giving that sort of thing a go. 2005’s See You On The Other Side flirted with pop music acceptance that enlisted production team The Matrix (Shakira, McFly, Tokio Hotel). Then came two self-titled albums: one experimental (2007) and one raw (2010).
It is this spirit of wild experimentalism that has led to their latest album The Path Of Totality. This album attempts to find the middle ground between Korn’s groove-heavy nu-metal and electronic genre de jour dubstep. To this end they have enlisted some of dubstep’s most prominent producers including Noisia, Datsik, and the ubiquitous Skrillex. Is this a monumental moment in cross-genre appeal? No, it is not. For all of the chutzpah that this album took to create it lacks any real teeth. The Skrillex produced single “Get Up” is aimed squarely at the moshpit but falls far short of the mark. The worst part is that Korn the band get lost in the idea of Korn the entity. Their trademark seven-string Ibanez guitar grind and percussive bass slaps are replaced with slick beats and down-tuned “wobbles”. If all you want is some high-energy rage to propel you forwards through your day you could do a lot worse than this.
Singer Jonathan Davis and his multi-faceted rasp are featured prominently but everyone else is M.I.A. The best song here is the bonus track “Feed The Comedy”. It sounds like classic Korn remixed to hell and back by an over-zealous DJ. It is violent, juvenile, and a lot of fun even as Davis tells you to suck his MFing … you see where this is going. This album might get some dubstep aficionados to check out the Bakersfield quartet but ultimately The Path Of Totality satisfies no-one. There will be another “regular” Korn album in the near future no doubt; they work at a remarkable pace considering their busy tour schedule. Until then I will always have Follow The Leader and Issues to play with a guilty smile on my face.
Rating: C
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