Nu-metal originals Korn return with a
renewed sense of focus on The Paradigm Shift. After a nine year /
four album break, guitarist Brian “Head” Welch has returned and
the enthusiasm with which they tackle album number eleven is
infectious.
In 2013 Korn are emerging from a tumultuous decade. In the last ten years they lost two of their founding members and tried their hands at heavy pop, dubstep crossovers, side projects, and unplugged concerts. Each of these undertakings had their own merits and degrees of success but they are no substitute for an honest-to-goodness Korn record, the kind people took for granted in the 90s. With original guitarist Brian “Head” Welch returning to the fold for the first time since 2003 the stage is all set for The Paradigm Shift.
Korn have always married filthy
down-tuned guitar riffs to powerful melodies and this album is laced
with them both That perfect balance of heaviness and hookiness shines
on tracks like 'Love & Meth' and 'Prey for Me'. When all of these
elements combine seamlessly Korn are truly at their finest. A song
like 'Never Never' has a chorus that is both vicious and sweet. It's
the sort you will find yourself singing to yourself for days on end
in spite of the harsh electro freakouts and EDM heartbeat. It is hard
to deny that Head brings an extra edge to the band's sound that has
been missing as of late. Even in their shiniest moments he adds a
layer of menace that the music sorely needs.
If you close your eyes you can find
yourself transported to the heady days of Follow the Leader
and Life Is Peachy. This might aim to be a throwback style
album but there are still some concessions to modernity. 'Spike in my
Veins' is a reminder of 2011's dubstep collaboration The Path of
Totality, even bringing Noisia along for production duties.
Again, this doesn't dominate proceedings but rather adds another
string to their already impressive bow. All of these juggled elements
might not hit you at once but over multiple listens they gently worm
their way into your mind.
Singer Jonathan Davis remains a
divisive figure - you either love him or hate him. Fortunately he has long outgrown his teenage angst
schtick. Instead he weaves tales of dysfunction, anxiety, and
redemption together into a compelling narrative. Even when he lays it
on a bit too thick ('Lullaby for a Sadist' is a prominent culprit) he
is still one hell of a front man and commands your attention. The
fact that much of this album lyrical content comes as a result of
Davis' recent rehab visit makes it a more humanized listening
experience in a genre that often fetishizes fantasy over reality.
The Paradigm Shift is a
definitive statement from a band that have been written of by people
since they first came to prominence. It says “This is who we were
and what we can now be”. Korn will always have their detractors
(“That old nu-metal band? Yuck!”) but they remain as creatively
fearless as ever. Simply put, the Korn of 2013 is brighter and bolder
than ever before.
Rating: B+
Recommended tracks: Love & Meth,
Never Never
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