Korn, Requiem (Loma Vista 2022)

The indefatigable Korn are back with their fourteenth studio album, Requiem.

One of the most important Nu Metal bands that ever was, Korn formed in the early nineties in Bakersfield, California. For me, it was Follow The Leader (1998) that sunk the hook in to a permanent place. Since then, I have had an ear up for Korn more than any other band in this lane. The live shows are always fantastic, and the new album is a solid axe-swinger that fans are going to gobble up. The band is Jonathan Davis (vocals), James Shaffer (guitar), Brian Welch (guitar), Reginald Arvizu (bass), and Ray Luzier (drums).

The nine tracks on Requiem stomp the terra with refined authority. The melodic, lyrical passages carry the narrative along while the choruses bring us all together in collective moments of shared space. Every change in pace is an understood necessity. Each morsel is fashioned for the most prescient effect.

My favorites are “Disconnect” and the single “Start The Healing.” The latter is a savage prowler and the former has an undeniable resonance. I keep listening to these two over and over. There is something about Korn’s music that lands differently to me than similarly oriented bands. Their sound is unique while remaining in a particular sound zone, and there is an earnestness you just don’t hear in other bands. When Korn a song is about something painful, it sounds like they feel it whereas a different band attempting the same would just sound like they were complaining. The difference matters.

There are other stand-out songs as well. The heaviness of “Hopeless And Beaten” should not be overlooked. “My Confession” is an absolute cataclysm and the closer, “Worst Is On Its Way,” holds no shields against its descriptions and predictions. The album is succinct, reflective, and powerful. It is an important addition to the history of the band. Recommended.