Well, this is the week that Korn's new album came out and I definitely picked it up. This is the album that I have been waiting for. I have been listening to Korn since late 1994, I was 9 years old whenever I first heard the song "Blind" and I have never stopped listening to them. They have changed their sound over the years, some of it was for the good while some was for the worse. My favorite albums were always Issues, Untouchables, and their Self Titled debut. See You On The Other Side was a disappointment when compared against past Korn albums. It was a good album overall but it just didn't stand up to their past work. Their new Untitled album really changes that. It sound like Korn took their entire career, put it in a blender, added a bottle of tequila, mixed everything up, then drank what came out. They have really outdone themselves with this release. Here is a track by track break down:
1. Intro - This is a introduction song that they recorded for their European tour. It has a dark circus like melody that really fits with the theme of the album.
2. Starting Over - The intro song flows right into Starting Over. This song pretty much sums up the entire feel of the album, Korn are starting over after the departure of Head and David. This song changes for faster to slower beats in split seconds and Jonathan expresses a nice vocal range. I give it a 4/5
3. Bitch We Got A Problem - Korn usually write songs about freaky relationships (A.D.I.D.A.S., My Gift To You, Beat It Upright) and this song fits right in. It has a heavy bass grove that never lets up. This is just a song that must be heard. 5/5
4. Evolution - The first single off the album. I don't think it is the strongest track but it contains musical elements used throughout the album. It should be used to get a good feel for the album but that is it. It is not the last song that will contain a message about how people are just not intelligent anymore. 3/5
5. Hold On - A positive message song, Korn doesn't come out with very many of those. It has a quasi-industrial sound to it and Jonathan's voice growls pretty much throughout the track. This is just one of the best tracks off the album. 5/5
6. Kiss - A ballad about being in love with a person that doesn't love you back. I am sure many people can relate to this song and its message. I think it is a strong attempt from Korn and it is much better than Tearjerker off of See You On The Other Side. 5/5
7. Do What They Say - There are many thoughts about this track. It could be considered that Jonathan is singing about people who just fall in line with the rest of the crowd. He could also be singing about the departure of guitarist Brian "Head" Welch and how he fell in line with those Christian sheep (I am Christian so don't take offense). Either way, it is a pretty good song with a industrial underline and the high pitched guitar works. Compared to the other tracks on the album though, it is not the best. 4/5
8. Ever Be - This is a song that is about Head and all the excuses he made (detailed in his book, which I will review later) and how he just crapped all over Korn after he left. This is another one of the strong tracks off the album. It consists of a slow beat that never picks up but the chorus gets heavy. 5/5
8. Love And Luxury - This is another song that is directly about Head. Jonathan even talks about Head's book in the very beginning. It is about how Head gave up all of his luxuries and the people that he loved (not including his daughter or family members). It also talks about the criticism that Jonathan took in the book which wasn't all that bad but it can be conceived that way. Musically, this is probably the weakest track on the album as it is really poppy. It makes Twist Transistor sound like Dimmu Borgir. However, I like this song. 4/5
9. Innocent Bystander - Another industrial laden song with a heavy groove and a chorus that picks up the beat. A good release. 5/5
10. Killing - This is the heaviest song on the album and it is pretty good. The beats are faster, heavy, and never let up. This song also has a death metal-esque ending. Does it sound exactly like death metal? No. Believe me, I know my death metal whenever I hear it and this is not it. However, it does sound like Korn was influenced by Cannibal Corpse a bit whenever they made this track. 5/5
11. Hushabye - Another ballad. This is a must listen, that is all I can say. 5/5
12. I Will Protect You - This is a darker themed song that also has a industrial flavor to it. If you didn't hear this song whenever Korn released it through their myspace page then you missed out. This song features a crazy drum session from Bozzio (David's temporary studio replacement) that happens in the middle of the song. The robotic Jonathan voice really helps with the feel of the song. 4.5/5
13. Sing Sorrow - This is a bonus track that is included with the enhanced edition of their album or off of the iTunes Store. It is a anthem song that talks to the listener directly. I can see how it would be good live but I don't really care for those types of songs. The chorus goes: "If you're with me, sing sorrow." Those kind of lyrics just don't really get me going. It has a pretty trippy guitar bride though. 4/5
14. Overture Or Obituary - This song is only available if you pre-ordered it through the iTunes Store. This is probably the weakest song Korn has released in quite a bit of time. The song never really gets out of first gear and the band sounds like they are playing at level 5 when they could go all the way up to 11. If you didn't pre-order the album from the iTunes Store then don't worry, you aren't missing out on much. 2.5/5
Overall, not including the bonus b-side tracks, I give this album a 5/5. It may not be a perfect album but it is damn close. Including the bonus tracks, I would give it a 4.89/5. That Overture Or Obituary song really doesn't fit with the album and I can see why Korn didn't put it on the disc. Fans that were disappointed with See You On The Other Side will definitely like this album. Older Korn fans, like myself, should embrace it as sounds of the old Korn have come back.
I will review the Head book once I am threw reading it. It is about 225 pages in length and I purchased it two days ago, I am already past the 1/2 way point.