ALBUM REVIEW: Requiem – Korn

Having formed in 1993 and put out 13 albums to date, KORN have come a long way since their self-titled album that was released back in 1994. Known for making nu-metal mainstream before the likes of SLIPKNOT and LINKIN PARK came along, the band have sold 40 million albums worldwide, collected two Grammys, and toured the world countless times across an illustrious career. They have also experimented a lot over the years, which makes it no surprise that their new album Requiem won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.

Made up of nine songs and clocking in at a total runtime of just over half-an-hour, Requiem is very short. However, KORN use their time well. Opening track Forgotten sounds like something off of 1998’s Follow The Leader, with heavy guitars, twisty bass guitars and gang vocals. Those who haven’t been fans of their newer work, or who think the band have lost their prime, should be gladly surprised by this album.

Let The Dark Do The Rest follows on the same pattern of Forgotten, but with the added surprise of death metal vocals. KORN have experimented over the years, most notably on 2011’s The Path Of Totality, where they teamed up with dubstep artists such as like SKRILLEX and NOISIA, however Requiem sees them sticking mostly in nu-metal territory. Start The Healing sounds like something off of the SLIPKNOT debut album, for example. There has been the recent trend of the 90s being back in style, and KORN are primed to take strong advantage of it.

The 90s-esque Lost In The Grandeur is an album highlight. It starts off with a frantic drum introduction before all hell breaks loose in the instrument department, with messy basslines and guitar riffs which contrast with the clean vocals. On any other album, this would create an incoherent mess. However, the production on this album means that this is a smooth, everyday occurrence for KORN.

Chris Collier does a fantastic job in the production department for Requiem. He’s made sure that the pacing of the songs do not feel too long or bloated – a task made difficult by the album’s short runtime. However, each song smoothly transitions into the next without a hitch. This is shown clearly when Hopeless And Beaten goes into Penance To Sorrow; the latter is an upbeat rock song with a more modern sound which shows off KORN‘s ability to experiment with ease, but it doesn’t sound out of place on the album at all.

In conclusion, Requiem is an outstanding album that mostly goes back to the roots of the band. The songs are nu-metal perfection. Even the more ‘experimental’ modern rock songs feel like they belong on this album. The production on Requiem makes this album feel smooth whilst also having a rough edge to it. KORN prove that they are true masters of their art, and even though this is album fourteen, they haven’t run out of steam yet. This album is sure to delight fans both old and new.

Rating: 9/10

Requiem is set for release on February 4th via Loma Vista Recordings.

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