Take A Look In The Mirror [PA] - Korn

INTRO:

Its an old Nu metal cliche now, Whenever a bands new album is being written its always going to be 'our heaviest album yet', or 'Totally raw and non commercial'. Of course 9 times out of 10 this is rubbish, the album ends up being softer, more mainstream and totally over produced.

For just once though Korn of all bands have actually done most of what they stated. Yes this album is actually heavier, yes it is ...
...to have, but does this make it a better album?

Korn have been around for 10 years now and supposedly created the Nu metal genre which has brought about equal amounts of love and hate over the decade, and whilst they had their ups and downs as a rule Korn state that their odd numbered albums were the better ones, compring their first self titled album to 'Life is Peachy' and 'Follow the leader', the third album to 'Issues', but the ... more

INTRO:

Its an old Nu metal cliche now, Whenever a bands new album is being written its always going to be 'our heaviest album yet', or 'Totally raw and non commercial'. Of course 9 times out of 10 this is rubbish, the album ends up being softer, more mainstream and totally over produced.

For just once though Korn of all bands have actually done most of what they stated. Yes this album is actually heavier, yes it is rawer, yes it is more towards the sound they used to have, but does this make it a better album?

Korn have been around for 10 years now and supposedly created the Nu metal genre which has brought about equal amounts of love and hate over the decade, and whilst they had their ups and downs as a rule Korn state that their odd numbered albums were the better ones, compring their first self titled album to 'Life is Peachy' and 'Follow the leader', the third album to 'Issues', but the third comparison breaks this rule.

Korns unique brand of growling and whining brought about over 50% of the band we have today, and if you haven’t heard a Korn song as a rock or metal fan you must be living in a cave, or on Mars, Or possibly in a cave on Mars!

The First track is 'RIGHT NOW' and it may turn some people off straight away, its a bit of a childish song with lyrics like ' If you open your mouth again, I swear I'm Gonna break it'. Its kind of Fred Durst ERA childish prattle, but some of the music itself isn’t overly bad, the riffs are ok but nothing special, the chorus is belted out well though. Already you see that this album is self produced and has little production to it at all, it does actually sound fairly on the older, rawer side but its An unsettling start to this album really.

'BREAK SOME OFF' is another song with the lyrics that would make a twelve year old blush. Pointless screaming and use of the word f***, and whilst this song is quite heavy it still fails to make an impact, Although some of it does sound suspiciously like Slipknots vocals of late.

It all changes now though because; 'COUNTING ON ME' is a great song. It has a good opening riff and bass line which opens out into some typical Jonathon Davies style campy but gothic vocals. The chorus is generic but sounds good, its also a bit boring now to hear the man still moaning about his life, 'counting on me, always hoping you'll be, there for all of your problems but in turn you're never there for me' etc.

Bear in mind he probably just got out of his gold plated Jacuzzi with 3 supermodels prior to writing the sort of 'my life sucks' songs he writes.
The bridge in this song is very good offering some great guitars and drumming and some decent growling vocals, it’s getting better now.

'HERE IT COMES AGAIN' is another great song, with a semi-uplifting feel about it. the guitar riffs are good again and less generic and the vocals especially fit in very well. This is also quite a bass heavy song, on a bass heavy album.

The next track 'DEEP INSIDE' is a mixed bag, yes it has a decent riff, with an almost 'circus' feel to it, but it lacks something, just that extra punch to turn it from a good song to a great song. It's also rather short and I get the feeling it would have been a better song had it been longer.

'DID MY TIME' the first single on the album has to be the best track on the album. For the first time ever (I think) they use a guitar solo-ish riff to start the song off, it’s totally unlike Korn and is fresh and new for them. The song soon blasts into some heavy drum beats coupled with the guitar riff playing all the while, that with the haunting gothic style feel of the vocals makes for a great song, although structured in a very generic way it sounds really good and should become an instant hit.

This albums on an up and the next track does not thwart its rising, 'EVERYTHING I'VE KNOWN' is another great song with an interesting riff and bass line, some more gothic style 'abyss' vocals and a rather excellent little bridge.
The vocals in this song stand out become of the way the chorus is structured.

Aha, now this is what I don’t like. Anything to do with rap/hip hop and I turn the other way, I simply cannot stand it implemented into Rock, and this track is just that. 'PLAY ME' features someone called NAS, not sure who he is, some rapper I believe but whoever he is get him off this album because after a run of good songs this spoils it.
Its clearly trying to add the same thing ' children of the korn' added to ‘Follow the leader', which was nothing by the way. Basic ROCK/RAP filler really, nothing more to be said.

Now that that little glitch is over and done with lets get on with the album 'ALIVE' is a throwback to the Korn of 1994/5 and was supposedly an unreleased track from then. Because of that it gets a few extra credits, but really in truly its not a great song. Old style riffs and distorted guitars and the vocals are a bit too quiet for my liking, old Korn fans will love this though!

'LETS DO THIS NOW' is a great relief to an album that had suffered something of a speed bump. Its heavy its raw it’s what Korn should be, but again the childish lyrics come into action here. More 'I will smash your face type ' lyrics from Jonathon, and its really boring pretentious and immature, and not very funny, not like Jack black for example.
Musically however this song is quite good and sets this album back on course.

Not sure why this wasn’t the last song but, 'I'M DONE' is again a throwback to older korn, but it’s not an unreleased track this time. The guitars are standard riffs really and the vocals are nothing special, it does have a rather excellent bridge though sort of uplifting in some sense.

'YA'LL WANT A SINGLE’. Well really and truly, no I didn’t want this as a single, but I’ve got it anyway (third single-right now is the 2nd). This song is both catchy, annoying and stupid and I’m really not sure weather to praise its catchy sound and music, or to crush it for its commercial feel and pretentious lyrics. I dont like the way he presents this song ' Ya'll want a single say **** that'..... Stupid stupid ness of the highest form, but it is a catchy sound so Ill give it some credit.

'WHEN WILL THIS END': In about 20 minutes according to the timer, but there’s only one song left, something’s wrong here *bashes cd player* or is it?

The supposedly final track of the album ends on a high note. The riffs are quite raw and heavy with a grinding feeling and some heavy bass lines, its more 'feel sorry for me' stuff lyrically but you can ignore it a bit more this time since musically this song is adept. After many prolonged screams of the words 'WHEN WILL THIS END!' it all goes quiet, has it ended?

Not yet because there’s one more little treat for you all.

After a fairly long wait, your cd player suddenly comes to life again with sounds, sounds of warfare, guns going off, Tank shells firing and exploding. Then the music comes in and you realize what it is. Its Korns cover of one of the greatest rock classics of all time, Metallicas 'ONE'.

And what a cover this is, although it has Korns feel and touch to it Davies does James Hetfields vocals extremely well on this track, it must be said it’s pretty impressive.

Its shorter then the original but not a lot less powerful especially when you get to the double bass part of the song, Korn have it to a tee on this album and its a stunning way to finish the album. Oh and by the way, this is a live track, even better!

So all in all 'TAKE A LOOK IN THE MIRROR' is a good album, spoilt by a few niggling tracks and childish, silly lyrics.
The overall sound is dark, raw and heavier but its still a case of if you like Korn, you'll like it, if you don't you won't!

After the disapointment that was 'UNTOUCHABLES' I think fans will be pleasantly surprised with what the band have released this time round, the first time an even numbered Korn album has more quality than its odd numbered counterpart. It's not perfect, but I'm just glad that for once they didnt embarress themselves by rushing out shoddy work, instead they rushed out good work and fresh material thats a little original for the cliche' Nu metal band. Get over the pretentious lyrics and dud tracks and theres lots of decent music here to be had, a step in the right direction for Nu metal veterans Korn!

Rating 84%-Great 

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