Album Review: Korn – The Serenity Of Suffering
2 min read
Ask any metalhead what influential bands strike them most and you’ll be certain to get the whiplash response that mentions Korn. The band have progressed through unprecedented innovation, defining the nu-metal genre with wonder earning them high dominance of the late nineties and early noughties. It is only fair that this attraction is built upon and altered to the band’s discretion, defining once again with that particular and undeniable Korn signature. This is precisely the emotion extracted from the first listen of their 12th studio record; The Serenity of Suffering.
It seems as though the band have gone full circle with a respectable influence considering their newer and more vigorous sound. Fieldy’s bass manoeuvres are still memorable and sound like a percussion instrument at times, which is far from a poor thing. Evidence of this is scattered throughout the entirety of the record, as is the preserved vocal fluctuation by frontman and lead singer Jonathan Davis. Growls and filtered soothings flow in and out of tracks like Black Is The Soul and When You’re Not There. It’s the songwriting and song-like composition that highlights more melodious and refined regulation, though. Davis seizes his signature metal-scat style within the vocals, throwing them down brutally in tracks like Rotting In Vain. Strength in every minuscule aspect is riddled throughout The Serenity Of Suffering, from the tight drum and overdriven guitar dominance to the fragments of digitally generated sound effects in tracks like A Different World – portraying a sensitive and reflective tone whilst also being quite brutal in classic Korn talent.
The Serenity Of Suffering is a noteworthy timestamp in the ever forming Korn sound. It presents concurrent cadences and challenging intricacies that highlight a fuller and bolder colouring the band have so well illustrated with the record. The album is a prominent fixture that will cater to the most intrigued metal fan, embracing a nu-metal mastery and advanced projection that Korn so vividly reassure.
