Korn III-- Remember Who You Are (2010)

I’m really starting to think that Korn is not sure what direction to take with their new music. They were supposedly “starting over,” as the 1st track off their untitled album was called in their 2007 untitled release. This previous album was their big new direction and was supposed to show how they evolved as a band. They even had a song called evolution on the album. That album was definitely different as they used more electronica sounds and bordered the mainstream pop sound.

So now three years later and yet there going through another change of direction in their career. This time Korn has decided that it’s best for them to go back to their roots. The album is called Remember who you are as they wanted to go back to their sound from the Korn (1994) album era. Now that’s completely fine with me but a little bit of consistency would be nice. I mean come on your either old school Korn or you’re a new evolved version of Korn. There shouldn’t be any back and forth. Ok now that my rant is over on to the music.

Remember who you are really is a different album from their previous release. They have gone back to their previous sound that they made famous during the mid to late 90’s. Their first single Oildale really shows this new more aggressive Korn sound. Fiedly’s bass pops are much more pronounced as they were back in the old days. Recent releases have tamed down his sound so it’s nice being able to hear him loud and clear again. Pop a Pill has heavy down tuned guitar playing by guitarist Munky and is also very reminiscent of something they would have originally been put out in 1998. There are a couple of songs that still carry over some of the sound from the previous album. The Past could have potentially been on the previous album as a bonus track. So while they have changed their sound they still have retained some elements from their “experimental album.”

The album is much better than their previous release even though some consider their previous release to be a concept album. Even so I never saw their previous release as a concept album just as a confused band of not knowing where to go. I am happy to say that Korn appears to be back on track and will continue to tear down arenas with their old nu metal sound.

Tracks:
1. “Oildale (Leave Me Alone)”
2. “Pop a Pill”
3. “Fear is a Place to Live”
4. “Move On”
5. “Lead the Parade”
6. “Let the Guilt Go”
7. “The Past”
8. “Never Around”
9. “Are You Ready to Live?”
10. “Holding All These Lies”



--Steven M. Duarte