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From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Korn

Korn

1994

Korn
Album Summary

This album has been submitted by a user and is not included in any edition of the book.

Korn (printed and stylized as KoЯn) is the first album by the American nu metal band Korn. It was released on October 11, 1994, through Immortal and Epic Records. Before recording the album, the band was approached by Immortal/Epic Records after a performance at Huntington Beach, California. The band signed to their label because they did not want to "sign away all of their creative freedom". The band would record at Indigo Ranch Studios in Malibu, California, with producer Ross Robinson, who also produced their 1993 demo Neidermayer's Mind. The recording took place from May to June 1994. After the recordings, Korn toured with Biohazard and House of Pain. The album's themes include child abuse, drug abuse, and bullying. The album cover depicts a young girl sitting on a swing being approached by a large man who is holding what appears to be horseshoes or possibly blades. Furthermore, the girl's shadow gives the appearance that her body is being hanged due to the position of the band's logo. Photography was done by Stephen Stickler, and the design was directed by Jay Papke and Dante Ariola. The album's first single, "Blind", charted at number 15 on the Canadian Alternative 30, and the album peaked at number 10 in New Zealand as well as number 72 on the Billboard 200. The debut album has sold at least 2.1 million copies in the United States and 10 million copies worldwide, according to Nielsen SoundScan as of January 4, 2013. Many consider the album to have started the nu metal genre. Korn toured with many bands to promote the album. Initially, Korn joined the Sick of It All Tour. Following the Sick of It All Tour, Korn joined the Danzig 4 Tour. Korn also toured with Megadeth, Fear Factory, and Flotsam and Jetsam.

Wikipedia

Rating

2.78

Votes

95

Genres

  • Metal

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Reviews

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May 01 2024
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5

Oh man, I'm not particularly proud of this, but I straight up LOVE this album. It takes me right back to middle school and thinking this was the edgiest stuff in existence. Brings back a flood of memories and sort of holds up 30 years later. 5/5 for me.

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May 02 2024
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5

The song Blind is basically THE Korn song - it's the first thing I think of when people mention them, and that's probably true for lots of people. It was in something, like a crusty demons video, or some bodyboarding movie. Those were all the rage. Either way, I was right into Korn for a while before nu-metal got really annoying and Linkin Park stank up the genre. I still rate this album. It goes for too long and there's a bit of filler, but it's still a 4 and I'm gonna bump it up because there's too much folk music in these user albums. 5/5.

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May 01 2024
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4

I love Nu Metal, so an easy up for just that. And Shoots and Ladders is an incredible track that really enhances the album. However, Follow the Leader is a stronger Entry, and shows off the band's best features.

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Sep 01 2024
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4

I am not a fan of Korn. I disliked the album that was on the original list and I disliked this one immediately. However, this album is a better choice than 'Follow the Leader' and is overall more coherent. What I was really struck by was the honesty and raw vulnerability in the lyrics. The themes of bullying, and the culminating track highlighting the sexual abuse that Jonathan Davis suffered as a child really stopped me in my tracks. It also changed how I view this band. I also come from a town in California's Central Valley and understand just how bleak and futureless it often felt growing up here. Drugs took a lot of the people we grew up with, and many more were/are hurt by those who should have protected them. When I hear Korn, I hear people I know who suffered in a similar way. Four stars and I hope these guys are doing well.

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May 02 2024
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3

Korn's debut is far stronger than the really-listed album, all off-kilter funk and less ill-advised genre blending. Funny to avoid the edgier material given that we had to hear early Eminem, but who's counting. The band's not going for faux-hip, just setting down their ideas - a bunch of 'em - with verve. The album's very close to guilty-pleasure, modulo a handful of the gimmicks.

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May 06 2024
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4

Some lesser known songs of Korn. Can't say I'm a fan, but it ain't bad

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Jul 08 2024
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4

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Blind, Shoots and ladders, Daddy

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Oct 14 2024
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4

I have to admit the cover is darkly ingenious. I have had bits of Korn exposure here and there over the years and presumed this was that unfocused yelling and rage one often finds in this genre. This album surprised me. These songs are really, really personal which I did not at all expect. This isn’t an album of general rage, but some very specific issues that someone seems to be working through. It was heavy but very compelling and I found myself listening to it several times through today - often studying the lyrics. Not what I expected to be doing. Nu metal for the thinker.

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Oct 17 2024
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4

I enjoyed this far more than I expected to. It goes from rocking hard, to incredibly horrible and bleak, to completely stupid at a whiplash pace. Their bassist is hugely underrated - that filthy funk underneath everything makes the songs more than a 7 string dirge. In short, it's ace.

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May 01 2024
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3

Great rhythm, rhythmic highs of voice, excellent music...perhaps the vocals suddenly saturate and become tiring.

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May 01 2024
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3

What kind of a sick fuck adds a Korn album to the list when there's already one on here? This was perfectly fine but didn't need to be over an hour long.

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May 01 2024
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3

Man this album was something, when it came out. It was hard, it was weird, it had bagpipes (!) and it was appealing for all those alternative kids (me being one!) to go creazy on the dancefloor on saturday night. And that's basically what this album still is for me: Memories. Where I was and with whom, when we used to play this on the boombox at full volume. Musically however, I've moved on. Still a fun listen to revisit, but that's about it.....although some of these track still rock HARD! :-)

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Jul 12 2024
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3

Thanks for the submission. I saw these guys in 1994 and this brought back so many memories.

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Aug 12 2024
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3

Similar feeling as their album in the book/main list: Nothing awful, but nothing special to my ears, so 2.5.

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Aug 14 2024
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3

Korn's debut album and a better record than their album on the main list. A good pick 👍. Rating: 3.5 Playlist track: Blind Date listened: 20/08/24

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Aug 26 2024
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3

Korn is one of those bands that didn’t pull any punches with the music they made. Intense, vulgar, and graphic lyrics are present in this album and that can definitely deter some people. However, music like this is life to some people. These harsh realities are what people don’t want to hear when they listen to music. Korn didn’t care their hardcore nu metal sound is the perfect way to implement their dark lyrics. It’s a well done album and there are some pretty solid songs on this album. Whenever I’m in the mood korn can be a good listen. 6.8/10

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Oct 05 2024
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3

I really LOVE the korn numetal sound. Jonathan Davis' voice (especially the range and different styles he uses). The bass is so dark and dirty and the whole vibe can get so angsty, aggressive and heavy... there is SO much potential here. It works best for me on Blind, Daddy (the first few minutes at least) and Faget. The other tracks have that vibe, but it seems like it fails to deliver the big punch. A bit too uneven to recommend further.

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Oct 05 2024
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3

Better than most metal albums. at least for me. Is it an album that I should listen to? Not sure.

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May 01 2024
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2

Korn has always been one of those bands I could have liked but never did. Too much now metal and not enough depth.

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May 02 2024
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2

Way too edgelord for me. They certainly rock hard but whole lyrical package is super skeeze.

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May 05 2024
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2

While the production here is commendable, this band’s music has always felt homogenous and sludgy in an unappealing way. Even with the wrenchingly honest lyricism from the frontman on the final track, the LP just felt as if it lurched from one mids-drowned riff to another without much distinction.

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May 12 2024
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2

Nah, can't do this one. Just not my thing.

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Sep 07 2024
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2

One positive thing about doing the 1001+ project is that I got to a point of real clarity about my own tastes in music. I decided that certain artists just aren't for me. Korn is one of those artists. To each their own, right? I'm not going to rip on this album though, like I did with Follow the Leader. I actually think this is the much better album of the two and it probably should have been the one to make the original list. While FTL struck me as gimmicky and excessive in all the wrong ways, this album shows some thoughtfulness that is missing from the band's other work. Musically the band is tight and as a cohesive group of songs, this album is a pretty listenable. Jonathan Davis' vocals are on point, and far less annoying than I expected. I'm not coming back to this, but I'm glad I had a chance to consider the band in a different light. Thanks for recommending this.

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May 01 2024
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1

I couldn't even get through the Korn album on the actual list, and this was no different.

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Jun 05 2024
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1

There was already a Korn album on the list. A second one certainly was not warranted.

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Jun 22 2024
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1

Went in with as an open of a mind as possible and oh my god this is beyond terrible. Edgy music for 13 year old who hate their caring step parents.

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Oct 20 2024
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1

I’m sorry I can’t be bothered to force myself to listen to over an hour of Korn. At least follow the leader had freak on a leash but after 20 minutes of yelling I decided it wasn’t worth it for a user album. If I missed some amazing Korn song in the second half of this I think I’ll live.

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Nov 03 2024
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1

Oh c’mon! This is a wasted pick on a crappy nu metal band that already has an album in the original list.

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