Plymouth University Rock Society Live Social: Beans on Toast at The Junction

Hello once more, it's me, bringing you my occasional music reviews from the events I attend here in Plymouth. This time was Beans on Toast (supported by Luke Scott Dumper and Truckstop Honeymoon) 

Waiting for the night to kick off around 8.20pm, I got what I'd promised I would next time I found myself at The Junction: an Old Rosie Rhubarb cider. One pint of that gorgeous stuff was just what I needed (and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves unusual ciders). Part way through leaning on the bar drinking that, Luke takes to the small stage. The vibrancy of his guitar was what struck me immediately, closely followed by the rapidity and clarity of his vocals which could never seem to decide on a constant pitch or tempo. I heard a mixture of a lighter George Ezra and a lighter Matt Tuck in there (and most likely a lot of other voices I was unable to identify). This man had what I would like to coin a 'chameleonic' voice, mutable and always changing itself - a soft voice coming from a rough heart.

By this point, the bar floor was packed and I knew my long-gone cider would soon come back to haunt me, meaning I'd have to weave my way through the tight crowd, but that was later. Right then, Truckstop Honeymoon made their way onstage. A charismatic couple (Katie and Mike West) playing classic rockabilly and bluegrass to the tune of an upright bass, banjo and guitar. Their songs were honest - the looser morals and simple joys of life put to music - and they kept up an entertaining commentary between songs.

'There is not enough liquor in the classroom' to quote Mike. And as many would agree, rightly so. 

For their final few songs, a 'costume change' was in order, which turned out to be nothing more than Miss Katie changing her upright bass for the banjo, but they both pretended they now wore new clothes, Mike sporting a 'bee-hive' and Katie a 'sequined dress'. 

As a parting notice, we were urged to spend our £10 on their CDs, either for ourselves or as a gift, or to be prepared for them knocking at our doors at 5am trying to sell the CDs. I, understandably, obliged, (following the inevitable toilet break) purchasing 'The Madness of Happiness' as a Christmas present for my dad (and to prevent these lovely people from having to get up before the milkman haha).

Now I was at the very back of the bar, unable to see much of anything, when more people continued to fill the room and Beans on Toast made his headline appearance. I'm not sure what I was expecting from someone who is described only as a 'drunk folk singer' but it wasn't this, and I'm not even 100% sure he fits that description. More of an acoustic and crude form of Enter Shikari which appealed to the older generations as much as the young because he spoke about the issues of modern culture (politics in short)...along with a lot of anecdotes and mentions of drugs/getting high, drink, etc. He did four songs with Truckstop Honeymoon too which went down pretty well with me, but his own material just didn't cut it. So I pottered back home around 10.50pm. 

I hope for anyone who wanted to come and couldn't, this review sheds light on what it was you missed. To quote Beans on Toast, though, 'don't take my advice'. But thank you again to Truckstop Honeymoon for potentially converting me to rockabilly-blues. 

Plymouth University Rock Society LIVE SOCIAL at The Underground (courtesy of Ocean City Hardcore)

I must apologise in advance for a few things. Firstly, this is a very infrequent blog of mine, so once I’ve posted this, you shouldn’t expect a massive amount of activity if you do decide to follow it. Secondly, as I only decided to write this blog about an hour into the night (and due to the lateness of the hour, tiredness, etc. I am only composing it now), the first two bands (Mantra and Hiraeth) haven’t received as much of a review as I would have wanted to (and most likely they would have wanted to as well). Regardless, this is my amateur attempt as perhaps my first live music review (with Facebook links to the featured artists on the names if you are at all persuaded to follow my lead and drop a 'Like' - I'm sure they'll appreciate it)

Underground: a unique venue for some unique talent as showcased on the night of Sunday October 25^th. With not a drink to hand for the start of the night, I wasn’t sure how ready I’d be, or if I’d even stay for the long-haul (5 hours of pure chaotic noise as it turned out). But once the first band, Cornish Metallers, Mantra, got into their stride, I knew I was in for something special. Now like I said, I wasn’t able to put into words the experience of listening to these guys, but I can say I found myself sending them a sneaky Facebook ‘Like’ once the dust settled, so cheers.

A short while later, with a cool Thatchers Cider now in hand, I found myself messaging a friend from home, singer of a London-based hardcore band by the name of Eight Days (formerly Eight Days from Sunday – plugging much!), to let him know his band could well have an audience here in Plymouth. He tells me that, coincidentally, the band of a friend of ours is playing at The Underground that very night, and wouldn’t you know it, the guy I’d been looking at on the stage with a small amount of recognition is that friend: Bassist, Pete Woolven, of Hiraeth. Their set certainly lived up to the event page description of ‘soaring choruses’, vibrating the floorboards and even the air (by this point already a cocktail of drink, sweat, and cologne) with some heavy melodies. My thanks to Charlie Clayton for the EP and the smiles!

Now I had been warned, perhaps an hour previous, by RockSoc Chair Zoë Page of what the next band could do; their brand of doom metal was one I had only heard about, but to experience it: a whole other ball game. Heriot is their name, and by this point in the night, I had fully invested myself in the idea of writing this blog, so throughout the night that followed, I made notes on each band. The four words I used to describe Heriot were thus: energetic, demonic (especially drummer Julian Gage), cathartic, and disjointed. So much energy and aggression poured off of the three guys thrashing on stage. But it was that doom element I mentioned earlier (borrowing a few undertones from Black Sabbath) which set them apart because soon my insides were feeling pretty strange – never a bad thing though.

After a short breather – and a chance to pick my spleen back up off of the floor – there came through the swirling candy sweet mist of people vaping like dragons, a band which took me by complete surprise. May I introduce Welsh Death Metallers, Venom Prison, whose vocalist is unlike anything I have ever heard before, not because she is one of a possible minority of female metal vocalists, but because I felt sure her visceral and bile-laced delivery would scour my brain like sandpaper (again, this is a compliment of the highest order). To add to that, Venom Prison’s wall of unrelenting sound inspired the strangest sight I have ever seen in a mosh pit. Into the small open space before the stage came a few brave souls whose violently balletic karate kicking was as visually inspiring as it was physically lethal to anyone standing too close. Fortunately I had already been herded to a safer distance by Devin Osman (my thanks for saving my head!)

But the mosh pit only grew with the appearance of Renounced, slowly infecting half the floor. This Reading Metalcore band were largely unassuming, even as they began on a haunting note, but that impression soon gave way to a roller coaster of a set, dominated by the central powerhouse of guitars and bass, and borrowing their calmer moments from the likes of Rise Against and Bullet for My Valentine. Their golden-haired frontman, Daniel Waverley Gray (my apologies, my friend, if this isn’t how you’d want to be described) slowly became like a caged animal; not content with the stage, he paced the now empty mosh pit; unable to contain the violence of his words, he finished curled up on the stage floor. By the show’s closure, after a small amount of debate (in fairness, my debate was addled by drink and exhaustion so my opinion is by means final), I had to label Renounced one of the best bands of the night, along with this next act.

One word: Oak. But several to describe them. A Swedish trio, all contributing their own explosively raw vocals in a performance I likened to a ‘juggernaut of lead’ such was the audible force they projected. Both guitarist and bassist seemed to sway in a chameleonic fashion as they shredded their instruments, backed by some of the most frenzied drumming I had seen all night. Their finale consisted of two new songs, manifesting themselves in a near physical wall of dripping sweat  and relentless noise (which, true to the event page description, took no prisoners: just crushed them!) I hope you guys survived to see the morning!

With one last band to go, I had started to mildly regret my decision to make this blog, but determination and no small amount of curiosity made me see it through – and I wasn’t disappointed. The headliner Hollow Earth, coming all the way from Michigan, USA, took a more melodic approach, a bittersweet but familiar American-flavoured thrash. Vocalist Steve Muczynski made his presence known (and felt by one lucky audience member) as a lion amid the crowd, roaring his way through their set as he prowled, mic stand in hand, long hair flowing (was I in the presence of a true metal god?) There seemed no doubt about that one as their final song seemed to make the ‘Hollow Earth’ move and set it on fire. I was so glad I stayed.

My thanks again to everyone who played, and to the members of Plymouth Uni RockSoc for making it happen!

Post-Apocalypse - Korn 21st Anniversary O2 Academy Gig (16th July, 2015)

So the three of us (my sister, our generous friend, and I) survived the mayhem of last night's gig after finding ourselves in the middle of a mosh pit the moment the beat dropped at the start of Blind.
Prior to that, we were treated to some insanity in the form of support act #1, Sunflower Dead. Think the visual aesthetic of Slipknot, crossed with Steam-powered Giraffe, and the sound of Disturbed - oh, and throw in an accordion-toting frontman! They were a real treat for something so new to us, the singer living up to the band's tagline of 'It's time to get weird' by almost swallowing his microphone,; it was a shame to see them go after 'feeding' the crowd with free shirts and the remains of one of the guitarists' guitars (that upset my sister).
Support act #2 was Snot. They seemed to get a much bigger response from the crowd (including a couple of lads in front of us who showed their appreciation by unconcernedly moshing into us); they didn't strike as great a chord with me, only increasing my impatience for Korn to come on. However, as I mentioned, the waiting was answered by the sudden eruption of the crowd around us after that iconic intro. Once free from the waves of the mosh pit, we were able to enjoy a slightly distant, though unobstructed view from the sidelines as they screamed and shouted their way to Clown (during which they stood silent for a moment, only brought back to life by the continued cheers from the crowd) and on to Shoots and Ladders, at which time Jon brought out his bagpipes (beautiful).
I recall a short passage of Alive being played after either Predictable or Fake, which kind of threw me, but all too soon it was time for Daddy. The haunting intro vocals got us all pretty excited, while it was evident the emotional toll they took on Jonathan who was bent double screaming the lyrics by its close. That touched a nerve for me. But we were all revitalised, it seemed, by the final three classics: Falling Away from Me, Here to Stay, and Freak on a Leash (the latter being the song which secured a place in my heart for the boys from Bakersfield). The set-list by no means saved us from the discomfort of the sweaty bodies passing close by us, the sea of plastic cups underfoot, or the occasional scuffle which almost broke out nearby, but I suppose to just hear our idols playing the music we love was near enough all we could ask for. My neck aches from headbanging, my ears still ring a little from the volume, I have slight blisters on my feet, yet it still remains a memory to cherish. So thank you Korn for being awesome; in my heart, you're here to stay! And to Jonathan Davis, my mental juggernaut of bile-laced, visceral anguish, I admire your courage and strength.

The Calm Before the Storm

So today is a very important day for me and British Korn fans: 21st Anniversary gig at the O2 Academy Brixton!
In approximately 10 hours, all hell is going to break loose, and thanks to a friend, he and I and my sister will be there (front row - fingers crossed)
I was hoping to get my entire Korn discography reviewed before today but sadly not, so in place of that I shall write up a live review (my first) sometime tomorrow.
Feeling immensely psyched just listening to their music on my stereo at the moment! See you tomorrow x

Korn - Take A Look in the Mirror (2003)

After a short hiatus, I'm back with more music mayhem in the form of Korn's 'Take A Look in the Mirror', an album which continues to touch on Jonathan Davis's feelings of despair, hatred, and torment, backed up by the album's title as it acknowledges the demon within (seen in the mirror) and the demon outside (the tormentor(s)).
Off the bat comes the familiar, iconic (but scarring, thanks to the music video - watch it, you'll see why) Right Now. Everything about this song is raw and visceral from Jon's angst-laden lyrics, screamed in the chorus, to the wall of instrumental noise which accompanies it. There is a short dip into Jon's barely contained and violent whispers, exploding seconds later into a raw repetitive scream of 'Shut up, I'll fuck you up!' and so on, before the fast-paced drum and bass of Break Some Off kicks in. This song seems to set a trend throughout of highs and lows in weight, as evidenced by Jon's dream-like verse which quickly collapses under the abrasive load of the chorus (entwined with his schizophrenic alter-ego), but for the most part, this song is brutal (and I love it!)
In a similar vein, Counting On Me is introduced with a sinister guitar note and Jon's schizophrenic vocals, before diving into new depths of despair with more monotone vocals, suggesting Jon had given up. The guitars which rise and fall throughout really give this song its true depth and have endeared this particular song to me like many others. Here It Comes Again also creeps softly in to start but is tearing the walls down before too long.
Breaking the pattern is the swagger of Deep Inside, encompassing the feeling of no escape like a straitjacketed schizophrenic, keeping the weight relatively level until the end. But it's an end that can't be put off for long as the revving guitar of Did My Time heralds the arrival of one of Korn's most iconic songs; one which spirals into the despair which saturates this album. Jon's vocals are strung-out, the mood carrying into the breakdown which transitions from light to heavy as the anger begins to change him ('I feel the anger changing me'). Almost without noticing, the same guitar tune picks up where Did My Time's lighter breakdown left off to start Everything I've Known, a despair-laced song packed with Korn's characteristic guitars and drums, and the ever-present (and slightly warped) schizophrenic vocals.
For those in need of a change, Play Me introduces a guest appearance by rapper, Nas (I don't know who that is). His vocals are backed by Korn's recognizable swagger, letting Jon's echoing schizo vocals come to the fore by the halfway point. As if we needed reminding that this was in fact a Korn song, the grating death growl also returns in recognition of his tormentor(s) and what they've done. Marking this change of attitude, Alive becomes a turning point, establishing itself as my album lynch-pin. The repetition of the title throughout, and the chorus, both show Jon to have risen up stronger from his ordeal, no longer afraid and out for vengeance, as detailed in the next song.
Let's Do This Now is another of my favourites on this album, a driving track of violent and graphic proportions seeing Jon 'watching as your blood pours down' in his mind; a veritable sledgehammer for the mind and the ears, barely letting up for longer than a single breath and ending abruptly.
I'm Done plays the same game of yo-yoing between light and heavy, featuring the same schizophrenic voices and seemingly dragging Jon back into his pit of despair. That is until the iconic Y'all Want a Single swaggers in with bags of attitude (which Jon can't fail to carry off). As if the anger is taking effect once more, the weight increases towards the end, but the swagger hangs on into the final song. Much slower paced than the rest of the album, When Will This End clearly illustrates how the torment cannot be fought or escaped; it never ends. The intensity of the backing increases as Jon's vocals go from silky to strained, and eventually screamed, but ultimately it does end.
However, we are treated to a live cover of Metallica's 'One' after a short silence, the rawness of the chorus handled perfectly by our immensely talented Mr Davis.

And with another album review under my belt, I'll See You On the Other Side! (That being the next album.)

Korn - Untouchables (2002)

So Album #5, almost a decade after Korn first tore their way into the rock scene with their self-titled nu-metal baby. I don't think I've ever given this album too much appreciation in the year since I bought it, but this review (and the many times certain songs have popped up on my music player) has changed that, so while Untouchables still isn't my favourite album, it's a lot more understood in my eyes.
Pounding in with its familiar intro and brutal lyrics is Here to Stay, a song I'd liken to Follow the Leader's 'Got the Life' for its rollercoaster of highs and lows in weight and volume (as well as being labelled a Greatest Hit). It's just an instant classic, setting the helpless theme with the line 'You've taken everything and oh, I cannot give anymore'. A theme carried on in Make Believe which Jon introduces to us with his psychotic little voice. The body of this song is slower and much less drum-heavy than most Korn songs.
Blame, on the other hand, makes great use of their drums, backing Jon's deceptively soft vocals which quickly launch into an abrasive and short refrain (which I love and wish was repeated more than once). What follows is a softer phrase which feels slightly disconnected from the start, looping back to its heavier overtones towards the song's close.
The next song is one I had only heard on Korn's MTV Unplugged session, and I have found myself even more impressed by this, the original version. Hollow Life is Untouchables' much-needed 'rest' from the pace of the rest of the album, proving Jon can sing on different levels of volume with equally good results; makes me think the YouTube lullabies of some of Korn's songs would've worked well with lyrics. The volume does escalate as the song progresses but it's definitely softer than Bottled Up Inside, a gritty track, seething with 'bottled up' hatred, even when the volume drops.
Then in creeps Thoughtless, the guitar intro seeming to wind up before launching into the classic Korn-esque heavy swagger, filled with Jon's challenging sing-song lyrics. The breakdown, however, leaves you feeling a little more on edge; both disturbing and just a bit demonic, but no less perfect.
By the mid-way point, we have Hating which continues the theme of desperation and self-hatred, building up to an impressively strong chorus (definitely the stand-out of the song), allowing the swagger of One More Time to follow, a bass-heavy but simplistic track - which has no hope of competing with the album's lynch-pin: Alone I Break. Instantly recognizable for its subtle guitar intro and Jon's softer vocals which, throughout the entire song, while still harsh and desperate, never get too loud, increasing the helplessness. What I love most about this song is how the backing instrumentation drops in and out to great effect, Jon's final lyrics tailing off in silence.
In its wake comes the pulsing intro of Embrace which gives way to VERY heavy vocals and the pounding guitars and drums I think it's safe to say all Korn fans enjoy. The chorus and breakdown benefit from a little lightness, as well as Jon's somewhat schizophrenic vocals, but for the most part, this song is a real juggernaut, not letting up by the next song (of which 'pounding' is an apt adjective) - the requisite 'dirty' song, Beat It Upright whose lyrics require no explanation (I won't lie, this song gets stuck in my head), trailing off into the frantic Wake Up Hate, swinging between Jon's drawn-out, creepy vocals, and the song's central driving refrain.
In a similar fashion, I'm Hiding switches between Jon's softer vocals and heavier instrumental out-bursts, before the vocals climb to the chorus, making for another simple Korn song which I appreciate a bit more for doing this review. As it fades out, so the dominant guitar tune of No One's There fades in (and I LOVE this tune; it feels like a suitable ending). The lyrics are sad and speak of a loss of identity - 'You and me, we have no faces' - the vocals themselves maintaining a comfortable level for the most part, only climbing towards the end.
You have a little surprise extra in the form of a much bouncier Here to Stay remix to bring the song to the 9 minute mark, but other than that, that's your lot. Onwards and upwards - next I'll have Take a Look in the Mirror.

Korn - Issues (1999)

During the course of reviewing this album, I came to understand why Issues is considered such an iconic and revered Korn album. Unlike its predecessors, I found virtually no what I like to call 'filler' songs; those songs which are indicative of Korn for the way they sound. Each had its own resonance and feel, of which I shall try to lay down for you now.
So marching in to start the album is Dead, a short bagpipe-led marching bandesque tune laced with simply chanted vocals and inlaid with Jon whispering 'All I want in life to be happy.' (Don't we all?)
Picking up after just over a minute into the album, we meet one of Korn's legendary tunes (one of many on this album - and another good reason for its success): Falling Away from Me! Its instantly recognizable guitar intro (which endures almost entirely throughout) and polar opposites of vocals, which at times entwine to good effect, make it a spectacularly cathartic piece of music, making way for a second legend in the form of Trash. A real headbanger, full of loathing and Jon's freaky vocals, you can understand his reasoning for the title. It dissolves into a feeling of despair by its close which is extended as the album rolls into 4 U - a massive contrast with its slow delicacy of drum, cymbals and soft guitar, only roughened by Jon's distorted vocals, and made to feel quite personal by his single unadorned 'for you' at the end.
Swaggering back into form is Beg for Me, a raw stomping track, almost schizophrenic in the way Jon's voice transitions from shout to whisper and mirrors the beat in the chorus. But as much as I may have liked this tune, the third iconic Korn song comes along to blow that out of the water. The sinister little guitar intro quickly leads into the recognizable drum 'n bass of Make Me Bad, mixing Jon's initial soft vocals (which at times seem to purr) with raw shouts and that little schizophrenic sing-song voice, and wiping that all away for what feels like a much cleaner sound in the chorus. As it fades out, I almost want it to start over - but no, I get this. Jon's drunken-sounding raving and a simple drum/cymbal and droning guitar tune in It's Gonna Go Away, slowly drowned out by his chant of 'It's [not] gonna go away'.
As if we needed reminding, Wake Up throws us into a wall of noise and pounding vocals, a well-constructed guitar tune, a little swagger and softer vocals, then rewind and repeat, before diving into the chorus. This sounds like it could be about a disagreement in the band - 'Let's take the stage and remember what we play for'; whatever the case, I love it. Maybe not so much the next track, Am I Going Crazy, which practically makes my skin crawl with its backwards sounds and vocals, fitting when you consider Track #10: Hey Daddy. The swaggering intro and Jon's sing-song vocals are just disturbing, like the eye of a storm, before you're hit by the 'wall' in the form of the chorus. These two combine by the end, to staggering effect, fading out to Jon singing 'Hey daddy' (the theme for much of Korn's early discography never ends!)
But then we're treated to what I think is the album lynchpin (some might consider it to be Falling Away From Me, but it needs to be more central, ergo, Somebody Someone). A very recognizable quiet intro which quickly mounts in volume and is then dropped, bouncing back and forth between harsh and soft, and then stumbling into an urgent breakdown with Jon screaming 'I'm dying!', at which point the tempo drops but the weight increases - brilliant - until it ends, and I find my 'filler' track: No Way, neither remarkable nor bad.
The deceptively quiet start to Let's Get This Party Started feels very Korn-esque, but when the heart of the song opens up, all hell breaks loose with very raw vocals and a driving change in guitar. However, the next song departs quite suddenly from convention. The peculiarity of the short, fast (and honestly disturbing) lyrics of Wish You Could Be Me, when mixed with the DJ disc sounds, make for a bit of a head-fuck (if you'll pardon the language), but then it's back to home territory with Counting, a swagger-beat which seems to break down for the anguish-filled chorus. The little voices (this time sounding as if they came from a radio) are present in this one too.
And so to the final song - Dirty. Soft, slow, invasive (sounds like something equally wrong) and swiftly descending into chaos and desperation, highlighted by Jon's line 'I wish you could see the world through my eyes', and back again. The same ominous guitar tune plays throughout, even behind a spate of shouted abusive lyrics, until the whole thing tails off into static.

So yeah, that was Issues. These reviews are making me see these songs for what they really are, and I'm loving it. Next up: Untouchables. See you then!

Korn - Follow the Leader (1998)

With regard to this album, I was a little ignorant to the fact that there is a one-minute silence (in respect for a fan called Justin after whom Track 22 is named) spread across the first twelve songs. Ultimately I thought something was wrong with the disc - stupid me! But I have learnt my mistake, and here is the review for songs 13-25.
Creeping in with some guitar sounds worthy of Pokemon's Lavender Town is It's On!, a real headbanger once the chorus kicks in, stepping down on the volume (but not the tension) for a moment, before drawing itself out and straight into the truly iconic Freak on a Leash. I have noticed while doing this review that this song is a lot slower and less audibly powerful than the rest of the album, but this only increases the potency - and piles it all into the breakdown, weighted with insistent guitar notes and Jon's characteristic 'gibberish'.
Hot on the heels of one classic great comes another in the form of Got the Life, a bass-heavy rollercoaster of rhythm, sound and volume which I've come to appreciate with time (much like a good wine). On the opposite end is Dead Bodies Everywhere, a song I heard live, had never heard before, and love alot now, starting with a childishly sinister ice cream van intro - picking up the running theme of child abuse - and driving quickly into the heart of the whole ensemble with heavy guitar and vocals.
At the midway point we find another classic mash-up of rap and metal - Children of the Korn, featuring Ice Cube - contrasting rap with Jon's raw shouts, and wrapping it up in a simple medley of Korn-esque drum and droning guitars. Following this is B.B.K. and Pretty, both encompassing the style iconic of Korn, until All in the Family comes flying in our faces. This comic back and forth insult match between Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit and Jon Davis is unlike anything I'd heard before. The backing changes accordingly with the vocalist (simplistic swagger for Fred, heavier guitars for JD), and a stomping chorus to unite the two. I had to laugh as it all wound down, though - listen and you'll hear why.
Reclaim My Place is another classic, guitar-heavy tune, chased up by the psychedelic Justin, and then shadowed by Seed. This disturbing song is one of my favourites, Jon's vocals coming out hollow against eerie guitar notes at first, but sounding much cleaner by the chorus - that is until we are assaulted by not one but two psychotic and confused breakdowns of vocal and instrumental chaos.
The third guest starring sees Tre Hardson of Pharside treating us to vocals cooler but almost as slithery as Jon's, in Cameltosis, JD smoothly delivering his classic hatred on the side.
And to end, My Gift to You, a slower, haunting song, laced with Jon's drawn out and cracked voice, and his whispered backing over a dominant guitar/drum tune. As with all good Korn songs, we need a dose of undiluted agony, injected in the form of Jon's screamed line 'I hate you, can't you feel the pain?' and so to the end - a hidden track titled 'Earache my Eye' featuring Cheech Marin: I have no comment.
Hope you enjoyed this!

Korn - Life is Peachy (1996)

In a follow-up to Korn's monumental debut came Life is Peachy, still clinging to the unsettling roots of its predecessor. 

Bursting into life with the iconic confusion of Twist, a testament to Jon's imagination with his maniacal gibberish explosion, shadowed by the schizophrenic highs and lows of Chi, never better than when they are nailed in place by Jon's characteristic and abrasive screams.

Swallow dominates my mind for being so sickly addictive, seeming to slide down the spine and seize you by the throat in turns, and is not content with laying its creeping unease to rest until Porno Creep (in all of its 2 minute glory) draws to a close. 

Only then are the ears assaulted by the haemorrhagic-force gut punch that parts of Good God delivers in the shape of Jon's acid-strength screams.

At the half-way mark, we find Mr Rogers, my identified album lynch pin. This song embodies the abuse theme with its sinister undertones of paedophilia, being a confused mixture of tone and sound, hanging by a thread on one of two uncertain pauses, and laced throughout with Jon's mental hysteria and tiny voices. As if in response to this comes (I will try to type this correctly) K@#0%!, which in one sentence can be described as like a child saying every dirty word he can think of - and the effect is quite funny.

We see a guest appearance by Chino Moreno for Wicked, which lives up to its name as a fun rock-rap intercepted by Jon jumping in with his signature raw breakdown.

The unforgettable A.D.I.D.A.S. has meant I will never see the sports brand the same way again, while Lost, No Place to Hide, and Ass Itch make for classic Korn filler tracks. 

Lowrider is a confusing one, which I pass over in favour of the softer finish brought on by Kill You, a slowly boiling pot of murderous anger, resonant guitars and hysterical laughter, tailing off on a sad and suspenseful note by 5 minutes, before we are treated to the solo lyrics of Twist.

This was my second to last Korn album purchase, but as you can probably tell the next review will be in release order, so say hello to Follow the Leader when I get around to it, and thanks again for reading!

Korn's Self-Titled First Album - 1994

This album certainly set itself apart from the rest of what followed in Korn's monumental career, spawning a revolutionary new genre (Nu-metal) by accident, and exposing Jonathan Davis at his most emotionally charged as he deals with the abusive demons of his childhood.

Blind: A suspenseful start to the album, each instrument working its way into the intro one-by-one in a build-up to Jon's instantly recognizable first line, 'Are you ready?' The song proceeds to weave in and out of his words which almost seem to speak from two parts of him, before the visceral heart of the track is revealed in a guttural tirade surrounded by guitar and drums. By the close, we are given a momentary lull - but only momentary - before Jon is back at our throats again.

Ball Tongue: Exploding into being from the get-go, Ball Tongue is a driving tune, giving way to creeping background noises which explode into Jon's trademark attitude-packed lyrics. This pattern goes back and forth with the same sinister and maniacal energy, mixing pounding drums with bile-laced vocals. The sense of urgency increases by the end, dominated the whole while by an insistent drum beat, dissolving into what sounds like Jon beating his head against a shovel... (I don't know)

Need To: There is no mistaking the familiar Korn-esque intro of Need To, or the continuation of Jon's hatred and fear for his past which encompasses the whole album, highlighted by his cries of 'I hate you', soothed by his otherwise gentle but sickening lyrics, and drowned out moments later by a repeated chainsaw scream of 'Why?' which (in only the best way possible) lacerates the brain with its raw anger. The vocal at the close of this song, while indeterminable, leaves an impression of bottled up emotion, which I almost wish had carried into the next song.

Clown: The banter between the band at the start of Clown makes this song seem human, if only for a little while, before the song winds up on a rising guitar note and slams into a wall of noise. As this drops off to a disquieting level, a peculiar plucking of guitar strings haunts the background to Jon's equally creepy whispers, rising into the fighting talk of the chorus. A knuckle-clicking sound after the chorus gives me slight shivers (as does most of this song). At the 3/4 point, the anger builds yet further as does the volume, finishing with yet more of Jon's classic self-defacement.

Divine: Everything is fast and angry from the start with this one, Jon allowing his childish side out with a sing-song chorus evocative of song-to-come, Shoots and Ladders. We are then treated to a momentary release from Korn's teeth before diving straight back into Jon's guitar-dominated fighting talk. There isn't much to set this song apart, however, unlike the next track.

Faget: Starting us off is a familiar enough intro, ripped by Jon's vocalisation - which comes to scar its way through the chorus on multiple occasions - and gives itself over to my favourite creeping lyrics (in keeping with the album's theme of abuse). This song, in my opinion, is the lynch-pin to the whole album, reluctantly winding down from Jon screaming 'Faget' to a lonely and barely-contained vocal solo backed by equally restrained guitars; this sort of collapses again by 3.50 and sees the return of Jon's sing-song vocals, questioning his own sexuality/identity ('Oh my life, who am I?...I'm just a faget!'). A visceral and crucial component to their debut.

Shoots and Ladders: Enter Jonathan Davis and his signature bagpipes to start this alternative look at children's nursery rhymes, almost as if finding solace from his childhood fears in something so simple. A drawn-out guitar note heralds a change in tone, ushering in Jon's mix of disturbing rhyme, from Ring 'a Roses to London Bridge, which quickly morphs into a dark rendition of This Old Man. From there, I can only describe it as anarchy, mixing in Mary Had a Little Lamb (and stripping this rhyme's innocence in a millisecond), before violently ending.

Predictable: While Predictable is not too remarkable, its casual but driving tune changes enough to keep me interested, with Jon's drawn out vocals predictably (hehe) drawing me in further. Again we hear multiple voices as if another side of Jon were being addressed, and the song cuts off on a final cracked line of 'I wanna try.'

Fake: Possessing an aggressive intro, Fake quickly gives way to a more dreamy and despairing tone with a chorus commanded by Jon's chilling and drawn out lines. Between each verse is a series of stabbing guitar drones, surrendering to a second of Jon's lonely solos, more softly backed (to a point), and then nose-diving into his guttural roars of 'Fake!' After a return to the chorus, everything fades out, subtly but no less spectacularly.

Lies: For our third recognizable intro, we have Lies, which soon drops its tone to one laced with highly strung guitars, then to a sudden death roar underlying Jon's shouted lyrics, and back again. Lies also boasts the favourite instrumental breakdown, Jon screaming his heart out until, seemingly breathless, all we hear is a sudden intake of breath.

Helmet in the Bush: The beginning few seconds of this song do not make any sense to me, so I shall pass them by in favour of the creeping/pounding beat that starts Helmet in the Bush. This song feels somewhat different from the rest of the album, making good use of the drum kit's cymbal and Jon's freaky whispered lyrics in the chorus, tied together with a menacing guitar tone in the background.
At the 3 minute point, some calm descends for Jon's prayers for help, soon being overlaid by anger and finally an unearthly death growl.

Daddy: And so we come to the most emotional song of the album. This one truly shocked me by its close and had me in tears too. The opening is instantly memorable; a choir-esque plea to his mother, giving over to deep guitar notes and what sounds like the clucking of a tongue (somewhat disturbing, I feel). Jon's ensuing lyrics are enticing, slithery and dirty, ramping up to a brutal tirade against his abuser: 'You raped, I feel dirty...tied down, that's a good boy' (just a taste of what assaults your senses) before a through-the-teeth whisper of 'It's alright'. The chorus is restrained in volume after a short instrumental breakdown, Jon's voice deeper, cracked, and somehow sicker, overlaid with his cries, until with the words 'I didn't touch you there' the song starts over. For 9 minutes this song doesn't lose any of its urgency or sickness, diving into the chorus once more and letting the emotion build each time until Jon's lyrics are screamed and miserable. The music continues over the sound of him crying and yelling his hatred - 'You f***ing ruined my life; I wanted to die'. Eventually all that remains is Jon sobbing quietly, a sound which broke my heart, soothed by a delicate lullaby and the quiet sounds of the band playing. Jon is heard leaving the studio to end this shockingly visceral song.

Thank you for reading! I will be back with another Korn album soon xxx