Korn

 

Musical revolutions can foment in the oddest places: Athens, Georgia. Aberdeen, Washington. Bakersfield, California.

That's right, Bakersfield; a bleak, arid little town just west of Death Valley that could double as a David Lynch movie set-if there were anything going on, that is. As a kid Fieldy Arvizu spent much of his adolescence "standing around in dirt fields, drinking beer, watching other kids fight." At some point, Fieldy and some friends decided their time would be better spent taking out their frustrations on musical instruments instead.

And rock music would never be the same.

So Fieldy, James "Munky" Shaffer, David Silveria, Brian "Head" Welch, and eventually, an assistant coroner with a troubled past named Jonathan Davis left Bakersfield for Los Angeles and collectively became known as KORN. It helped that they all had common influences--the angry, urban stylings of hip-hop, the heavy, riff-driven angst of death metal. But the sounds emanating from this band's Huntington Beach rehearsal space would soon set an entirely fresh musical precedent--and set off a wave of imitators that eventually threatened to engulf the band itself.

After touring for nearly two years, KORN was signed by Immortal and released their now-classic eponymous 1994 debut. KORN opened with the prophetic, gravel-throated challenge "Are you ready?!" before kicking into the heaviest guitar sound yet heard in rock thanks to the team of Shaffer and Welch, who tuned their already-low 7-string guitars even lower and played with no regard for traditional harmonic consonance. The sound was metallic sludge, but tempered oddly by bassist Fieldy and drummer Silveria, who added a mix of porn-soundtrack funk and hip-hop rhythms that was puzzlingly aggressive and chill. Next, nursery-rhyme-like melodies were woven into the dark mix, helping make KORN the creepiest, heaviest debut since Black Sabbath. But Davis had no desire to sing about devils and witches; he was busy exorcising real-life demons. Songs such as "Faget" and "Shoots and Ladders" were discomfortingly personal confessionals of shattered childhood, and by album's end Davis was literally in tears in the harrowing "Daddy."

"Are you ready?!" Well, commercial radio sure wasn't. And neither was MTV. Not yet, anyway.

So KORN took their grisly show on the road someplace they knew it'd get noticed: back to the tour circuit, and a stint on Ozzfest. The band's unique sound may have been unfamiliar, but the kids knew it rocked mightily-and many of them could directly relate to Davis' grim lyrical obsessions. At that point in time, there was quite simply no band on earth like KORN.

And so they began to amass a following that would send their next album, 1996's brutal yet cheekily titled Life is Peachy, into platinum sales. And this time at least the press was ready. "...Perverts, psychopaths and paranoiacs" gushed the Chicago Tribune. "An ingeniously twisted piece of personal hell" raved Cleveland's Plain Dealer.

And while Peachy served more to reinforce the band's core sound rather than innovate in the manner of the debut, it did introduce to the world to a side of the band no one ever suspected existed: humor. The bagpipe-driven cover version of War's "Lowrider" was just one example. An A-Z dictionary of vulgarity called "K@#%!" was another-though some critics and self-appointed moral guardians were put off by the language. One Zeeland, Michigan high school administrator told the press that KORN was "indecent, vulgar, and obscene" shortly after suspending a student for wearing a T-shirt that merely said "KORN." After the band filed a cease-and-desist order against the school on behalf of the student, he was reinstated. But the episode marks yet another milestone for the band: it was the first of many times the band would go to bat for its fans.

Years of touring followed again as the band fortified its fan-base to the degree that their next album, 1998's Follow the Leader, would debut at No. 1 on Billboard's Top 200. The band charted two bona fide singles with "Got the Life" and "Freak on a Leash," while the album's actual "rap-metal" tracks ("Children of the KORN" with guest rapper Ice Cube, and "All in the Family" with guest abuser Fred Durst) were some of the band's hardest-hitting to date, and reaffirmed their status as the band by which others would be judged in this genre.

Others seemed to agree. Rolling Stone christened Follow the Leader one of the best alternative albums of the '90s, praising KORN's ability to channel "their disgust with the state of the nation--and the generation doomed to inherit it--into booming, articulate violence."

Booming, articulate violence aside, Follow the Leader exposed yet another side of KORN.

When a 14-year-old boy suffering from terminal intestinal cancer requested to meet the band for a few minutes through the Make-A-Wish foundation, the band was stunned. And nervous. But they hit it off, and the few minutes turned into a day, and that turned into a few more days, and then a song-"Justin."

Reaffirming KORN's populist roots were their weekly live Internet video broadcasts from the studio during the album's making. These "after school specials" kept fans up on the progress of the record, offered them live, call-in Q&A sessions with the band themselves, and introduced them to guests running the gamut from members of 311, the Deftones, and Limp Bizkit to porn stars like Ron Jeremy and Randi Rage.

In yet another populist move, the band launched "KORN Kampaign '98," a political campaign-style American tour to promote their album that featured "fan conferences" in major cities throughout the country. KORN also put together a heavy-rock-and-rap arena circus, mockingly called the Family Values Tour, which featured everyone from Ice Cube to Limp Bizkit to Rammstein, and proved to be one of 1998's most successful tours. A live compilation CD, The Family Values Tour '98, was certified gold the following summer, when KORN performed an explosive set at Woodstock '99.

Meanwhile, KORN's record label Elementree was up and running just fine as its first signed act, Orgy, scored a platinum record for them with Candyass.

By now, almost every heavy band on the planet was playing down-tuned 7-string guitars (which were virtually extinct before KORN). The proliferation of sound-alike bands ironically placed the band in a tenuous position: Not only was KORN in danger of seeming "played out" in the very genre they spearheaded, the beginnings of a backlash to "rap-metal" chart domination were cropping up in the media. KORN knew that another Peachy or Leader, however great, however welcome by fans, and however commercially successful, would not do. It was time to reinvent themselves and break from the pack-a risky move given the band's traditionally loyal following. KORN took some time off to work on what would be one of the most important records of their career.

"We knew when we wrote this album that we were going to have to do something really great," Shaffer said at the time. "...We had to move forward, push the boundaries, and create something very personal."

In yet another nod to their audience, KORN allowed the fans to design the cover. Fans submitted their work, and one fan painting was chosen for the record's striking cover art. Several runners-up got limited-edition album covers of their own work.

Musically, Issues turned out to be the best album since the group's debut release, and eclipsed even that record in strength of songwriting. When Issues was finally released, all the band's efforts paid off wildly. For the second time in their career, they debuted at No. 1. They had yet another high-charting single with the eerie, crushing "Falling Away From Me." And the record went quadruple platinum. This was followed by yet another massively successful tour, which kicked off on Halloween 1999 at Harlem's historic Apollo Theater.

If Issues represented an artistic, critical, and commercial triumph at a crucial moment for the band, how would KORN respond to the inevitable pressure of its follow-up?

By making a better one: Untouchables. Using a 24-BIT sampling rate--twice the highest rate normally used for recording--KORN and producer Michael Beinhorn have created a rich sonic panorama. Unfathomably heavy, uncompromisingly introspective, and startlingly unique, Untouchables catapults KORN to yet another level.

But what should we expect? After all, this is a band marked by an insatiable desire to push the rock envelope. It's what makes them KORN.

Here to Stay
This time I'm taking it away, I've got a problem With me getting in the way, not by my side So I take my face and bash it into a mirror I won't have to see the pain Bleed, bleed This pain is elevating, as the hurt turns into hating Anticipating all the fucked up feelings again The hurt inside is fading This shit's gone way too far All this time I've been waiting Oh I cannot grieve anymore For once inside I'm waking I'm not, I'm not a whore You've taken everything and Oh I cannot give anymore My mind's done with this Ok, I've got a question Can I throw it all away? Take back what's mine So I take my time Driving a blade down the line Each cut, closer to the vein Bleed, bleed This pain is elevating, as the hurt turns into hating Anticipating all the fucked up feelings again The hurt inside is fading This shit's gone way too far All this time I've been waiting Oh, I cannot grieve anymore For once inside I'm waking I'm not, I'm not a whore You've taken everything and Oh I cannot give anymore I'm here to stay ...bring it down... I'm here to stay ...bring it down... I'm here to stay ...bring it down... I'm here to stay Bring it down! Bring it down! Bring it down! Bring it down! Gonna bring it down Gonna break it down Gonna break it down Gonna break it down Gonna break it down Gonna break it down Gonna break it This pain is elevating, as the hurt turns into hating Anticipating all the fucked up feelings again The hurt inside is fading This shit's gone way too far All this time I've been waiting Oh, I cannot grieve anymore For once inside I'm waking I'm not, I'm not a whore You've taken everything and Oh I cannot give anymore Give anymore Give anymore Give anymore Give anymore

Make Believe

I'm thinking of
Thanking all the fucked people
Thanking all the shit I love
They are all the things I've made
Straight from my heart
Begging all the same people
Burning is the same evil
Somehow making me feel sane

Waiting all this time
I've got nothing to hold on
But the faces of my life
I can see before I'm gone

Sometimes I feel it chasing me
All the hate that's breaking me
I realize I'm taking everything
And the shit seem to follow

This time I feel it taking me
To a place I'm hate to be
All along I seem to make believe
And the shit seems to follow

I'm thinking of
Making all the fucked people
Making the bitches I love
Make them die and go away
Pain from the start
All my dreams are ripped apart
Thanking all the fucked people
They are all the things I've saved

Waiting all this time
I've got nothing to hold on
But the faces of my life
I can see before I'm gone

Sometimes I feel it chasing me
All the hate that's breaking me
I realize I'm taking everything
And the shit seem to follow

This time I feel it taking me
To a place I'm meant to be
All along I seem to make believe
And the shit seems to follow

Your life, I hate it
Oh god, can I reclaim?
Stop and help me

Sometimes I feel it chasing me
All the hate that's breaking me
I realize I'm taking everything
And the shit seems to follow

This time I feel it taking me
To a place I'm meant to be
All along I seem to make believe
And the shit seems to follow

The shit seems to follow

Blame

So I think you are a fool
Hanging on my every word
It's getting ugly
So I'm ugly

Tear me from your heart
Tearing me apart

So I thought you'd disapear
Being alone is what you fear
Are you lonely?
Yes lonely

Tear me from your heart
Tearing me apart

Rolling, and throwing, consoling
Everything that goes this far
Joking and hoping, revolting
All that shit that's who you are
Holding, and scolding, revolving
Peel it back, reveal the scar
Loathing, exploding, controlling
This is what you really are

The time is coming
Gone insane
You're really happy
Won the game
The time is coming
A bed of flames
Your life is over and you're to blame
The time is coming
You've gone insane
You're feeling happy
You've won the game
The time is coming
A bed of flames
Your life is over and you're to blame

Rolling, and throwing, consoling
Everything that goes this far
Joking and hoping, revolting
All that shit that's who you are
Holding, and scolding, revolving
Peel it back, reveal the scar
Loathing, exploding, controlling
This is what you really are

Hollow Life

Feeding the fall
I can't help but desire of falling down this time
Deep in this hole am I making
I can't escape
Falling all this time

We come to this place
Falling through time
Living a hollow life
Always we're taking
Waiting for signs
Hollow life

Fearing to fall
And still the ground below me calls
Falling down this time
Ripping apart all these things I have tried to stop
Falling all this time

We come to this place
Falling through time
Living a hollow life
Always we're taking
Waiting for signs
Hollow life

Is there ever any wonder
Why we look to the sky
Search in vain
Asking why?
All alone
Where is god?
Looking down?
We don't know

We fall in space
We can't look down
Death may come
Peace I have found
What to say?
Am I alive?
Am I asleep ?
Or have I died?

(haunting me)

We fall in space
We can't look down
Death may come
Peace I have found

(something takes a part of me)

What to say
Am I alive?
Am I asleep
We fall down

We come to this place
Falling through time
Living a hollow life
Always we're taking
Waiting for signs
Hollow life

Is there ever any wonder
Why we look to the sky
Search in vain
Asking why?
All alone
Where is god?
Looking down?
We don't know

Is there ever any wonder
Why we look to the sky
Search in vain
Asking why?
All alone
Where is god?
Looking down?
We don't know

We fall in space
We can't look down
Death may come
Peace I have found

Bottled Up Inside

It ain't fading
Man I got to let it out
Am I crazy?
Screaming nothing ever comes out
I keep feeling lost
I'll never find my way out
I'm not thanking them
Unless the truth can pour out

Give me some courage
Beating me down now for sometime
Are you laughing?
Am I funny?
I hate inside
I hate inside

I take this time
To let out what's inside
Cause I will break
Sometimes I wish you'd die
Full of sorrow
You raped and stole my pride
And all this hate is bottled up inside

My heart is breaking
Man you really ripped it out
You take pleasure watching as I claw my way out

The hurt rising
Soon it's going to tear my soul out
It's not kosher feeling like I'm on my way out

Give me some courage
Beating me down for sometime
Are you laughing?
Am I funny?
I hate inside
I hate inside

I'll take this time
To let out what's inside
Cause I will break
Sometimes I wish you'd die
Full of sorrow
You raped and stole my pride
And all this hate is bottled up inside

Feeling the haze as they cut down my spine
Peeling your flesh like the way you've cut mine
Do you feel happy you fucked up my mind?
You're going to pay this time

I'll take this time
To let out what's inside
Cause I will break
Sometimes I wish you'd die
Full of sorrow
You raped and stole my pride
And all this hate is bottled up inside
I'll take this time
To let out what's inside
Cause I will break
Sometimes I wish you'd die
Full of sorrow
You raped and stole my pride
And all this hate is bottled up inside

Thoughtless

Thumbing through the pages of my fantasies
Pushing all the mercy down, down, down
I wanna see you try to take a swing at me
Come on, gonna put you on the ground, ground, ground

Why are you trying to make fun of me?
You think it's funny?
What the fuck you think it's doing to me?
You take your turn lashing out at me
I want you crying with your dirty ass in front of me

All, all my hate cannot be bound
I will not be drowned by your thoughtless scheming
So you can try to tear me down
Beat me to the ground
I will see you screaming

Thumbing through the pages of my fantasies
I'm above you, smiling as you drown, drown, drown
I wanna kill and rape you the way you raped me
And, I'll pull the trigger
And you're down, down, down

Why are you trying to make fun of me?
You think it's funny?
What the fuck you think it's doing to me?
You take your turn lashing out at me
I want you crying with your dirty ass in front of me

All, all my hate cannot be bound
I will not be drowned by your thoughtless scheming
So you can try to tear me down
Beat me to the ground
I will see you screaming

All my friends are gone, they died (gonna take you down)
They all screamed, and cried (gonna take you down)

I never forget never forget I can't get no more....

All, all my hate cannot be bound
I will not be drowned by your thoughtless scheming
So you can try to tear me down
Beat me to the ground
I will see you screaming

All, all my hate cannot be bound
I will not be drowned by your thoughtless scheming
So you can try to tear me down
Beat me to the ground
I will see you screaming

Hating

My life is such a waste
Begging for something to work this time
But why can't I relate?
Feeling all I do is get what's mine
Holding on to faith
Never gave me nothing but despair
So why do I create just to be swallowed?

I can't take
We have a star
I can't take
We got our promises
Come what may
We are the stars
I can't wait
I'll take what's mine

Been hating all this time, before a crawled inside
Been hating all the faces of everything that I could find
Been hating all this time, too far to cross the line
Been hating all the faces of everything that I could find

I cannot leave this place
Burning up inside this space of mine
But why can't I replace feelings I find hard to really find?
I try but I can't taste
Memories they always fuck with me
So why do I create just to be swallowed?

I can't take
We have a star
I can't take
We got our promises
Come what may
We are the stars
I can't wait
I'll take what's mine

Been hating all this time, before a crawled inside
Been hating all the faces of everything that I could find
Been hating all this time, too far to cross the line
Been hating all the faces of everything that I could find

All my feelings have been eating all of me
Feeling tired
Is there something wrong with me?

I can't take
We have a star
I can't take
We got our promises
Come what may
We are the stars
I can't wait
I'll take what's mine

Been hating all this time, before a crawled inside
Been hating all the faces of everything that I could find
Been hating all this time, too far to cross the line
Been hating all the faces of everything that I could find

One More Time

Always it's coming
And here starts the game
Why can't this puzzle be solved?
Each time it happens it's always the same
I look down and it starts to fall

And all I see
It burns my eyes
Burning all inside

Caught in the corners of my mind
Beginning over one more time
Taking me over
Taking all that's mine
One more time

Always this teasing
Sometimes I lose faith
Where is my strength to hold on?
Facing existence
How can I relate?
Do I stand still or move on?

And all I see
It burns my eyes
Burning all inside

Caught in the corners of my mind
Beginning over one more time
Taking me over
Taking all that's mine
One more time

Falling through this space and time
Buried in this hurt of mine
Falling slowly like a dream
Falling through a world unseen
Why can I not break this spell?
I'm in darkness
Is this hell?
Falling towards this hole I see
This is how it has to be

Caught in the corners of my mind
Beginning over one more time
Taking me over
Taking all that's mine
One more time

One more time

Alone I Break

Pick me up
Been bleeding too long
Right here, right now
I'll stop it somehow

I will make it go away
Can't be here no more
Seems this is the only way
I will soon be gone
These feelings will be gone
These feelings will be gone

Now I see the times they changed
Leaving doesn't seem so strange
I am hoping I can find
Where to leave my hurt behind
All the shit I seem to take
All alone I seem to break
I have lived the best I can
Does this make me not a man?

Shut me off
I'm ready
Heart stops
I stand alone
Can't be on my own

I will make it go away
Can't be here no more
Seems this is the only way
I will soon be gone
These feelings will be gone
These feelings will be gone

Now I see the times they changed
Leaving doesn't seem so strange
I am hoping I can find
Where to leave my hurt behind
All the shit I seem to take
All alone I seem to break
I have lived the best I can
Does this make me not a man?

Am I going to leave this place?
What is it I'm running from?
Is there nothing more to come?
(am I gonna leave this place? )
Is it always black in space?
Am I going to take it's place?
Am I going to win this race?
(am I going to win this race? )
I guess god's up in this place
What is it that I've become?
Is there something more to come?
More to come...

Now I see the times they changed
Leaving doesn't seem so strange
I am hoping I can find
Where to leave my hurt behind
All the shit I seem to take
All alone I seem to break
I have lived the best I can
Does this make me not a man? (x2)

Embrace

Blood is boring
Sleep is boring
Don't stop running
I'm here coming

The lies, the hurt, the pain, the hate
The lies, the hurt, the pain, the hate
The lies, the hurt, the pain, the hate
Really can't fuck with
There's no where else to go

So I walk but seem to crawl
For I'm giving in today
Now I run into a wall
Cause I cannot find my way out

You've got to come with me
I cannot stand this place
Were crawling up the wall
And I'll give in this way
We had our chance to run
And now I can't believe
And now the plans embrace

My life, worry, lifless story
Give up beating
I'll stop beeling

The lies, the hurt, the pain, the hate(x3)
Really can't fuck wit me
Theres no where else to go

So I walk but seem to crawl
For I'm giving in today
Now I run into a wall
Cause I cannot find my way out

You've got to come with me
I cannot stand this place
Were crawling up the wall
And I'll give in this way
We had our chance to run
And now I can't believe
We're going all the way
And now the plans embrace

Embrace, in place, embrace, in place....

What really do I have to follow
Nothing makes sense at all
Taking something for nothing
Watch me as I fall

I'm bringing me down(5x)

You've got to come with me
I cannot stand this place
Were crawling up the wall
And I'll give in this way
We had our chance to run
And now I can't believe
Were going all the way
And now the plan's embrace

Beat It Upright

Are you ready for a good pounding baby? (get down)
Are you ready to get it on? (get down, get down)
Don't pretend you're not fucking freaky baby (get down)
I will spank that ass just for fun (get down on the ground)

Ass up high
Make a motherfucker cry
It's so good that I could die
Help me stay alive

The time is right
I want to feel it good tight
I'm down to do this all night
I'm gonna beat it up right

I'll behave
Oh my god
Make me beg
My god
Yes I'm ready for a good flogging baby (my God)
Come on beat my ass just for fun (get down, get down)
Don't let up till my ass is bleeding baby (get down)
Don't let up until you are done (get down, on the ground)

Ass up high
Make a motherfucker cry
It's so good that I could die
Help me stay alive

The time is right
I wanna feel it good tight
I'm down to do this all night
I'm gonna beat it up right

We're going on a ride
I'm gonna turn you inside out upside down
Don't try to run and hide
Yes it's true what they say about my kind

Are you ready for a good pounding baby? (get down)
Are you ready to get it on? (get down, get down)
Don't pretend you're not fucking freaky baby (get down)
I will spank that ass just for fun (get down, on the ground)

Ass up high
Make a motherfucker cry
It's so good that I could die
Help me stay alive

The time is right
I wanna feel it good tight
I'm down to do this all night
I'm gonna beat it up right

 Wake Up Hate

We got a fucked up reason to live
Who really gives a fuck?
We're gonna wake up hate
We're gonna fuck you up
I wanna break everything
I wanna make it sting
We're gonna wake up hate
We're gonna wake it up
You gotta get it straight
We're gonna give it up
We're gonna wake up hate
We're gonna fuck you up
I wanna break everything
I wanna make it sting
We're gonna wake up hate
We're gonna wake it up

I am the burden of my everything
And of it's scar
I'll be reborn in hatred
Feeling I can't love no more

I've had to suffer
I cannot wait for more
No loving and no praying
All my hate is for the taking

We got a fucked up reason to live
Who really gives a fuck?
We're gonna wake up hate
We're gonna fuck you up
I wanna break everything
I wanna make it sting
We're gonna wake up hate
We're gonna wake it up
You gotta get it straight
We're gonna give it up
We're gonna wake up hate
We're gonna fuck you up
I wanna break everything
I wanna make it sting
We're gonna wake up hate
We're gunna wake it up

I am the falling of my happiness
It is no more
Stop loving
I'm still hating
Till I can not hate no more

I've had to suffer
I cannot wait for more
No loving and no praying
All my hate is for the taking

I'm, I'm filthy
Wasted piece of shit
I am disgusting
Take me away

We got a fucked up reason to live
Who really gives a fuck?
We're gonna wake up hate
We're gonna fuck you up
I wanna break everything
I wanna make it sting
We're gonna wake up hate
We're gonna wake it up
You gotta get it straight
We're gonna give it up
We're gonna wake up hate
We're gonna fuck you up
I wanna break everything
I wanna make it sting
We're gonna wake up hate
We're gunna wake it up

I'm Hiding

Maybe I'm insane
Walking on a wire
Maybe I'm the same
Nothing to take me higher
Tell me where to start
Think I'm at the end
Right now feeling pain
Make it go away

Maybe I'm to blame
Maybe I'm a liar
Maybe we're the same
Nothing can top the fire
I can't feel my heart
But I feel the shame
Nothing left to say
Soon I'll fade away

These places all I ever think about is lost in time
These faces haunting me
I'm looking back and they are mine

I'm hiding from the things they say
Doing time been led astray
Thinking back to times of yesterday
I could die

I'm trying to find a better way
But I'm trapped
Can't get away
All I think is about yesterday
I could die

Maybe I'm insane
Walking on a wire
Maybe I'm the same
Nothing to take me higher
I can't feel my heart
But I feel the shame
Nothing left to say
Soon I'll fade away

These places all I ever think about is lost in time
These faces haunting me
I'm looking back and they are mine

I'm hiding from the things they say
Doing time been led astray
Thinking back to times of yesterday
I could die

I'm trying to find a better way
But I'm trapped
Can't get away
All I think is about yesterday
I could die

                    No One's There

You and me
We have no faces
Soon our lives they'll be erased
Do you think they will remember?
Or will we just be replaced
Oh I wish that I could see
How I wish that I could fly
All the things that hang above me
To a place where I can cry

So why can it be?
No one hears because
Echoes back at me
No one's there
To all these meaningless feelings
I can't deal with in my life
To all these greedy people
Trying to feed on what is mine
You've got to feel your hunger
And stop fucking with my mind
I know it's time to leave these places far behind

You and me
We have no faces
They don't see us anymore
Without love as they had promised
And no faith for what's in store
Oh I wish that I could see
How I wish that I could fly
All the things that hang above me
To a place where I can cry

So why can it be?
No one hears because
Echoes back at me
No one's there
To all these meaningless feelings
I can't deal with in my life
To all these greedy people
Trying to feed on what is mine
You've got to feel your hunger
And stop fucking with my mind
I know it's time to leave these places far behind

Where are all these feelings hiding?
Dancing in and out my mind
Burning up all that I long for
Feeding me till my decline
Where are you?
My soul is bleeding
I am searching
Am I blind?
All alone and bound forever
Trapped inside me for all time

To all these meaningless feelings
I can't deal with in my life
To all these greedy people
Trying to feed on what is mine
You've got to feel your hunger
And stop fucking with my mind
I know it's time to leave these places far behind