by Derek James

Created on: February 13, 2007   Last Updated: May 09, 2007

When people think nu-metal, they immediately think of Korn. This is easy to understand, seeing as how Korn basically pioneered the nu-metal movement along with other nu-metal acts such as Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park. With the release of their eponymous debut CD in 1994, Korn has maintained a strong following of fans who greatly relate to the lyrical, as well as musical, themes of anger and despair that Korn more than often creates. This album also helped define what is now termed "nu-metal". Utilizing a balanced mix of rap and rock, the genre quickly became one of the most popular types of music throughout the 90's. The lyrics were perhaps the most essential part of creating a nu-metal atmoshpehere. Typically dealing with angst and aggression, they played an important role in every song. To help accent the mood, the guitars were downtuned, and distorted to the point where the bass was almost inaudible outside of the blasting drum beats and aggressive tempos. This is everything Korn intended to be, and even after over a decade, they have kept this same refined style that has since led them to mainstream success.

After seeing now lead singer Jonathan Davis performing with his band SexArt at a local club, guitarists Brian Welch and James Schaffer immediately approached Jonathan after the show, and requested he join their band. After confronting a psychic, Davis decided to accept the offer. This would mark the period when Korn was fully formed. With David Silveira on drums, and Reginald Arvizu on bass, the line-up quickly gained recognition at local gigs and performances. With their unique style of music, and Davis' even more original style of singing, the band was on the path to stardom almost instantly. They released their demo, Neidermeyer's Mind, in 1993. This caught the attention of Ross Robinson, who for a long time was a driving force in the production of Korn. Shortly after this, Korn released their self-titled debut album to immediate success. With each release, Korn incorporated different elements, some heavy and some ambient, into every album. However, every album shared the same common substance: Korn. The albums reflect not only the band's musicianship, but the evolving of the band through each period of time. Even after nu-metal has died down, Korn has re-invented their style into that of a more alternative-based type, in order to stay alive in the increasing change of taste in today's popular music.

The greatest achievement of Korn is not the tens of millions of album sales, nor the energetic live performances, but the ability to connect with the people who faced the same hardships Jonathan did. Korn is an outlet for people who were bullied in high school, who never made the basketball team, and who was always the outcast. Korn will for a long time remain a staple in the music industry for being true to their roots, and never forgetting the struggles we face every single day.

Learn more about this author, Derek James.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.