I imagine Jonathan Davis coming up with the title to their new song like this; "Okay... 'the Scars' for sure... need another word... 'Hate the Scars'? I had to have used that already... 'Hurt the Scars'? Not bad... 'Peel the Scars'? Kinda gross... 'Reward the Scars'?? JDevil you've done it again."
So, if you're looking for some lyrical variance from the Book of Davis keep it moving. In fact, when Davis claims, direct quote, "You can't break these songs of hate" I have to imagine we're not getting ditties about, like, bicycle races or yellow submarines anytime soon. It is for a Diablo IV expansion called 'Lord of Hatred' after all this probably wouldn't have been the time for that. Instead, it happens to be, by a significant margin, the best Jonathan Davis written song to be video game related ever by simply being a great Korn song. It has two "go" breakdowns, that's one more than one thumbs up from me.
Instead of pointing out how typical this is for Korn songs let me posit something else: no band has ever sounded like this and we are privileged to be getting more of them. If you're doing a marathon run of the Korn discography, this is for sure another Korn song. But taken out of that context who else is doing it like them at this level? Jonathan Davis continues to be one of the most remarkably distinctive vocalists in music history. From scatting to singing, he retains a tone and timbre all his own and he has preserved it far better than, say, Axl Rose has. The (blessedly COVID free) bass rattles like the strings are about to fall off it, the guitars are mudslides of noise and, even if I do on occasion miss David Silveria's unhinged groove, I think it's time to give drummer Ray Luzier his props as a grounding presence for this iteration of the band and appreciate the way his terra firma technique makes order out of the Kaos.
Every member of this band is 55 years old (what are the odds of that??) and operating in a genre that demands they continue to make and play the music they were more physically capable of making and playing 30 years ago. Jonathan Davis spent dozens of tours, years of his life, singing like this. The fact he can still speak is incredible, that he can perform it all is a miracle. They won't be here to stay forever, while they are I'm thrilled to be here with them.
