November 28, 1999
ISSUES
By DAVE VEITCH

ISSUES
Korn
(EPIC/IMMORTAL - 7464-63710-2)

Korn frontman Jonathan Davis has issues all right: He still hates himself, he still hates others, he's still crippled by paranoia and every day is a suburban nightmare more harrowing than the one he just endured.

Yup, the poor lad makes a classic-rock miserablist like Roger Waters seem as tormented as a Teletubby. This is, strangely enough, good news for that segment of the record buying public who can't get enough of such gut-spilling, edge-of-suicide anguish, a commodity that Korn's fourth album has in abundance.

As unpleasant as Davis' subject matter is -- and it's delivered in a series of screams, mumbles and seething croons -- his band makes an equally grisly, wildly dynamic din built from bludgeoning Black Sabbath-style guitar riffs, eerie electronics and, on the opening cut, funereal bagpipes.

Undeniably visceral; still, one can't help but think it takes a certain personality type to appreciate this kind of stuff.

Track Listing 1. Dead
2. Falling Away From Me
3. Trash
4. U
5. Beg For Me
6. Make Me Bad
7. It's Gonna Go Away
8. Wake Up
9. Am I Going Crazy
10. Hey Daddy
11. Somebody Someone
12. No Way
13. Let's Get This Party Started
14. Wish You Could Be Me
15. Counting
16. Dirty
Total Time: 53:18

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