Review Summary: Korn has come to a fork in the road, and a difficult decision had to be made. I guess Korn just felt they HAD to do this. Oh well, I guess there's always a second chance for these guys. Next time? Maybe?
What is going on? Has the nu-metal industry been pushed so far back, that they have to tap into other genres of music? "The Path of Totality" answers this question. In all honesty, it was more or less a guilty pleasure for me, enjoying, and sometimes preaching post Korn as being practically gospel. From 2005 and up, they have slipped further and further down the line until they have become the very thing they said they wouldn't be back in 1994. At first glance, and taking note that I have always loved Korn, I automatically liked this piece. But after taking a step back, and having a good look at what was really happening, I only now realize the mistakes that I’ve made. Allowing my interest in post modern Korn to carry over in this new generation they have attained was not the real error, but not noticing how they were demoralizing themselves with false concepts of the reality that they are simply too old to be doing this same thing again. But even still, not even that was the big problem. Now it's just a matter of them claiming to know everything that they like to explore. Not since TALITM has Korn ever stuck with one particular style of music, they have explored, tested, experimented, and pretty much missed every time. But now, now they have simply gone too far.
Korn has now been about reduced to the dust that they used to start up their first record, and while they're still going along with the simple and boring plan, it doesn’t compare to the audacity they have to meddle in with the dubstep business.
Korn has never had any real skill, but in the past they were able to make up for that with good lyrics, and dark instrumentals that didn't require much skill. Now, they are doing the same thing I have a problem with, with just about all musicians, they are being fake. This album just doesn't them justice. They have become everything they were against in their debut, falsehoods, dishonesty, and hypocrites. This is apparent in every sound they compile with the god awful Skrillex. The both of them combined, along with other artists that have found their way into this album, have only put together unskilled compilations of noise. Average beats, along with unsteadying thunderous effects, and bad distortions on the guitar are no way for Korn to make up for what they did with "Untitled". The only real difference is it’s less atmospheric, and more revved up inconsistency.
The harmonies in all reality are the only thing really that resurrect this record. Jonathan may STILL be going on about depression, and the dead elements of angst, but his voice still does well in blocking out the rest of those bad distortions we hear. Unfortunately, this isn’t enough justification for the rest of this work. However, while the catches in this album are few and far between, there are still enough real concepts in this album that can almost justify the way of Korn's thinking. But most of that concept that would've done great in just another one of Korn's walks down memory lane is just outdone with poor sound that is too loud to deal with.
Korn was making a real comeback with "Korn III"; the resurrecting of their old sound that got them all their fans was being seen again. It was exciting, almost exhilarating. But just as easily as they came, they went right back to their old mistakes. If Korn isn’t finished off with this record, being their 4th 'meh' to 'poor' album, I don’t know what will. If this is going to be the end of Korn, (I rather doubt it) then at least they could've exemplified a proper outing, instead of repetitive, uninspired, dead lyrics, and ruining instrumentals. Not to mention the artists featured on this album aren’t making it any better for them.
So, to conclude, I’d like to say that I’m still a diehard Korn fan, and will always be, and I can say without a doubt I will be getting this next week, and probably never stop listening to it for a while. But I cannot say that I’m going to respect Korn as the same people that they were when I found them. This record has shown that Korn has become even more boring. But, even though the dubstep genre just took a stab in the back with this, if nothing else, it at least gives something new to the Korn image. It just would've been better if the members had tried sticking to the pole they were starting to climb again, instead of calling onto other hypocrites to assist them in the making of this album.
