After receiving quite a bit of backlash for their last album, 2011’s The Path of Totality, nu metal forefathers Korn are back and fiercer than ever in their new offering, The Paradigm Shift, thanks in part to the return of and reconciliation with founder and original guitarist Brian “Head” Welch.           

The Paradigm Shift kicks off with “Prey for Me”, a crushing tune with a riff very reminiscent of the old-school Korn. The soaring melodies in the chorus and subtle incorporation of electronics help give the listener a taste of what the new album will sound like. “Love & Meth” continues this mood, before the song reaches its climax during the bridge. The second single is followed by “What We Do”, another track that boasts great layering, part of which is the return of the duel-guitar attack. “Spike in My Veins” has the most amount of electronics incorporated yet and probably on the entire record as well. Yet somehow it still sounds so metal. This is what The Path of Totality should have sounded like 2 years ago. “Mass Hysteria” may very well be the heaviest tune on the album, a song with a gut-splitting low but infectious riff. The breakdown leading up to and during the bridge is beyond intense. “Paranoid & Aroused” is a solid track. The problem is that the guitar line right before the chorus is the only part that really stands out. The second half of the album is fitfully led by the lead single, “Never Never”. This song was the first released with Brian “Head” Welch back in the fold; thus, many fans were disappointed when they heard a “poppy” song that is nothing like the older albums they always brag on. That being said, “Never Never” may be a little mellow in comparison with others on the record, but it packs its own punch with a sudden change-up of overwhelming melody. It’s undeniable that the beauty on “Never Never” cannot be paralleled on the rest of The Paradigm Shift. After “Never Never” is “Punishment Time”, which kicks back into the heaviness from before. What is lacking in “Punishment Time” is a strong hook; there’s not really anything about it that makes the listener want to keep going back. “Lullaby for a Sadist”, one of the slowest songs from the album, continues the flow of melody started from “Never Never”. Ironically, a slower track is followed by the fastest one in “Victimized”, a groovy banger with a trance-like drumbeat. The final tune is “It’s All Wrong”, another song that blends electronics with the classic Korn sound. Although nothing really makes the finale stand out from other songs on The Paradigm Shift, it still adequately fulfills the purpose as a closer.

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The Paradigm Shift certainly has a few tracks that are skip-worthy, but the majority of the record is stellar. As a whole, the band’s latest release is undoubtedly one of (if not the best) since 1999’s Issues.

Score: 4/5

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