Review of the major albums by Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Slipknot – bands that broke the boundaries between rock and hip-hop and turned from informal idols into titled and world-famous artists
What is nu-metal? Is it the heir genre of grunge and alternative metal, befriended rockers and rappers, and spawned new icons of the scene? Or a commercial product doomed to oblivion because of the stingy set of images? Would it only be used to attract goth girls on Ukrainian dating sites? Anyway, the truth is always somewhere in the middle – the genre developed rapidly, which sometimes made it a cutting-edge trend, and sometimes it started to look more like a set of clichés and anachronisms of rock music.
Today nu-metal is experiencing a new wave of popularity. Artists of different styles and directions, from alt-rock scene heroes, Bring Me The Horizon to singer and style icon Poppy, are increasingly turning to it.
Korn
“Korn (1994).
The bleakly dark and evil debut album by the nu-metal pioneers, inspired by Stephen King’s short story “Children of the Corn”. Musically, the record gravitates toward the psychedelic sound of the alt-rockers Tool. Still, already on their debut single, Korn realized several original and even radical ideas. For example, before Jonathan Davies and company, nobody used bagpipes in heavy guitar music – the solo on this instrument is heard in the introduction of the song “Shoots and Ladders”.
“Follow the Leader (1998)
The album was a commercial breakthrough for Korn, propelling the band into mainstream music. “Follow the Leader” differs from the band’s earlier recordings in both sound quality and the amount of work done on the songwriting and writing of the arrangements. In contrast to Korn’s debut record, the production of the band’s third longplay clearly gravitates toward hip-hop, which is especially audible in the track “Children of the Korn”.
“Untouchables” (2002)
The heaviest-sounding album by nu-metalheads. The record attracts by the unusual combination of melodicism and monotonous overloaded guitar parts. So, in the opening track, “Here to Stay” all the space of the mix is occupied by guitars, causing a paranoid feeling of cramped space. At the same time, the track itself, thanks to the simple and catchy riff, sounds like a stadium rock anthem.
Limp Bizkit
“Three Dollar Bill, Y’all$” (1997)
The debut LP of the first metal band whose lead singer performed in the baggy pants of a typical rap artist. Early in their career, Limp Bizkit had already established themselves as innovators, crossing the recitative delivery of lyrics with the legacy of the bands Mr. Bungle and Ministry. Their colleagues, such as heavy metal band Korn and melodic Deftones, also influenced the music of nu-metal bands.
Unlike these pioneers of the genre, Limp Bizkit members worked more down-to-earth and straightforwardly. By blending the opposing subcultural aesthetics of rock and hip-hop, the artists achieved the ultimate in concert heavy music. The same was true of the lyrics – Limp Bizkit vocalist Fred Durst, on the band’s first album, preferred self-reflection to be brisk and ironic attacks on fellow musicians and the industry.
“Significant Other” (1999)
Reproduction of Limp Bizkit as a distinctive nu-metal band. On this record, you can hear the signature tracks of Durst and company – the hardcore rap-infused composition “Nookie” and the perfect stadium hit “Break Stuff”. On “Significant Other” Limp Bizkit didn’t hide their sympathy for the hip-hop scene, and one of the guest stars on the single was a member of Wu-Tang Clan Method Man.
Slipknot
“Slipknot” (1999)
The first album by the most brutal nu-metal band. Unlike other artists of the genre, the members of Slipknot were mainly inspired by the alternative scene, namely, thrash metal and industrial. The influence of the latter is indicated by unusual homemade percussion instruments, including a percussion kit assembled from trash cans.
Initially, Slipknot leader Corey Taylor and other band members relied on speed and fury in performance, as well as solid performances and the unusual appearance of musicians. All this still sets the band apart from other representatives of the metal scene.
“Iowa” (2001)
The darkest album of Slipknot’s career, inspired by Iowa, the home state of the band members. In its mood, the record reminds the early works of Korn, but musically it reminds the records of groove metalheads Pantera from the time of “Vulgar Display Of Power”. Already on “Iowa” the heavy rhythmic stride and anxious poetry of Corey Taylor began to prevail over the frenetic aggression of the debut full-length.