Korn in a cracked flashback

Is this it, then? Korn’s ‘Greatest Hits Vol. 1’ completes their contractual obligation to Sony’s label. And, if this is to put a fullstop on the band’s career - it would be so unfair. The simplest reason being - not the best compilation of the band‘s decade of music recording.

For a start, ‘Issues’ is represented with too many cuts to the expense of their genre-setting debut. ‘Issues’ was their most ambitious and well-selling album but ‘Korn’ paved the runaway for nu-metal; ‘Follow The Leader’, the album that broke them in the US, is represented with two songs, although there are two versions of ‘Freak On a Leash’, if that is an incentive to buy this.

The new tracks are supposed to be attraction for die-hards because it is doubtful this could appeal to new fans. The songs are covers - one brill, the other one not so. Cameo’s ‘Word Up’ is a gooden, Pink Floyd’s ’Another Brick In The Wall’ is a reach too far… Also, the album starts with new cuts and the rest feels like you are in a flashback!

Now, could there be a need to buy this half-assed compilation?

The simpler and better solution is to download [legally, of course] ‘Word Up’ and assemble the other tracks from own collection - alternatively download all favoured cuts - and burn the mutha yourself. Even if you do need to have ‘Another Brick’ - better Search the ‘Faculty’ soundtrack version: it was Alice In Chain’s Layne Staley’s last recording with Tom Morello [then of Rage Against The Machine/now AudioSlave member] on guitar. The original ain’t bad either, mush!

‘Vol. 1’ is a bit preposterous subtitle but the band never lacked on self-confidence that was misplaced sometime, erm - quite often…

Ten years ago Korn had a future… It feels like all adrenaline’s spent and their oeuvre being a mere one-volume ‘book’… Is this it, then?

5/10