Untitled Korn album

Infobox Album
Name =
Type = studio
Artist = Korn


Caption = Regular edition cover; art by Richard A. Kirk
Released = July 27, 2007
Recorded = October 2006–March 2007
Genre = Alternative metal
Length = 48:47 (regular edition)
53:16 ("Deluxe Edition")
Label = EMI, Virgin
Producer = Atticus Ross
Reviews =
* Allmusic rating|2|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:g9fpxzlgldke link]
* "Billboard" (favorable) [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/content_display/reviews/albums/e3i1b2430f5cff9133e25231344a31dbee1 link]
* BostonNow rating|4|5 [http://www.bostonnow.com/entertainment/music/2007/07/30/korn_thrives_as_a_trio_on_new_cd/ link]
* "Entertainment Weekly" rating|8.3|10 [http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/korn/untitled link]
* "The Gauntlet" rating|4|5 [http://www.thegauntlet.com/album-reviews/235/5408/Korn.html link]
* IGN rating|8|10 [http://music.ign.com/articles/808/808050p1.html link]
* "The New York Times" rating|7|10 [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30F12FC39550C708EDDAE0894DF404482 link]
* Rocklouder Rating|3|5 [http://www.rocklouder.co.uk/articles/3753/Korn---Untitled.html link]
* "Rolling Stone" rating|2.5|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/15639079/review/15668351/untitled link]
Last album = ""
(2007)
This album = Untitled album
(2007)
Next album = ""
(2008)
Misc = Singles
Name = noitalic|this album
Type = Studio
single 1 = Evolution
single 1 date = May 17, 2007
single 2 = Hold On
single 2 date = October 8, 2007
Single 3 = Kiss
Single 3 date = April 7, 2008 Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Type = Album


Lower caption = "Deluxe Edition"

The untitledcite web
title = Korn Cancels Hellfest Appearance
work = blabbermouth.net
date = 2007-06-22
url = http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=75348
accessdate = 2008-08-25] cite web
last = Erlewine
first = Stephen Thomas
title = Untitled > Review
publisher = Allmusic
url = http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:g9fpxzlgldke~T1
accessdate = 2008-08-25] eighth studio album by American rock band Korn was released on July 27, 2007, through Virgin Records. The standard edition holds 13 tracks, while the deluxe edition contains 14 tracks. The album was intentionally released without a title, as vocalist Jonathan Davis reasoned, "why not just let our fans call it whatever they wanna call it?" The album has been certified Gold in the U.S. [Cite web|url=http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH|title=Searchable Database|accessdate=2008-04-07|publisher=RIAA] Untitled has been marked by fans as the most dissapointing album ever recorded by Korn, and it was also Korn's worst selling and charting album they have released to date, with the album barely surpasing sales of 500,000 copies.

Background information

This album was the first without former drummer David Silveria, instead, Korn enlisted the help of Terry Bozzio, Brooks Wackerman, as well as Jonathan Davis for drumming. Also, the band recruited Zac Baird for keyboarding in this album. An MTV article published on May 17, 2007 includes an interview with Munky as he details the process of the new studio album, while also revealing several song titles. On May 28, vocalist Jonathan Davis joined Radio 3FM immediately after his performance at the Pinkpop Festival in Holland. He commented on the band's upcoming album, stating it "will not be titled." He elaborated, "We had the world's greatest drummer Terry Bozzio in and Brooks Wackerman from Bad Religion in and I played drums on some songs too. I'm so proud of it, we just can't wait to show people what we've done. Davis went on to say "We didn't want to label this album. It has no boundaries. It has no limits and why not just let our fans call it whatever they wanna call it?"

Terry Bozzio's contributions

After successfully recording six tracks with Bozzio, Zac Baird announced that Bozzio would not be touring with the band on the Family Values Tour 2007. Jonathan Davis claims "things just got weird [with Bozzio] ." Brooks Wackerman of Bad Religion was brought in to record some tracks, and even Jonathan Davis himself contributed, something not done since 1999's "Issues". Munky stated in an interview that Bozzio had imposed himself on the band. He mentioned that among other things, Bozzio had demanded to be a full member of the band while receiving 25% interest; the band felt that this was "offensive," therefore, Korn decided not to tour with Bozzio.

The Matrix's departure

When premiering the single "Evolution" on KROQ on May 16, 2007, guitarist Munky noted that the band re-recorded much of The Matrix's tracks with Atticus Ross because of the band being dissatisfied with how the material had turned out. This was later confirmed in a Reuters/Billboard article:

Musical style

"We always wanted the atmospheres, and to really go deep," guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer told Billboard. "It wasn't until this record that we really felt comfortable to do that. As records progress, the urge to do that becomes greater. We feel like we've finally solidified ourselves in the rock world, and wanted to take this one a little deeper into that direction. It's less pop, and it's more experimental." Munky said of the songs, "I don't want to say that it's heavy, because that pisses the other band members off. It's still the Korn sound, but it's also very atmospheric."

Release

The album was released through EMI/Virgin in various territories, starting on July 27, 2007. The band ventured on the trio's Family Values Tour 2007 several days prior to the release and toured in support of the new record. The deluxe edition contains the bonus 14th track "Sing Sorrow," a bonus DVD containing behind-the-scenes footage, hundreds of never-before seen photos of the band. The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200, a personal best since Untouchables. Despite debuting at #2 like "Untouchables," it sold nearly one fourth of the units in its first week. It also fell off the charts within twelve weeks and accumulating twenty weeks all together.

Release history

* July 27, 2007 – Germany
* July 30, 2007 – United Kingdom,Mexico
* July 31, 2007 – United States, Canada
* August 8, 2007 – Japan
* October 14, 2007 – Vietnam, Philippines, Singapore
* December 18, 2007 – United Arab Emirates

Critical reception

Critical response to the album has been mixed, with the most positive reviews coming from IGN, The Gauntlet, and Billboard. "IGN" noted that "There's an overall cohesion from start to finish, and repeated listens continue to reveal new and intriguing elements at every turn, which bodes well for the future", [ [http://music.ign.com/articles/808/808050p1.html IGN: Untitled Korn Album Review] ] while "The Gauntlet" wrote ""Untitled" is the most articulate recording the band has delivered to date." [ [http://www.thegauntlet.com/album-reviews/235/5408/Korn.html The Gauntlet: Korn Album Review] ] Entertainment Weekly also praised the album as being the band's best release "since 1999's 'Issues'". [ [http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/korn/untitled Korn: Untitled (2007): Reviews - Metacritic] ]

On the contrary, Allmusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted that the band is going through a "middle-age slump" and that the album "doesn't break them out of it." Rolling Stone asserted that Korn sounds "wounded and diminished," [ [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/15639079/review/15668351/untitled Untitled : Korn : Review : Rolling Stone] ] while Sputnik Music and PopMatters agreed, calling it "tired, bland and dated... merely going through the motions rather than creating honest music." [ [http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?reviewid=13029 Korn - Untitled Review - sputnikmusic] ]

The album's Metacritic score is 51, while the user's average score is 7.2/10. [ [http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/korn/untitled Korn: Untitled (2007): Reviews - Metacritic] ]

Track listing

tracklist
title1 = Intro
length1 = 1:57

title2 = Starting Over
length2 = 4:02

title3 = Bitch We Got a Problem
length3 = 3:23

title4 = Evolution
length4 = 3:38

title5 = Hold On
length5 = 3:06

title6 = Kiss
length6 = 4:10

title7 = Do What They Say
length7 = 4:17

title8 = Ever Be
length8 = 4:49

title9 = Love and Luxury
length9 = 3:01

title10 = Innocent Bystander
length10 = 3:28

title11 = Killing
length11 = 3:37

title12 = Hushabye
length12 = 3:53

title13 = I Will Protect You
length13 = 5:29

tracklist
headline = Bonus tracks

title14 = Sing Sorrow
note14 = "Deluxe Edition" only
length14 = 4:33

title15 = Overture or Obituary
note15 = iTunes pre-order only
length15 = 3:00

title16 = Haze
note16 = Australian "Special Edition" only
length16 = 2:48

; Bonus DVD
* Making of documentary
* Korn photo slideshow
* "Evolution" (video)
* "Hold On" (video)

Personnel

* Jonathan Davis – vocals, guitar, bagpipes, drums
* James "Munky" Shaffer – guitar, mandolin, lap steel guitar
* Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu – bass
* Terry Bozzio – drums
* Brooks Wackerman – drums
* Zac Baird – keyboards, organ, synthesizer, co-songwriter
* Atticus Ross – producer, mixing
* Jim Monti – recording, engineer
* Frank Filipetti – recording, engineer
* Doug Trantow – engineering, mixing
* Terry Date – mixing
* Alan Moulder – mixing
* Stephen Marcussen – mastering
* Stewart Whitmore – digital editing
* Leopold Ross – production assistant
* Jeffrey Kwatinetz – executive producer
* Richard Kirk – artwork
* Chapman Bachler - photography

Chart performance

Singles

References

External links

* [http://www.korn.com/site.php Korn's official website]