Korn III:Remember Who You Are

It is surprising how much anger and anguish can be cut to tape; to the point where one doesn’t even sound human revealing that level of frustration. Not that I had heard it when it first came out, but it still sounds sirens.The sound got a facelift in 2005 to the dismay of many fans: A more positive tone, at times, with a more pop-music ideals. It was a good thing though because it must be demoralizing reliving those same torturous events and emotions over and over again when asked to play them live, and redundant to  continue that cycle with the following album; especially when the emotion was raw and real at the point of recording. The next album would be classified as “progressive Korn” with some of those same ideals, but that is not saying it isn’t a little twisted.  We can call it a recovery or even an evolution; which happened to be one of my favorite songs of that album.                                                                                                        Now we come this album which merges elements of their self-titled, and their Untitled (unofficially their second eponymous) which explains Korn III: Remember Who You Are.  The song that is most successful at merging that frustration and their more recent sound would be “Olidale (Leave Me Alone),” and the second single. The first track, “Uber-time,” was a just a prefix for what was to come. When most people are depressed they “Pop a Pill,” and this song addresses that tragic reality.  What seems like one of their weakest songs ends up sounding stronger after subsequent listens, and recalls the struggle that comes with fame; discovering who is real and who is fake in “Fear is a Place to Live.” Just because a lot of that negativity was purged for five records straight does not mean they have escaped without scars, but they did “Move On.” This song also addresses the struggle with fame; just read the lyrics, and again there is a high level of anguish that successfully merges both styles. If they had one song to help determine if they were capable to “Lead The Parade,” this would not be it; even if  they were “so happy, everything was wonderful” in a delirium-infused breakdown and a forty second sfx suffix after the 3:43 mark. The first verse is probably the strongest of the song that urges you to ‘Let The Guilt Go,’ and there is no guilt listening to this one either, even when they try too hard in sounding bombastic after the 1:30 mark. Remember that delirium I had mentioned earlier? This is brought on by self-loathing, reinforced by all the pointed fingers, and the fact that love is “Never Around.” In place is a visitor from the other side the other side of sanity. “Are You Ready To Live?” From the sound of it, Davis seems more like he’s ready to give up and die, but instead chooses an option similar to starting over in the breakdown. The guilt must have gotten to him because “truth is pain,” yet he is the one most affected by “Holding all These Lies.”  The first bonus track not only focuses on alienation, was inspiration for the subtitle, but also sounds like how someone would feel if they were “Trapped Underneath The Stairs.”  The closing verse is strong, but the final line is what hits hardest. I haven’t been called a “People Pleaser” by anyone, but I try to be, and it seems like this is recurring theme in this record; several songs before this one touched upon the subject as well, so maybe that is why it wasn’t on the traditional album, but it is worth at least one listen. I definitely have my favorites on this record, but I think it is best to listen to the album as a whole, after you listen to the first two aural adventures in this “trilogy.”