There was a moment in music history where Korn owned the MTV airwaves alongside fellow nu-metal compatriots Limp Bizkit. So it only makes sense that Korn’s breakout album Follow The Leader (which celebrated its 25th anniversary last month) would feature none other than the red backwards hat wearing Fred Durst on “All In The Family”, an incredibly juvenile song that serves as sort of a trading the dozens battle rap between the two lead singers. This song summarizes the nu-metal scene quite succinctly– shock artistry heavy on the shock and light on the art, purposefully over the top to elicit a response. It’s basically the sonic equivalent of Jake Paul and Logan Paul two decades before they rose to prominence.
But make no mistake, Korn’s Follow The Leader was everywhere in the late 90’s. It was certified five times platinum and its two lead singles “Freak On a Leash” and “Got The Life” earned the notable distinction of being retired from MTV’s Total Request Live after they were played so continuously on the show. Those songs along with “B.B.K.” are the standouts on an album that is noisy, dark, and filled with nightmarish subject matter. It’s not for the faint of heart. Considering the lyrical content and the iconic album cover, get the feeling listening to it that lead singer Jonathan Davis was still working through some trauma from his childhood that he hadn’t quite fully processed. His pain and depression comes through clearly.
Standout Songs: “Freak On a Leash”, “B.B.K.”, “Got The Life”
