Korn: Life Is Peachy

For still more evidence that metal is alive and well, look at the inexplicable success of Korn: The band's new Life Is Peachy may show flourishes of hardcore and even rap (particularly on "Wicked"), but this is nothing but plain old, ham-fisted, butt-stupid heavy metal. And it's pretty awful stuff. Singer Jonathan Davis differentiates himself from his peers by growling, gasping, grunting and squawking his lines, but Korn's lyrics rarely run deeper than commentary about how much the band members enjoy having sex. (For a particularly puerile, junior-high example, witness the repellent "K@#%!") This is meatheaded, insulting crap, and it wouldn't even warrant review if Korn didn't enjoy a reputation as a semi-legitimate hardcore band. It isn't.