フォーマット |
CD |
---|---|
構成数 |
1 |
国内/輸入 |
輸入 (ヨーロッパ盤) |
パッケージ仕様 |
- |
発売日 |
2018年06月01日 |
---|---|
規格品番 |
1742401868 |
レーベル |
|
SKU |
817424018685 |
構成数 | 1枚
合計収録時間 | 00:50:18
Audio Mixer: Josh Wilbur. Photographer: Jonathan Weiner. In 2007, following the release of Korn's untitled eighth album, frontman Jonathan Davis ventured outside the band to take his tentative first steps as a solo artist. Along with the SFA ("Simply Fucking Amazings"), Davis embarked on a tour that resulted in a pair of live recordings, which comprised mostly Korn covers and Davis' soundtrack compositions. A decade and four Korn albums later, Davis finally delivered on the initial promise of that solo outing with his official debut, Black Labyrinth. Resurrecting early SFA songs like "Final Days," "Happiness," "Basic Needs," "Medicate," and "Gender," Davis and original SFA players -- Miles Mosley (bass), Zac Baird (keyboards), Shenkar (violin/vocals), and Korn drummer Ray Luzier -- join guests like Wes Borland (guitar) and songwriters Lauren Christy and Gary Clark, creating a palpable collaborative energy that results in a fresh enough perspective to distance this project from Korn. Of course, with Davis' unmistakable voice and dramatic lyrics, comparisons may come easy, as if the songs from Black Labyrinth were rare B-side oddities from scrapped Korn sessions. However, after hearing the tablas, duduk, and sitar that pop up throughout the album, listeners will recognize that Davis is attempting something spawned from his own realm. Journeying into that titular maze where his darkest thoughts and predilections lurk, the only thing scary about Black Labyrinth is that it abandons the lurching and muscular creep of Korn in favor of catchy pop hooks and instrumental surprises, and dabbles in post-punk, new wave, and world music. Kicking off with unexpected brightness, "Underneath My Skin" breezes forth on a propulsive new wave groove as Davis fights against the decay and rot within. Just as quickly, the riffs fall away to reveal Djivar Gasparyan's floating duduk melody on "Final Days." It's bold and weird, but utterly hypnotic. Elsewhere, Mike Dillon employs a tabla on "Basic Needs" and "Gender," the latter of which also features Davis on the sitar. Of the more familiar moments, "Everyone" and "Happiness" ride straightforward riffs that are buffered by apocalyptic production, while "Walk on By" churns with squiggly funk bass noodling. Additional highlights include the addictive "Your God" and the cavernously creepy "Medicate," both of which sound like Davis fronting late-era Nine Inch Nails. The one misstep on this otherwise engaging surprise is the deranged serial killer fantasy "Gender," which was allegedly inspired by Silence of the Lambs madman Buffalo Bill. As Davis sings "Can I wear your skin?/Can I have it now?" over those tablas and sitar, his love of horror and the grotesque still can't save this song from being uncomfortable and unpleasant. "Gender" aside, Black Labyrinth remains oddly delightful for those who, like Davis, have matured beyond "Freak on a Leash" and engage in music outside of the nu-metal genre. Tapping into the un-Korn, Davis flexes his creativity with this often indulgent but nonetheless interesting exercise. Emotionally effective but quite different from anything he's done prior, it's an endearing, rewarding peek into Davis' interests outside of his day job. ~ Neil Z. Yeung
-
1.[CD]
-
1.Underneath My Skin
-
2.Final Days
-
3.Everyone
-
4.Happiness
-
5.Your God
-
6.Walk On By
-
7.The Secret
-
8.Basic Needs
-
9.Medicate
-
10.Please Tell Me
-
11.What You Believe
-
12.Gender
-
13.What It Is
-
-
控えめに言ってもこれは傑作だ。一曲一曲の吸引力が半端じゃなく、全体としての完成度の高さも文句ナシ。ご存知コーンのフロントマンによる初のソロ・アルバムは、歌はもちろん、ギター、鍵盤、ヴァイオリン、シタール、プログラミングなどもみずから手掛け、マルチぶりを遺憾なく発揮。本隊でやっても違和感ゼロの"Everyone"みたいなヘヴィー・チューンもあるが、基本はエキゾティックな匂いを漂わせた神秘的かつ実験的な幽玄サウンドで勝負している。とはいえ難解な印象は皆無で、痛みや怒りから解き放たれたかの如き歌唱がとにかく絶品。なかでも中盤に配置された"The Secret""Basic Needs"での、ジワジワ沁みるメロディー展開と押し引きを弁えたアレンジには舌を巻く。
bounce (C)荒金良介タワーレコード (vol.416(2018年6月25日発行号)掲載)
欲しい物リストに追加
コレクションに追加