Black Is the Soul

Last updated

"Black Is the Soul"
Single by Korn
from the album The Serenity of Suffering
ReleasedJune 7, 2017 (2017-06-07)
Recorded2016
Genre
Length4:01
Label Roadrunner
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Nick Raskulinecz
Korn singles chronology
"Take Me"
(2016)		"Black Is the Soul"
(2017)		"You'll Never Find Me"
(2019)

"Black Is the Soul" is a song by American nu metal band Korn. It was their third single off of their twelfth studio album The Serenity of Suffering . It peaked at number 10 on the Billboard US Mainstream Rock Songs chart in November 2017.

Contents

Background

On June 4, 2017, the band released a cryptic teaser video to social media about an upcoming single and music video by the band, with journalists noting that viewers were speculating it was in reference to the track "Black Is the Soul". [3] [4] The clip featured footage of the band, alongside a faceless woman. [5] This was confirmed three days later, when the music video was released and was announced as the third single from the band's twelfth album, The Serenity of Suffering . [6] [7] The video features alternating footage of the band performing and the faceless woman, wading through water and searching around numerous lifeless mannequins. [8] The woman searches through mannequin body parts in the water, and video culminates with body parts flying around and coming together to reform the woman's face. [9]

Themes and composition

Lyrically, frontman Jonathan Davis stated that the band is "being pulled away from the right path...and trying to navigate those conflicting emotions", something he said the music video was also trying to metaphorically illustrate. [10] The song was one of the first written for The Serenity of Suffering album, initially conceived under the working title of "Mary Ellen Thrash", after guitarist's Brian Welch's mother Mary Ellen due to it being written on her birthday. [10] The name was changed to "Black Is the Soul" later on, something Welch conceded was "creepy" to name a song that was about his own mother, but was kept due his strong feelings towards the song's line of "Black is the soul that's led astray". [10] [11]

The song was described as having the heavy, de-tuned guitar sound commonly found in nu metal. [1]

Reception

Loudwire named the song the 13th best hard rock song of 2017. [2]

Personnel

Charts

Chart (2017)Peak
position
US Rock Airplay ( Billboard ) [12] 34

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Staind</span> American rock band

Staind is an American rock band from Springfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. The original lineup consisted of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist and backing vocalist Johnny April, and drummer Jon Wysocki. The lineup has been stable outside of the 2011 departure of Wysocki, who was replaced by Sal Giancarelli. Staind has recorded and released eight studio albums: Tormented (1996), Dysfunction (1999), Break the Cycle (2001), 14 Shades of Grey (2003), Chapter V (2005), The Illusion of Progress (2008), Staind (2011), and Confessions of the Fallen (2023).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korn</span> American nu metal band

Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, originally formed in 1993 by James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu and David Silveria, who were members of the band L.A.P.D. Their current lineup features Shaffer (guitar), Arvizu (bass), Brian "Head" Welch (guitar), Jonathan Davis (vocals), and Ray Luzier (drums), the last of whom replaced Silveria in 2007. The band is notable for pioneering and popularizing the nu metal genre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan Davis</span> American singer (born 1971)

Jonathan Howsmon Davis, also known as JD, is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He is the lead vocalist and frontman of nu metal band Korn, which is considered a pioneering act of the nu metal genre. Davis's distinctive personality and Korn's music influenced a generation of musicians and performers who have come after them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Welch</span> American guitarist

Brian Philip Welch, also known by his stage name Head, is an American musician. He is a guitarist and founding member of the nu metal band Korn and his solo project Love and Death, where he also provides vocals. Along with fellow Korn guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer, Welch helped develop Korn's distinctive sound that defined the nu metal aesthetic beginning in the mid-'90s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">In This Moment</span> American rock band

In This Moment is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed by singer Maria Brink and guitarist Chris Howorth in 2005. They found drummer Jeff Fabb and started the band as Dying Star. Unhappy with their musical direction, they changed their name to In This Moment and gained two band members, guitarist Blake Bunzel and bassist Josh Newell. In 2005, bassist Newell left the band and was replaced by Jesse Landry.

"Faget" is a song by the American nu metal band Korn. It is the sixth track from the band's self-titled debut studio album. The song is about how Korn's lead vocalist, Jonathan Davis, was bullied in high school for being into arts, wearing eyeliner, being into new wave music, and wearing frilly shirts. According to Jonathan Davis, he was constantly called names such as "faggot".

September Mourning is an American alternative metal band that incorporates a transmedia dark culture project created by Emily Lazar and Marc Silvestri. The conceptual project was formed by frontwoman, vocalist, and screamer Emily Lazar in New York in 2009. The concept narrative created by Lazar and incorporated in the band and their performances, centers around the fictional story of a human-grim reaper hybrid named September, as she navigates the worlds of the living and the dead. The character's human-side possesses the empathy to give some human souls a second chance. The story is presented on different media platforms, including music, comic books, and live concerts. The comic books are published by Top Cow Productions Image Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love and Death (band)</span> American Christian metal band

Love and Death is an American Christian metal band formed by Korn guitarist Brian "Head" Welch. The group was officially announced in February 2012 as a re-branding of Welch's solo music project.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">10 Years (band)</span> American alternative metal band

10 Years is an American alternative metal band formed in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1999. The band consists of lead vocalist Jesse Hasek, lead guitarist Brian Vodinh, rhythm guitarist Matt Wantland, bassist Chad Grennor, and drummer Luke Narey. The group has gone through multiple line-up changes since their inception, with Vodinh and Wantland being the only remaining founding members. To date, they have released ten studio albums, their most recent being Deconstructed in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Never Never (Korn song)</span> 2013 single by Korn

"Never Never" is the lead single from American nu metal band Korn's eleventh studio album, The Paradigm Shift. The band's first single with cofounding guitarist Brian "Head" Welch since 2004, it became their first number one on the Mainstream Rock Songs chart.

<i>The Serenity of Suffering</i> 2016 studio album by Korn

The Serenity of Suffering is the twelfth studio album by American nu metal band Korn. It was released on October 21, 2016. According to guitarist Brian Welch, it is "heavier than anyone's heard us in a long time" and it contains their most intense vocals and music in recent times.

"Rotting in Vain" is a song by American nu metal band Korn. Written by the band and produced by Nick Raskulinecz, it was featured on the band's 2016 twelfth studio album The Serenity of Suffering. The song was also released as the lead single from the album on July 22, 2016, reaching number 4 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart and number 26 on the UK Rock & Metal Singles Chart. It was nominated for Best Metal Performance at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards.

"Insane" is a song by American nu metal band Korn. It was released as a promotional single from their twelfth studio album The Serenity of Suffering.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Killer's Confession</span> American alternative metal band

A Killer's Confession is an American alternative metal band from Cleveland, Ohio formed in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ded (band)</span> American nu metal band

Ded is an American nu metal band from Tempe, Arizona made up of members from Greeley Estates and Man Made Machine. The band released its debut track "FMFY" in December 2016 with production by John Feldmann. Ded followed up with its first radio single "Anti-Everything" on February 3, 2017 with an exclusive premiere on Sirius XM Octane.

"Take Me" is a single by American nu metal band Korn, from their studio album, The Serenity of Suffering. It peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in April 2017.

"You'll Never Find Me" is a song by American nu metal band Korn, released as the lead single from their thirteenth studio album The Nothing.

"Finally Free" is a song by American nu metal band Korn, released as the final single from their thirteenth studio album The Nothing.

<i>Requiem</i> (Korn album) 2022 studio album by Korn

Requiem is the fourteenth studio album by American nu metal band Korn. The album was released on February 4, 2022, through Loma Vista and Concord. It was produced by the band and Chris Collier.

"Start the Healing" is a song by American nu metal band Korn, released as the first single from their fourteenth studio album Requiem. The song topped Active Rock chart in mid-February.

References

  1. 1 2 "Korn's "Black Is the Soul" Video Is Creepy but Weirdly Pleasant". June 6, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  2. 1 2 "25 Best Hard Rock Songs of 2017". Loudwire. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Korn post cryptic teaser, sign to new management - Alternative Press". June 4, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Korn Share Cryptic Video Tease, Now Share Management With Deftones - Theprp.com". June 4, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Korn tease Black Is The Soul video" . Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Watch Korn's new "Black Is The Soul" music video - Alternative Press". June 6, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Korn release dark and creepy video for Black Is The Soul" . Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Korn: Go behind the scenes on Black Is The Soul video shoot" . Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Korn Unveil Creepy 'Black Is the Soul' Video". Loudwire. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  10. 1 2 3 "Watch KORN's Creepy Video For 'Black Is The Soul'". June 6, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Korn: Videoclip zu 'Black Is The Soul' veröffentlicht". June 7, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Korn Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.