Review: Jonathan Davis- Labrynth

Korn frontman Jonathan Davis has been mulling over a solo release for some time but hasn’t been able to make it a reality until now. He has just released his first solo album entitled Black Labyrinth and I have to say that it is a pretty damn good release and the more I listen to it, the more I like it. So let’s break it down track by track. “Underneath My Skin” – There are twists and turns where you hear his Korn days, but he finds a way to make it all his own. “Final Days” – The vocal lines are like Korn but, there is a Middle Eastern tone to the music that takes you on a journey into the unknown. “Everyone” – This is straight up Korn no buts about it. It’s very powerful lyrically with a very disturbing video that goes with it. “Happiness” – This one features the frontman trying something a little bit different musically with excellent results. “Your God” – This one is very different from his day job in Korn. The chorus would have made a great addition to MTV’s 120 minutes. “Walk On By” – Another one that is not too far removed from his day job in Korn. “The Secret” – A great song from beginning to the end. Kudos on this one. His vocals make the song uniquely his. “Basic Needs” – Fan fucking tastic song. Absolutely great Middle Eastern power ballad. Wow, I didn’t expect that at all. “Medicate” – Sonically this one is totally different, but the powerful lyric content make it worth a listen. “Please Tell Me” – Musically this one sounds a lot like Linkin Park but, it’s the chorus to this mind trip that gets you. “What You Believe” – This one takes a little while to get going but, when it does it is so damn good and it sounds like a long lost Nine Inch Nails song. “Gender” – Unfortunately this one is a swing and a miss. “What It Is” – Another absolutely perfect power ballad with another video that will stick in your head for days. Here’s the bottom line- This is a solid release from a killer frontman. It might take a couple of listens to really sink in, but it’s so worth it. Very curious to see what he records next. Rating: 8 out of 10. -Eric Hunker