Korn is the debut studio album by Korn, released on October 11, 1994, through Immortal and Epic Records. Before recording the album, the band was approached by Immortal and Epic Records after a performance at Huntington Beach, California.
The band signed to their label because they did not want to “sign away all of their creative freedom”. The band would record at Indigo Ranch Studios in Malibu, California, with producer Ross Robinson, who also produced their 1993 demo Neidermayer’s Mind. The recording took place from May to June 1994. After the recordings, Korn toured with Biohazard and House of Pain.
The album’s themes include child abuse, drug abuse, and bullying. The album cover depicts a young girl being approached by a large man who is holding what appears to be horseshoes or possibly blades.
Furthermore, the girl’s shadow gives the appearance that her body is being hanged due to the position of the band’s logo. Photography was done by Stephen Stickler, and the design was directed by Jay Papke and Dante Ariola.
The first single, “Blind”, charted at number 15 on the Canadian Alternative 30, and the album peaked at number 10 in New Zealand as well as number 72 on the Billboard 200.
The debut album has sold at least 2.1 million copies in the United States and 10 million copies worldwide, according to Nielsen SoundScan as of January 4, 2013. The album is considered by many to have started the nu metal genre.
Korn toured with many bands to promote the album. Initially, Korn joined the Sick of It All Tour. Following the Sick of It All Tour, Korn joined the Danzig 4 Tour. Korn also toured with Megadeth, Fear Factory, and Flotsam and Jetsam.
Tracklist:
- Blind
- Ball Tongue
- Need To
- Clown
- Divine
- Faget
- Shoots and Ladders
- Predictable
- Fake
- Lies
- Helmet in the Bush
- Daddy
- Michael & Geri (hidden track)
Korn
Jonathan Davis: vocals, bagpipes
Head: guitar, background vocals
Munky: guitar
Fieldy: bass
David Silveria: drums
Additional personnel
Judith Kiener: vocals on the lullaby at the end of “Daddy”
Richard Kaplan: engineer
Chuck Johnson: engineer, mixing
Ross Robinson: producer, engineer, mixing
Eddy Schreyer: mastering
Stephen Stickler: photography
Jay Papke/Dante Ariola: art direction and design
