Full Breakdown
Korn's Lengthy Album Writing Process: 40 Songs, New Bassist, and a Return to Their Signature Sound
5/14/2026, 7:59:56 PM
The Ongoing Album Writing Process
Guitarist James “Munky” Shaffer said Korn has drafted roughly 40 songs for the upcoming record, repeatedly rewriting, discarding, and rebuilding them. He described the drawn-out timeline as a deliberate effort to keep the band’s heavy, guitar-driven, bass-heavy sound while adding fresh tonal colors and avoiding heavy electronics.
Recent Output and Touring Schedule
In April 2024 Korn released “Reward The Scars” for the *Diablo IV* expansion, their first new track since 2022’s *Requiem*, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hard Rock Albums with 23,000 units. After a post-COVID touring cycle that included support for 2019’s *The Nothing*, the band has balanced live shows with studio work, a method Shaffer likened to Metallica’s practice of writing while touring.
Personnel Dynamics
Current members are vocalist Jonathan Davis, guitarists James “Munky” Shaffer and Brian “Head” Welch, drummer Ray Luzier, and bassist Roberto “Ra” Díaz (joined 2021). Shaffer praised Díaz’s energy and his chemistry with Luzier, noting it’s the first record where they co-wrote rhythm parts. Original bassist Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu entered a hiatus in 2021; Shaffer said Fieldy is focusing on family and appears well.
Official Statements & Responses
Shaffer framed the songwriting as a meticulous effort to preserve Korn’s core heaviness while adding fresh tonal elements. He credited Díaz’s addition for energizing the rhythm section and highlighted Luzier’s collaboration with the new bassist. The band aims for the new material to “still sound like Korn” without “heavy electronics” or “far-out left-field” experimentation. Regarding Fieldy, Shaffer expressed respect for his need for a break and optimism about his well-being.
Outlook (What’s Next)
The forthcoming album will be Korn’s first full-length release with Ra Díaz on bass. Though no date is set, the band says the record will retain their signature heaviness with fresh tonal twists, and fans can expect additional singles before the album’s late-2024 launch.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It’s taking a fucking long time. We’ve gone through… I swear to God, we’ve written probably almost 40 songs, and gone through ’em, and rewrote ’em, and got rid of ’em, and tore ’em apart, and rebuilt ’em,” — James “Munky” Shaffer, Korn guitarist
- “It's taking a fucking long time. We've gone through... I swear to God, we've written probably almost 40 songs, and gone through 'em, and rewrote 'em, and got rid of 'em, and tore 'em apart, and rebuilt 'em. And it's been quite a long process because we're very critical about what we do now. We're very particular, because we wanna keep our original sound. You can't really get away from that — when we start playing, it sounds like KORN, especially with all five of us. And Ra [current KORN bassist Roberto Díaz] has actually been such a great addition to bringing a lot of energy in the rhythm section. And Ray [Luzier, KORN drummer] and him play really well together. And it's fun to watch those guys work out parts, because they do some stuff that I wouldn't think of. That's been a big part of this writing process, is those two working together, because they've never worked together on a record. Obviously, they've worked together on the older songs and stuff. But I think that working on the older songs, those two, learning the rhythm parts, has really given some insight to what is on the back catalog, and they've brought a similar vibe into the newer stuff that we've written, and that is exciting.” — James “Munky” Shaffer
- “You wanna add some flavor, add some color, add something new so it feels fresh, so the listeners still get a classic sound, but with fresh takes on things.” — James “Munky” Shaffer
- “there’s no heavy electronics, you’re not gonna get anything too far out of left field.” — James “Munky” Shaffer
