:: Korn / Disturbed / Hatebreed / Ten Years - Vodafone Arena - April 2006

By: Melissa Buttigieg

Some have doubted the staying power of Korn, an American rock phenomenon whose work has spanned more than a decade. Some people say the band reached its peak when ‘Nu Metal’ was at its height, and they have a view that album number seven is lacking the lustre the band once had bursting from its seams, particularly with the recent departure of guitarist Head from the band. Amongst the array of old-skool fans sharing my preference for the band’s earlier catalogue to its more recent releases, I was hanging on the hope that watching Korn perform in the flesh would rekindle the flame that once burned so strong. It’s safe to assume the others shared my view and left feeling bruised and battered - yet satisfied.

Hand-picked by Korn frontman Jon Davis to play on the bill, Tennessee’s Ten Years set the pace with its melodic and echoed Tool-esque vocals, backed up by tight guitar riffs and accompanied by a slight Kornish twang. The performance was deep and intense, and these guys proved sure to leave an impression of serious musicians with a promising future.

Hatebreed was next to take the stage, picking up the pace in true metal form, with furious rock and breakdowns a-plenty. In true rock and roll style, the set wasn’t complete without a shout-out to the late Dimebag Darrell, acknowledging Pantera’s significance in helping create the metal movement back in the day. Hatebreed’s connection with the crowd was acknowledged when the audience obliged in crowd participation during the chorus of ‘Live For This’ singing back the words “live, live”. The high-powered set ended with the band’s most broadly recognised ‘I Will Be Heard’, arousing the crowd’s anticipation for the headlining acts.

The crowd became restless from the moment those right up front caught sight of Disturbed’s custom drum kit, sprawled with the ‘10,000 Fists’ artwork and the band’s trademark death face. The next half hour or so was like waiting for Christmas to come for thousands of Aussie metal fans. But the wait was well worth it, and Disturbed delivered one hell of a performance. All the greatest songs were taken from the three albums and brought to life on stage, including favourites: Liberate, Prayer, Mistress, The Game, Stupify, Droppin’ Plates’, Breathe’ and not forgetting the more recent offering, ‘Stricken’. David Draimane’s dark melodies didn’t falter, even when the microphone went dead mid-song due to a so called power blow-out. Once the problem was resolved, the showcase picked up where it left off and within seconds, the crowd were so immersed in Disturbed’s strong, belting tunes that the minor mishap was completely forgotten. Distrurbed is true testament that Metal is still alive and kicking today, particularly when those seated were demanded to get up, because, “We’re not playing sitting down”. The set ended with ‘Down With the Sickness’ and its widely recognisable cries - “Awahahaha!”

With the adrenaline oozing from the veins of thousands, and a majority nearing dehydration, Korn took to the stage to offer yet another taste of pure metal. Cramming a selection of their best tunes from their self-titled album to the current ‘See You On The Other Side’, not one favourite was left off, to the satisfaction of fans new and old. The one-and-a-half hour set even included a medley of greats intertwined together. And what Korn show would be complete without a glimpse of Jon Davis donning a kilt and bagpipes? It was obvious Korn settled the score with any fan led astray over the years, but one begins to wonder why they only pulled out two songs from the new album.