Review: Energetic nü metal pioneers Korn sound better than ever at Spokane Arena

Korn, Breaking Benjamin and Bones U.K. played to a sizable crowd at the Spokane Arena on Wednesday night. About two-thirds of the venue’s seats were filled, and eager fans on the ground floor packed together like sardines.

Like any energetic rock concert, as the night progressed the air became increasingly thick with the smell of sweat as bodies swayed and bounced to hard-hitting grooves and the wailing of distorted guitars. The trio of bands was as different as they are similar, creating a notable shift in energy with each set.

Bones U.K.

Bones U.K. opened the night with a quick and energetic six-song set. The British female rock duo was joined by drummer Heavy, who acted as glue between the two performers. The duo played eclectic guitar riffs and took turns singing their lyrics of spontaneity and self-acceptance while Heavy rounded out their sound with a hybrid drum kit holding down the groove and triggering electronic samples.

Lead vocalist Rosie Bones paused midset to condemn what she called the “beauty industrial complex,” proclaiming “beautiful is boring” before Bones U.K. kicked off their encore with the bouncy and infectious Grammy-nominated “Pretty Waste.” Before exiting the stage, Bones informed the crowd they had “just been boned.”

Breaking Benjamin

Co-headliner Breaking Benjamin’s sound is best described as “massive.” Following the band’s 2010-2013 hiatus, lead songwriter and founder Benjamin Burnley reformed and expanded the band in 2014 as a quintet with a consistent, hand-picked lineup for the first time – and their performance Wednesday night proved the band is at its strongest.

The addition of lead guitarist Jasen Rauch and backing vocals provided by rhythm guitarist Keith Wallen and bassist Aaron Bruch rounds out Breaking Benjamin’s rich, densely layered tunes. The three-guitar attack made for crushing riffs and sweeping choruses with three-part harmonies making their anthemic lyrics more infectious than ever.

During the set, Burnley descended from the stage to the ground to sing to the crowd with only barriers between him and fans. In terms of spectacle, it wasn’t quite crowd-surfing, but given Burnley has many phobias – including hypochondria – it makes for a suitable replacement.

The alternative metal band’s 50-minute set contained crowd-pleasers like “So Cold” and “Blow Me Away,” showcasing their ability to transfer seamlessly from crunchy riffage with shouted vocals to poignant melodies with soaring choruses. Toward the end of their performance, Burnley said, “There would be no Breaking Benjamin without Korn. They had a big influence on how I write, and it’s been an honor to tour with our idols.”

Korn

Korn’s performance on Wednesday night proved that while the band might struggle to release new music as ubiquitous as their hits from the late 1990s and early aughts, their live prowess appears to age like fine wine.

With more than 170 songs in their repertoire, the nü metal pioneers must skip over the vast majority of their material – this time around, they performed three songs from their new album “The Nothing” but otherwise stuck entirely to pre-2006 material, with a particular emphasis placed on their debut record.

Despite the age of these songs, Korn sounds better than ever live. It’s no secret that many singers who use aggressive vocals run the risk of straining their vocal cords to the point of noticeable damage, yet the band’s rigorous 25-year career has not slowed singer Jonathan Davis. He jumped effortlessly from the low growls of “Somebody Someone” to the high-pitched croons of “Coming Undone.”

In 1995, Korn was mocked for bringing out bagpipes to perform “Shoots and Ladders” while opening for Megadeth. On Wednesday, they played the same song halfway through before transitioning into “One” by Metallica to overwhelming applause.

Genre elitism in music will never disappear entirely, but times have certainly changed. Korn’s energetic and flawless performance at the Spokane Arena made it evident why they have the privilege of headlining rock and metal festivals internationally to this day.

The 70-minute set climaxed with an encore mashup of “4U,” “Coming Undone” and “Falling Away From Me.” As the band entered their final chorus, streamers shot upward nearly to the ceiling before descending upon the energetic crowd below.

After the show’s conclusion, guitarist Brian “Head” Welch grabbed the microphone and said, “Spokane is very precious to me – my grandparents lived and died here. Thank you, goodnight!”

Korn returns to Washington on Aug. 11 at White River Amphitheatre in Auburn along with co-headliner Faith No More and guests Scars on Broadway and Spotlights.