Korn’s Jonathan Davis: Sepultura ripped us off on Roots

Jonathan Davis has recalled thinking that Sepultura’s 1996 album Roots was a “blatant Korn rip-off.”

He says his younger self couldn’t get his head around Max Cavalera and co’s record at the time – but insists they were such an influence on him that he’s now come to terms with the album and that “it’s all good.”

When asked if he’s proud of the bands Korn have inspired in their 23-year career, Davis tells Metal Hammer: “Yeah. Slipknot were inspired by what we did, but they took it and did their own thing, which is fucking amazing.

“One that I thought was a big compliment, but I also thought was fucked up, was Sepultura’s Roots album. That was just a blatant Korn rip-off, and I had it out with producer Ross Robinson about that, because he just took our sound and gave it to Sepultura.

“My young brain couldn’t handle it. But they were one of our biggest influences, so I guess they get a pass. And that’s a classic album, so it’s all good.”

Korn guitarist James ‘Munky’ Shaffer adds: “Here’s the thing – that was us trying to imitate them! When Sepultura released Chaos A.D. in 1993, that was a huge influence on us, and it’s still one of my favourite records. Now I’m older, I can appreciate art inspiring art.”

The full interview with Korn features in the upcoming issue of Metal Hammer – out next week in print and via TeamRock+.

Earlier this week, Korn released an animated video for their track A Different World featuring Slipknot’s Corey Taylor on guest vocals. It’s lifted from Korn’s upcoming album The Serenity Of Suffering which will launch on October 21 via Roadrunner Records.

Korn are currently on tour across the US.

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Korn: The Serenity Of Suffering tracklist

1. Insane
2. Rotting In Vain
3. Black Is The Soul
4. The Hating
5. A Different World - featuring Corey Taylor
6. Take Me
7. Everything Falls Apart
8. Die Yet Another Night
9. When You’re Not There
10. Next In Line
11. Please Come For Me

Serenity and suffering: confronting Korn's dark past

Korn tour dates

Oct 07: Pelham Oak Mountain Amphitheater, AL
Oct 08: Southhaven Landers Center, MS
Oct 09: Biloxi Mississippi Coast Coliseum, MS
Oct 11: Tampa Mid Florida Credit Union Amphitheater, FL
Oct 12: Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, FL
Oct 13: Alpharetta Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, GA
Oct 15: Rogers Walmart Amphitheater, AR
Oct 16: Tulsa Bok Center, OK
Oct 19: Colorado Springs World Arena, CO
Oct 23: Sacramento Aftershock, CA
Dec 12: Manchester Arena, UK
Dec 14: Glasgow SSE Hydro, UK
Dec 15: Birmingham Barclaycard Arena, UK
Dec 16: London Wembley SSE Arena, UK
Dec 18: Cardiff Motorpoint Arena, UK
Dec 19: Nottingham Motorpoint Arena, UK
Mar 11: Zurich Event Park, Switzerland
Mar 12: Milan Alcatraz, Italy
Mar 15: Lisbon Campo Pequeno, Portugal
Mar 17: Madrid Barclaycard Center, Spain
Mar 18: Barcelona Sant Jordi Club, Spain
Mar 20: Paris Le Zenith, France
Mar 21: Antwerp Lotto Arena, Belgium
Mar 22: Tilburg 013 Poppodium, Netherlands
Mar 24: Stuttgart Hanns Martin Schleyer Halle, Germany
Mar 25: Dusseldorf Mitsuhbishi Electric Halle, Germany
Mar 27: Hamburg Alsterdorfer Sporthalle, Germany
Mar 28: Berlin Velodrom, Germany
Mar 30: Prague Forum Karlin, Czech Republic
Mar 31: Warsaw Torwar Hall, Poland
Apr 02: Munich Zenith, Germany
Apr 02: Vienna Gasometer, Austria

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