Korn Have Nearly 40 Songs Written For Their Next Album As Munky Opens Up On Fieldy’s Exit

Korn are sitting on a mountain of unreleased material for their next album, with guitarist James ‘Munky’ Shaffer revealing the band have written ‘probably almost 40 songs’ while grinding through an unusually long and meticulous recording process.

Speaking with Rolling Stone Brasil, Munky explained that the nu metal pioneers have spent the last few years tearing songs apart and rebuilding them from scratch rather than rushing out a follow up to 2022’s ‘Requiem’.

“It’s taking a f**king long time,” he admitted. “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.”

For a band more than three decades deep into its career, Korn seem unusually determined not to coast on nostalgia. According to Munky, the goal isn’t reinvention for the sake of it, but finding ways to evolve without losing the suffocating groove and grime that made the band untouchable in the first place.

“It still sounds like Korn, for sure,” he said. “There’s no heavy electronics, you’re not gonna get anything too far out of left field. It’s still very guitar driven and bass heavy.”

A major part of that process has involved bassist Ra Díaz and drummer Ray Luzier working together creatively for the first time on a Korn record, Munky described the pair as bringing fresh energy into the rhythm section, particularly after years of touring together (per The PRP).

Fieldy’s exit

The interview also saw Munky address former bassist Reginald ‘Fieldy’ Arvizu’s ongoing hiatus from the band, admitting things had become difficult before his 2021 departure.

“On the last couple of records, he kind of checked out,” Munky said. “Trying to get him engaged was a little bit difficult.”

Still, he stressed there’s no bitterness within the band, describing Fieldy as “our brother” and saying the group ultimately wanted him to focus on his health and happiness.

Fieldy later cited the COVID pandemic and his refusal to get vaccinated as major factors behind stepping away from Korn, he has since referred to himself as retired from the band.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Davis has already begun hyping the new material, calling it “the best music in our lives right now.”

That’s a massive statement from a band whose entire catalogue helped reshape heavy music, whether Korn can still push nu metal forward in 2026 (2027?) remains to be seen, but they clearly aren’t interested in becoming a legacy act just yet and I for one am all for it.

Follow me for more on the Australian and US Metal Scene: