The Paradigm Shift
by Korn
  • Record Label: Caroline
  • Release Date: Oct 8, 2013
Metascore
65

Generally favorable reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
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  1. Uncut
    Oct 31, 2013
    60
    Essentially this is Korn returning to their familiar discomfort zone. [Dec 2013, p.70]
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  2. PopMatters
    Oct 25, 2013
    60
    This may not quite be KoRn’s best album ever, but The Paradigm Shift is KoRn’s best album since Untouchables and metal fans could do a lot worse than that.
  3. Rolling Stone
    Nov 4, 2013
    40
    "Never Never" is a power ballad, and "Love & Meth" is not as funny as one might hope, though the brilliantly titled "Paranoid and Aroused" is.

Awards & Rankings

83
#83 Most Discussed Album of 2013

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 78 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 60 out of 78
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 78
  3. Negative: 6 out of 78
  1. Gorlandi
    Nov 13, 2013
    7
    Unsure where the paradigm shift is. This album is essentially what you have come to expect from Korn. I would say that this album is maybe aUnsure where the paradigm shift is. This album is essentially what you have come to expect from Korn. I would say that this album is maybe a little lighter than their older stuff, but it is still better than their dubstep album.… Full Review »
  2. Jay_Pickens
    Jul 25, 2018
    3
    Head is back in the band! Isn't that great? No, it's not. People expected a lot from Korn when they announced that Head reunited with theHead is back in the band! Isn't that great? No, it's not. People expected a lot from Korn when they announced that Head reunited with the band. They deceived us by telling lies that "The Paradigm Shift" is going to be as heavy as Issues and Untouchables. "Paradigm" wasn't even in a hundred miles radius of these records. Let's talk about the creation process of the songs. When I've watched the "making of" of this record, I remember Head and Monkey saying that they would first come up with beginning of the songs and after a while they would go back to them and write more. And this is exactly one of the reasons why this album fails miserably at being a good piece of music. Almost every song starts great and heavy, you're getting pumped for what's to come and then... meh. They destroy their own songs with uninspired verses and sh**** choruses that remind me of pop music. The other problem is Jonathan vocals. Guess since "Korn III" he forgot who he was (pun intended) and started living in an alternate timeline where Korn music is pop rock, because he just won't stop singing like he's having a stroke... no emotions in his voice, it all sounds forced and bland. I literally cannot remember any line from the whole album, because it was so forgettable... on the other hand I can clearly remember lines from "The Path" and "Korn III"... on these records vocals were memorable and sometimes shocking! "The Paradigm S**t" sounds like an attempt to cash in on Heads reunion with the band by writing mediocre and repeatable tracks that you won't remember after you finish listening to them. Also I want to say that "Never Never" sounds like it belongs on "See You" and if you've read my See You review then you know that's bad... it's very bad. Now now, you might think I will just keep on pointing out bad things about this album, but there are some good things here. Nah, I'm joking the good things are only reserved for people that bought Japanese deluxe edition which has three bonus tracks: "Die Another Day", "Wish I Wasn't Born Today" and "Tell Me What You Want". These 3 songs are responsible for my rating 3/10, because they're the only good thing about this album. They're nice songs with a little experimental touch to them, I dig'em. Also after "The Paradigm S***" became a big success the band released a World Tour edition which includes two new tracks: "Hater" and "The Game Is Over"... these songs are as bad as "Never Never" and I won't even waste more time by talking about them. Really there's nothing much to say about this record. It's awful and it preys on fans selling false hope, that if Head's back in the band, then they're suddenly writing stuff like "Ball Tongue" and "Good God". Well they're not and this is the worst Korn album after "See You". Do not buy this nor waste your time by listening to it. Leave this album in the dark where it can rot. Pickens condemns!… Full Review »
  3. JaydenPickens
    Feb 20, 2019
    3
    Head is back in the band! Isn't that great? No, it's not. People expected a lot from Korn when they announced that Head reunited with theHead is back in the band! Isn't that great? No, it's not. People expected a lot from Korn when they announced that Head reunited with the band. They deceived us by telling lies that "The Paradigm Shift" is going to be as heavy as Issues and Untouchables. "Paradigm" wasn't even in a hundred miles radius of these records. Let's talk about the creation process of the songs. When I've watched the "making of" of this record, I remember Head and Monkey saying that they would first come up with beginning of the songs and after a while they would go back to them and write more. And this is exactly one of the reasons why this album fails miserably at being a good piece of music. Almost every song starts great and heavy, you're getting pumped for what's to come and then... meh. They destroy their own songs with uninspired verses and sh**** choruses that remind me of pop music. The other problem is Jonathan vocals. Guess since "Korn III" he forgot who he was (pun intended) and started living in an alternate timeline where Korn music is pop rock, because he just won't stop singing like he's having a stroke... no emotions in his voice, it all sounds forced and bland. I literally cannot remember any line from the whole album, because it was so forgettable... on the other hand I can clearly remember lines from "The Path" and "Korn III"... on these records vocals were memorable and sometimes shocking! "The Paradigm S**t" sounds like an attempt to cash in on Heads reunion with the band by writing mediocre and repeatable tracks that you won't remember after you finish listening to them. Also I want to say that "Never Never" sounds like it belongs on "See You" and if you've read my See You review then you know that's bad... it's very bad. Now now, you might think I will just keep on pointing out bad things about this album, but there are some good things here. Nah, I'm joking the good things are only reserved for people that bought Japanese deluxe edition which has three bonus tracks: "Die Another Day", "Wish I Wasn't Born Today" and "Tell Me What You Want". These 3 songs are responsible for my rating 3/10, because they're the only good thing about this album. They're nice songs with a little experimental touch to them, I dig'em. Also after "The Paradigm S***" became a big success the band released a World Tour edition which includes two new tracks: "Hater" and "The Game Is Over"... these songs are as bad as "Never Never" and I won't even waste more time by talking about them. Really there's nothing much to say about this record. It's awful and it preys on fans selling false hope, that if Head's back in the band, then they're suddenly writing stuff like "Ball Tongue" and "Good God". Well they're not and this is the worst Korn album after "See You". Do not buy this nor waste your time by listening to it. Leave this album in the dark where it can rot. Pickens condemns!… Full Review »
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