MUNKY Credits Producer NICK RASKULINECZ For Getting KORN To Focus On 'What We're Good At'

KORN guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer spoke to The Telegraph about the band's new album, "The Serenity Of Suffering", set for release in October.

"It's more about the songs and kind of stripped down," he said. "I think it definitely had us thinking more about keeping some of these elements that we used to do and how fans reacted to our first album. There's heavy guitar riffs and certain elements we used to do that we want fans to hear, bringing those back into the forefront."

He continued: "We stayed away from some of the quick-track tempos. The tempos are kind of fluctuating throughout the songs; there's a more organic feel. We sonically created something a little more low and heavy with organic instruments. There's some electronic stuff in there, but not as predominant in the mix."

"The Serenity Of Suffering" marks KORN's first collaboration with Grammy-winning producer Nick Raskulinecz, who has previously worked with FOO FIGHTERS, DEFTONES, MASTODON and RUSH, among others.

"It's got a more intense vibe because we recorded in Bakersfield and our Nashville producer's studio," Munky said. "Nick's really a great guy and super passionate about the band and the project, on board a hundred percent from the beginning."

He added: "Metal has gone through an evolution. We went down that road a few years ago, but think with Nick being a producer and a fan, he focused on what we're good at and steered the ship back onto that course, like, the scat Jonathan [Davis, vocals] does, he does that heavy-metal scat. Nick just encouraged all that."

The follow-up to 2013's "The Paradigm Shift", "The Serenity Of Suffering" features a guest appearance by SLIPKNOT frontman Corey Taylor on the song "A Different World".

KORN last month premiered the video for the song "Rotting In Vain", starring Tommy Flanagan of "Sons Of Anarchy" and "Gladiator" fame.

KORN's tour with ROB ZOMBIE, "Return Of The Dreads", kicked off July 19 in Englewood, Colorado, and will wind down on September 3 in Bristow, Virginia. The band will hit the road again with BREAKING BENJAMIN on September 24 in Fargo, North Dakota, for the "Nocturnal Underground" tour.

Photo credit: Dean Karr