The next Korn album will take a while, says Brian ”Head” Welch

(Image credit: Travis Shinn)

Don’t hold your breath waiting for new Korn music.

In a new interview with the Everblack Podcast, the nu metal innovators’ guitarist Brian “Head” Welch says plenty of writing has been done for the followup for 2022’s Requiem, but that it’s still some time away.

“We got a lot of it [written],” Head says of album number 15 (via The PRP). “We’re still working. Dude, it’s a trip 30 years later, man, to try to keep doing it.”

Regarding a timeframe, the guitarist continues: “And we’re very happy with what we got, but it’s just gonna take a while. And I don’t know how long – maybe next summer, maybe next year, the next winter, I don’t know, but it’s not gonna be soon.”

Head doesn’t spill any detail on what Korn’s next album will sound like. However, back in March, he told WSOU 89.5 FM that fans should expect something super-heavy. He said, “We really want to dissect our sound and remember where we came from and how we did it back then,” before promising “a vintage Korn feel with a modern twist”.

He added: “I think it’s the best and heaviest Korn stuff in years. And I think it’s gonna be raw and just kind of more basic, as far as sound and recording and everything. I don’t wanna give it all away, but we’re just very, very pleased with where we’re at right now.”

As well as working on new music, Korn spent much of 2024 on the road, celebrating 30 years of their landmark debut album. They played their largest-ever UK show at Gunnersbury Park, London, in August.

The Californians will continue to tour heavily next year, having already announced a summer European run that includes bill-topping slots at Download festival in the UK and Hellfest in France.

On top of that, Korn will co-headline the mammoth Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on August 28 with fellow nu metal icons System Of A Down.

Korn’s next album will seemingly be their first without longtime bassist Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu. Though Arvizu recorded bass on Requiem, he took ongoing leave from the band’s lineup ahead of the album’s release, citing certain “bad habits”.

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Louder’s resident Gojira obsessive was still at uni when he joined the team in 2017. Since then, Matt’s become a regular in Metal Hammer and Prog, at his happiest when interviewing the most forward-thinking artists heavy music can muster. He’s got bylines in The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, NME and many others, too. When he’s not writing, you’ll probably find him skydiving, scuba diving or coasteering.