Korn released The Paradigm Shift in the United States on October 8, 2013, through Prospect Park. Their 11th studio album was the first to feature guitarist Brian “Head” Welch since 2003’s Take a Look in the Mirror. His return restored the partnership with James “Munky” Shaffer, while lead single “Never Never” retained the electronic approach Korn had explored on The Path of Totality.
The reunion began with a guest appearance at Carolina Rebellion in 2012. Drummer Ray Luzier told Icon Vs. Icon that bassist Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu had encouraged Welch and Shaffer to reconnect backstage. Later, Welch joined Korn for “Blind,” using equipment the crew had prepared in case he agreed to play. No permanent return had been settled that night. A few months later, Shaffer invited him to join writing sessions in Bakersfield, and Welch eventually agreed to see how it felt.
Welch’s work outside Korn helped prepare him for those sessions. He told GRAMMY.com that producer Jasen Rauch had encouraged him to write on guitar again after he had been composing with synthesizers. Making the Love and Death album rebuilt his confidence as a guitarist, putting him in a better position to work with his old bandmates when the opportunity arrived.
Korn worked with producer Don Gilmore at Buck Owens’ studio in Bakersfield and NRG Recording Studios in Los Angeles. Luzier described a process that left room for songs to change: the band would write a few, take time away, then return to revise them. Gilmore helped decide which sections deserved to survive. Luzier recorded his drums at NRG, with most of the remaining recording taking place in Bakersfield.
The musicians initially developed material together before Davis joined them, giving the singer songs to work from. For Fieldy, Welch’s presence also meant revisiting a familiar bass sound. He told MusicRadar that Welch and Shaffer encouraged him to recover the distinctive tone he had sometimes struggled to preserve through the production process. His playing remained part of the rhythm conversation with Luzier: instead of always matching the kick drum, he described placing notes in its gaps.
One of Welch’s contributions had already been waiting for the right singer. “Love & Meth” began in Nashville in 2011 while he was writing for Love and Death, he told MusicRadar. He saved the rough recording because it did not suit his vocal range. Davis liked it when Welch played it for him, although Korn initially had more material than they needed. After working on songs that stretched beyond their usual approach, they returned to the heavier idea, and Gilmore worked with Davis on the vocal.
“Never Never” took a different route. Davis developed the song after Gilmore encouraged him to start working on an idea upstairs. Welch initially struggled to hear where his guitar would fit in the electronic arrangement. Davis kept pursuing it, and the band’s doubts eased once he and Gilmore developed the vocals.
Fieldy also accepted that the single might divide listeners expecting Welch’s return to mean a heavier first release. “We expect some people to hate that song but we needed to do it,” he told Ghost Cult.
In November 2013, “Never Never” became Korn’s first No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock airplay chart.
