Korn debuts new song ‘Reward the Scars’ at Sick New World

Korn closed out the Green Stage at Sick New World, delivering a set that balanced fan favourites with a glimpse at the band’s next chapter.

The Bakersfield, Calif., group opened with its signature “Blind,” with frontman Jonathan Davis calling out to the crowd: “Are you ready?” — a moment that set the tone for a high-energy performance.

“Sick New World make some mother fucking noise. C’mon Vegas let me see those fuckin’ hands,” Davis told the audience early in the set.

Driven by duelling guitars, heavy bass and thunderous drums, the band moved through its catalogue while leaning into its trademark live intensity. Davis, dressed in his familiar kilt, also brought out the bagpipes during “Shoots and Ladders,” a staple of the band’s live show.

A major highlight came with the live debut of “Reward the Scars,” the band’s first new music in more than four years.

“I know it has been a long ass day, but it feels so good to be back playing for y’all,” Davis said. “We’ve been stuck in a fucking studio for like five years… Would you guys like to hear that song? It just came out.”

Released days before the festival performance, “Reward the Scars” was written during recent studio sessions and marks the beginning of a new phase for the band. The track, which also arrives with a video tied to Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred, continues Korn’s long-running themes of confronting pain and transformation.

“I’ve always connected to the darkness… that’s something Korn has explored in our music from the beginning,” Davis said of the song.

Formed more than three decades ago, Korn has sold tens of millions of albums worldwide and helped define the nu metal genre, blending metal, hip-hop and industrial influences into a sound that reshaped modern heavy music.

“You’ve been an incredible crowd and we love each and every one of you,” Davis told fans near the end of the set. “We’ll be back sometime soon to play for y’all.”

Follow the band at https://kornofficial.com/.