ArtistDirect News
Korn Wraps New Album Recording, Announces 2026 European Tour After Diablo IV Single
Korn has wrapped up recording its next studio project, the first batch of new material since the 2022 release of Requiem. The announcement came shortly after the surprise single “Reward the Scars” was dropped on April 23 2026 as part of the Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred expansion. The track will also serve as a teaser for a European tour that will see the band headline its first UK shows in more than a decade.
A recent appearance on the Drumeo YouTube channel confirmed the album’s completion. Drummer Ray Luzier’s drum tech, Mark Bennett, held up a discontinued Pearl Copper Free Floating snare drum—an instrument no longer in production—and explained, “This is what we just finished recording the new record with.” The clip, reported by NME, provides the first visual evidence that the sessions are over.
The only other public insight comes from guitarist James “Munky” Shaffer. In a May interview with Rolling Stone Brasil, Shaffer said the band has written around 40 songs in the past few years. He added, “It’s been quite a long process, because we’re very critical about what we do now… We’re very particular, in… because we wanna keep our original sound. You can’t really get away from that – when we start playing, it sounds like KoRn, especially with all five of us.” The comments point to a meticulous songwriting approach and a commitment to preserving the group’s signature style.
“Reward the Scars” was released as a limited‑edition 7‑inch picture disc featuring Diablo artwork and is also available for streaming on major platforms. Fans can download high‑quality MP3 and FLAC files from Bandcamp. The single was a surprise drop and marks the first new Korn track issued since Requiem in February 2022. Its inclusion in a major video‑game expansion underscores the band’s continued relevance in cross‑media collaborations.
The upcoming tour will kick off on October 18 in Stuttgart, Germany, and wrap on November 21 in Milan, Italy. The headline run covers 10 dates across Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Italy. The schedule is notable for bringing Korn back to UK venues for the first time since the early 2010s, a hiatus that followed a series of headline shows in the United States and Europe. The tour features a mix of arena‑sized and mid‑size venues, reflecting the band’s ability to draw large crowds across the continent.
Korn’s new project arrives after a decade of steady output. The band formed in 1993 in Bakersfield, California, and has released fourteen studio albums to date, with Requiem being the most recent. They have sold more than 40 million records worldwide and have earned two Grammy Awards. Their influence on the nu‑metal genre remains strong, and the band’s continued activity—both in recording and touring—demonstrates their lasting presence in the music industry.
No further details about the forthcoming album’s title, release date, or track list have been disclosed. Fans and industry observers will likely await additional announcements as the tour dates draw nearer. For now, the completed recording sessions, the Diablo‑inspired single, and the European tour outline the next chapter in Korn’s long‑standing career.
A recent appearance on the Drumeo YouTube channel confirmed the album’s completion. Drummer Ray Luzier’s drum tech, Mark Bennett, held up a discontinued Pearl Copper Free Floating snare drum—an instrument no longer in production—and explained, “This is what we just finished recording the new record with.” The clip, reported by NME, provides the first visual evidence that the sessions are over.
The only other public insight comes from guitarist James “Munky” Shaffer. In a May interview with Rolling Stone Brasil, Shaffer said the band has written around 40 songs in the past few years. He added, “It’s been quite a long process, because we’re very critical about what we do now… We’re very particular, in… because we wanna keep our original sound. You can’t really get away from that – when we start playing, it sounds like KoRn, especially with all five of us.” The comments point to a meticulous songwriting approach and a commitment to preserving the group’s signature style.
“Reward the Scars” was released as a limited‑edition 7‑inch picture disc featuring Diablo artwork and is also available for streaming on major platforms. Fans can download high‑quality MP3 and FLAC files from Bandcamp. The single was a surprise drop and marks the first new Korn track issued since Requiem in February 2022. Its inclusion in a major video‑game expansion underscores the band’s continued relevance in cross‑media collaborations.
The upcoming tour will kick off on October 18 in Stuttgart, Germany, and wrap on November 21 in Milan, Italy. The headline run covers 10 dates across Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Italy. The schedule is notable for bringing Korn back to UK venues for the first time since the early 2010s, a hiatus that followed a series of headline shows in the United States and Europe. The tour features a mix of arena‑sized and mid‑size venues, reflecting the band’s ability to draw large crowds across the continent.
Korn’s new project arrives after a decade of steady output. The band formed in 1993 in Bakersfield, California, and has released fourteen studio albums to date, with Requiem being the most recent. They have sold more than 40 million records worldwide and have earned two Grammy Awards. Their influence on the nu‑metal genre remains strong, and the band’s continued activity—both in recording and touring—demonstrates their lasting presence in the music industry.
No further details about the forthcoming album’s title, release date, or track list have been disclosed. Fans and industry observers will likely await additional announcements as the tour dates draw nearer. For now, the completed recording sessions, the Diablo‑inspired single, and the European tour outline the next chapter in Korn’s long‑standing career.