On September 17, 2025, I found myself at the Canadian Tire Centre for a loud, heavy night of nu-metal and metal.
Ottawa had the honour of hosting the first stop of Korn’s Kanada Tour, with support from French heavyweights Gojira and British metalcore act Loathe.
Korn is one of those bands that defined the late 90s and early 2000s, thanks to their captivating music videos and heavy radio airplay. I might be 20 years late catching them in their heyday, but they proved the energy is still alive. Backed by massive visuals, lasers, and a crushing stage presence, they tore through a set that drew from Issues, their self-titled debut, with touches of Life Is Peachy and Follow the Leader. A perfect release for anyone needing to get the angst out.
Gojira kept the momentum blazing with a fiery, thunderous set that leaned into Magma and From Mars to Sirius. Their precision and sheer heaviness made it clear why the crowd was hooked from start to finish.
Opening the night was Loathe, who wasted no time unleashing a wall of sound. Their blend of metalcore and post-metal, highlighted by tracks from their 2020 album I Let It In and It Took Everything, set the tone for what was to come.
Overall, it was a powerful way to kick off the Kanada Tour—and Ottawa got it first.
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