Iconic heavy metal band KoRn has released their first new music in four years, in partnership with Blizzard’s Diablo. “Reward the Scars” and the accompanying music video, launching today, mark the launch of Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred.
Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred is the conclusion to a trilogy of games, and finally gives fans the chance to battle with the villainous character Mephisto – also known as the Lord of Hatred. The game’s core fanbase has been craving this final showdown for years, so the brand opted to set it to music, using KoRn’s official music video to give fans a glimpse at how the final battle plays out.
The inside of Mephisto’s mind is the stage for KoRn’s performance in the “Reward the Scars” video, with their music acting as Mephisto’s fuel as he tears and slashes his followers. The film transitions seamlessly between their live-action performance and animation giving viewers a glimpse into the battle – a production treatment which should remind fans of KoRn’s 1999 “Freak on a Leash” music video. 72andSunny worked with animation house Passion and director Philippe Guyenne to bring the world of Diablo to the music video.
The announcement of Diablo’s partnership with KoRn was designed to speak to the band’s dedicated fanbase, feeding their fandom starting April 23 when the song debuted on music streaming platforms. Diablo shared the news on its social channels as well as on its livestream. The launch continued through the weekend, with Korn performing the song during their set at the Sick New World festival in Las Vegas.
The music video’s release on Monday, April 27 coincides with launch day for the Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred game.
“This collaboration came together naturally—Korn and Diablo live in that space of confronting darkness head-on,” said Kevin Bjelajac, VP of Brand & Creative Marketing at Blizzard. “With Lord of Hatred, we’re telling a story about consequence, choice, and what it means to embrace—or resist—the pull of evil. ‘Reward the Scars’ captures that spirit perfectly.”
“Lord of Hatred is an amazingly dark, gothic conclusion to the Diablo IV story. One that needs an equally epic launch moment,” said Tim Wolfe, Group Creative Director at 72andSunny. “Having Korn’s ‘Reward the Scars’ become the rage fuel for Mephisto’s transformation as he obliterates all who oppose him felt like a perfect kickoff. Passion’s hand-drawn animation style just added fuel to the hellfire.”
Philippe Guyenne, Director, PASSION Paris, aded, “After endless nights of grinding and looting, this project felt like a legendary drop: Diablo X Korn. We saw this as a chance to tell a visceral story from deep within Mephisto’s mind, using the music as a catalyst for the carnage. It was a unique opportunity to capture the raw intensity of the band with a gritty animation style, aggressive linework, bold colors and expressionist lighting. Every frame was handcrafted with skill by an incredible team, using the texture and weight of 2D to give the gore a tactile, visceral energy you can almost feel. We wanted to honor the dark, illustrative roots of the game while fueling the fire for both fandoms, creating something as uncompromising as the legacies behind them. No respawn, no compromises, no AI.”
