Korn

Each record that Korn releases seems to take them further away from the things that made them so great on their genre-inventing self-titled debut. The problem is that Korn has just become too much of a studio act, with Jonathan Davis's vocals layered to the point where it will be impossible to replicate live. Also, the samples Korn are using are misplaced and contrived, all the songs sound the same and although the lyrics are still about agitated themes, they have lost their effectiveness. "Blame" strangely comes from leftfield, with mild vocals atop a classic Fieldy bass line, while leadoff track "Here to Stay" is the best this record has to offer, which isn't saying much. Lastly, with a flurry of solo recordings and guest appearances, it seems like Korn never really goes away, no matter how much time there is between their recordings. Familiarity really does breed contempt.