As with any group who pioneers a sound, there comes a time when relevance is lost and their style becomes dated, forcing either a reinvention or a regurgitation. Following in the footsteps of bands like Metallica, Korn have indeed chosen the former path, but the end results are sadly less than spectacular.

With a new label in the form of Virgin behind them and the much-publicized loss of their long-time guitarist Brian "Head" Welch, Korn have seen their fair share of highs and lows in recent times. But when it all comes down to it, "See You On The Other Side" sounds more like writer's block put to motion than anything else.

Adapting their nu-metal aesthetic into industrial dirges this time out, the material feels even more cliche than expected. There's still detuned guitars, whisper to scream vocals and some quirky guitar sounds (albeit this time without as much sonic interplay), but the rigid structuring and abysmally turgid pacing make it all a grueling listen in the end.

If that's not bad enough, there's the fact that most of the album comes off like a collection of Trent Reznor's unwanted (and uninspired) leftovers. Sure diehard Korn fans will lap it up and it's nice to see such an established group take a step away and try to branch out. But really, with convoluted song structures, an air of desperation and a needless retreading of past elements (bagpipes, childhood lyrics, etc.), many will be left not wanting to see Korn at all, let alone on "the other side".