In an age when former angry young men like Elvis Costello have become all-round family entertainers and half the nation's youth seem to be blissed out on the music of Westlife et al, it's comforting to be reminded that a band like Californian noiseniks Korn still have the capacity to climb up people's noses.

Those who have always regarded the bagpipes as instruments of torture will derive even more fun from their use by head Korn Jonathan Davies on this, their fourth album, which, if it represents a little water-treading, is still in-your-face enough to fit the bill. Lyrically, Issues is a dark concept album based on Davies' desire to shed some of his more delinquent skins.

The opening track, 'Dead', takes its cue from the keening wail of his bagpipes and for a moment you fear they've discovered world music. But 'Falling Away From Me' and 'Trash' soon set things back on track as they weld relentless kickass metal riffing to the more pioneering extremes of rap, hip hop and grunge. 'Beg For Me', for one, is fuelled by some impressively oppressive drums.

And while much of the album continues in that vein, they can do quiet and menacing too, and Davies himself can whimper to Olympic standard. 'It's Gonna Go Away' almost swings and the short '4U' builds layers of electronic sonics that are so restrained as to be even more disturbing than the barrages of noise to be found on other tracks. Unlike many of their shouty-pointy rivals, Korn rarely forget that melodies, choruses and harmonies have their place too.

Comparatively speaking, Issues is less manic and more tuneful than it's predecessors, but even if one easily tires of the gratuitous "woe is me" content of the lyrics, there's enough inventive noise to alarm your dearest enemies.