Untouchables

Untouchables is the fifth studio album by Korn, released in June 2002 on Epic Records and produced by Michael Beinhorn, a deliberate move away from the raw Robinson production approach toward a more elaborate, studio-constructed sound reflecting the expanded budget of the band's commercial success. Davis wrote all lyrics; the album's 14 tracks include 'Here to Stay,' 'Thoughtless,' 'Make Believe,' and 'Alone I Break,' with the more polished production giving the emotional content a more orchestrated presentation. Untouchables debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with 277,000 first-week sales and has been certified double platinum; 'Here to Stay' won the Grammy for Best Metal Performance. The album represented a calculated attempt to evolve the band's sonic identity beyond the nu-metal genre category at a moment when the genre's commercial dominance was beginning to fade, and the critical response was more positive than for the previous two albums. The album's commercial performance, double platinum, number-two debut, confirmed that the Korn fanbase was prepared to follow the band's production evolution beyond the raw Robinson sound, and the Grammy for 'Here to Stay' demonstrated institutional recognition of the band's commercial significance at a moment when the nu-metal genre's mainstream dominance was already beginning to recede.