Korn are still writing songs for their as-yet-untitled fifth album, drummer David Silveria said, and the LP is targeted for release later this summer than fans had hoped.

"The new music is, well ... everybody says, 'It's better than the last,' but it's better than the last," Silveria said at Saturday's "MTVIcon" taping.

Korn have been holed up in Phoenix writing material for the follow-up to 1999's Issues and expect to hit an L.A. studio with producer Michael Beinhorn in April, Silveria said. Previous reports cited a tentative release date of July 3 for the LP (see [article id="1438418"]"Fieldy Readies Solo LP As Korn Work On Issues Follow-Up"[/article]), but with the group still in the writing stage, that date is unrealistic, according to the band's publicist.

"It's going to be crazy," bassist Fieldy, also attending the "MTVIcon" event, said of the album. "Don't even doubt the Korn dogs. Don't even doubt it. ... It's going to be the heaviest record to be put out ever."

Never ones to rest on their laurels, the bandmembers have put their time between albums to good use. Fieldy's much-talked-about solo effort, Fieldy's Dreams, is nearing completion, with hip-hop songbird Kelis joining Tre from the Pharcyde and Snoop Dogg's cousin/Dr. Dre associate RBX on the guest list, Fieldy said. Eminem still tops his wish list of others to work with.

"I don't know if it's gonna happen," Fieldy said of working with Eminem. "He's a busy guy."

Fieldy, who rhymes and plays drums, bass, guitar and keyboards on the album, described Fieldy's Dreams as "straight-up hip-hop and real musical." He expects the record to surface before the Korn album drops, though Epic Records couldn't confirm a release date.

Singer Jonathan Davis has written and recorded a few songs with former Oingo Boingo keyboardist Richard Gibbs for the film adaptation of Anne Rice's vampire novel "Queen of the Damned," and he is also working on the film's score (see [article id="1430950"]"Korn's Davis To Score Vampire Pic"[/article]), according to Korn's publicist. In the film, Davis' songs will be sung by the vampire Lestat, a character first introduced in Rice's "Interview With the Vampire" who becomes an '80s rock star.

Silveria used the time off to heal the wrist he injured last March (see [article id="1430949"]"Korn Sidelined By David's Injury"[/article]). "I had a procedure done and I'm good," the drummer said. "I'm back to normal. So after some hassling and some nervousness, we're back in, making music. And I can't wait to get back on tour."

The percussionist is also adopting a second career: restaurateur. He's in the process of opening a sushi bar in Huntington Beach, California, called Tuna Town. Launching a Japanese eatery while working on Korn's fifth opus would appear to be a trying endeavor, but Silveria seems to have it under control.

"I've been trying to juggle from Phoenix to back here — back and forth," he said. "It's been a crazy three months of trying to do things, but it's coming together good."