Let’s get this out of the way early: nu-metal was brilliant. The holier-than-thou among us may dispute this, but as an antidote to the solemnity of early nineties grunge and emo, the rap-rock hybrid injected a much-needed shot of fun back into the music industry. Thankfully, these things come in cycles. The emo resurgence of the last few years now is now secure; enter Issues.
There is little doubting the nu-metal credentials of ‘Issues’. Channelling the Slipknot tone-worship that has swiftly become a staple of modern American metalcore, the Georgia sextet take this up a notch with the addition of DJ to the fold, opener ‘Sad Ghosts’ laying these cards on the table with a brilliant scratching section to close the genre-typical breakdown, and clean vocalist Tyler Carter peppering the album with numerous bouts of frantic rap.
That said, ‘Issues’ is much more than purely a nostalgia-fest. Alongside his work in Issues, Carter manages a relatively successful r’n’b solo career, something that is apparent throughout. The clean vocal in ‘Mad At Myself’ could be a chart-topper were it find itself on the next Justin Timberlake record, and latest single ‘Never Lose Your Flames’ is built around the kind of earnest ballad that Katy Perry has built her post-Warped Tour career on, proving that with their debut album Carter and co. are staying true to their promise to hybridise metalcore with the Top 40.
The innovation doesn’t rest solely on Carter’s shoulders though, with elements of slap bass tucked away amongst the chugging, and even dubstep managing to rear its head on ‘Old Dena’ – a minute and a half interlude that could be the sequel to Linkin Park’s ‘Cure For the Itch’. The chorus of ‘Late’ even has a synth line reminiscent of the late-00s’ obsession with Nintendocore (remember that?!). Indeed, experimentation is the name of the game here right ‘til the end, with ‘Disappear (Remember When)’ closing the album on a Paramore-rivalling gospel choir section.
In spite of their experimentation, ‘Issues’ does suffer from being slightly too lengthy, subsequently lacking the urgency of both 2012’s ‘Black Diamonds’ EP and last year’s standalone single ‘Hooligans’. But what it lacks in urgency, ‘Issues’ more than makes up in sheer bloody-minded determination for innovation.
Despite all this, it will no doubt be disappointingly dismissed as ‘generic’ by so many, despite its numerous amalgamations of both the pop and metal genres. ‘Issues’ is probably not going to win over anyone new – such is the tragically judgemental nature of both the modern music fan and the modern metalcore scene – those who still find ‘Emmure tab = binary code’ jokes the height of comedy will no doubt relish the opportunity for a fresh victim. But winning that lot over was never the point. In self-titling their debut, Issues have laid all their cards on the table. This is a statement of intent and identity – and a furious, innovative one at that. Those with an open mind to the future of metal would do well to keep an eye on this lot.
TOM CONNICK