Issues

Issues is a fulfilling work on which Korn, using heavy, sinking guitar, bouncing bass and nervous rhythm, strongly draws deep isolation and fierce anger. Inheriting the great success of the previous Follow the Leader, it steps into a more introspective, dark direction. Even within a big, powerful sound, there are whispering singing and startling moments of blank space, conveying its fine emotional sway delicately and powerfully. A record where the band’s dark appeal deepened. From the power of the painful popular opener “Falling Away from Me” and the aggression of “Trash” to the catchy “Make Me Bad,” every song is engaging, while cuts like “Beg for Me” and “Wake Up” convey the work’s fullness. Jonathan Davis’s emotion-baring singing is powerfully in sharp form throughout. A record on which, not merely aggressive, memorable catchy hooks and fragile, fleeting emotion coexist within the same song, generating a strong, irresistible pull in the songs. Turning from the previous work’s splendor, it faces a rawer, darker inner self. A powerful, engaging masterpiece condensing Korn’s dark appeal — a record where the band’s fullness shines.