Issue #63: Korn – Issues

Released:  November 16th, 1999

Recorded:  July – September 1999

Genre:  Nu-metal

Record Label:  Immortal / Epic

Duration:  53:16

Producer:  Brendan O’Brien

Personnel

Track Listing

Singles

Why Issues is One of My Favorites

When it comes to liking a band and being familiar with their work, I’ve found that a simple rule holds true most of the time.  There’s the one hands down favorite album – it doesn’t have to be the only awesome album, but it is one’s favorite.  From there, moving in either direction, one’s enjoyment of an album is directly related to how close the album is (chronologically) to one’s favorite.  It’s not a 100% occurrence, but it does hold true even in unusual circumstances, even drastic changes in style from one album to the next.  It most definitely is the case with my tastes, though Issues is the one glaring contradiction that comes to mind.

With Korn, the first album is my favorite, but Issues is a close second, followed by Follow the Leader and then Life is Peachy at a distant fourth.  In this case, my “rule” worked completely backwards, though at least some sort of chronological gradient was preserved.  In a nutshell, I’d say that Issues is so close to the top because of similar it sounds to the band’s debut.  A lot of people were really confused by the direction that Issues went in, but I’m not surprised considering that the hip-hop infused Follow the Leader was Korn’s real breakout release.  I like Follow the Leader a lot, but Issues is too heavy and too powerful to cast aside.

While it’s true that Issues has much in common with Korn, there are also some important differences.  For one, Davis focuses more on traditional singing than the weighty emotive “noises” on Korn.  His emotions are much more restrained and his vocals are more consistent from track to track.  He actually sings most chorus, like “Wake Up,” “Falling Away From Me,” “Trash,” “Somebody Someone” (to an extent), and others.  We’ve still got shouting, screaming, and scatting, but there’s less craziness floating around; his voice definitely takes on a more homogenized sound.  Good or bad?  On the one hand it removes some of the rawness and personal connection from the music, but on the other hand it fosters a more mature sound where the music itself is placed upfront rather than the theatrics.  I can see the benefit of both approaches.

Issues also contains electronic touches dotted throughout the album, small augmentations here and there to add a little bit of texture and distinctiveness to each song.  Some tracks move away from the guitar/bass/drums setup altogether, such as “Dead,” “4 U,” and “Make Me Bad.”  “Hey Daddy” uses electronic elements as a significant portion of it’s instrumentation, as does “Wake Up” and “Somebody Someone” in their verses.  Although Korn may have made a conscious decision to stay away from hip-hop on Issues, it’s clear that it has had some effect some of the beats.  Overall, there’s a great degree of rhythmic variety on here than Korn, with very slight tendencies towards hip-hop in tracks like “Make Me Bad” and the verses of “Beg For Me.”

The last major difference is that the music itself is a bit more complex and well rounded.  The highs and lows are more evenly distributed, and there are lots of different things going on throughout the album besides the raw, crushing power of Korn.  Still, if you like the booming, bass heavy blasts of noise on Korn, Issues won’t seem nearly as heavy (and it’s not, but it is heavier than Life is Peachy or Follow the Leader).

Broadly speaking though, Issues is still a very guitar driven album with the same fat sound that made the band popular to begin with.  Fieldy’s slap bass technique still adds an additional dimension to the rhythm department, and the utilization of two guitarists allows for churning rhythms alongside more melodic touches.  Most songs feature a heavy, groove oriented breakdown, and nearly all of them make use of quieter verses with booming choruses.

Highlights from the album include the slamming choruses of “Trash” and “Beg for Me.”  There’s some excellent riffing which is impossible for me not to get excited about.  I also enjoy what might be considered the experimental “Dead” and “4 U.”  The ghostly vocals and bagpipes of “Dead” is something I’d like to see more of.  “4 U” has a soothing melody and shows an interesting side of Davis’ vocal abilities.  The almost ambient background gives the track a surreal quality, and I’d jump at the chance to hear a fully formed version.  “Hey Daddy” gets a little unusual for Korn as well, though I electronic direction and quirky vocal stylings.

“Somebody Someone” also stands out with its memorable guitar work.  All goes as expected until the guitars go extremely low as Davis growls through the chorus.  Near the end the music shifts to an even darker and heavier place, probably the heaviest on the album.  “Counting” is another high point with its descending guitar riff and harsh beats.

I’m unsure what the purpose of “It’s Gonna Go Away,” “Am I Going Crazy” and “Wish You Could Be Me” are, but regardless, the proper songs on here all all wort hearing.  It’s got a lot more polish and variety than their first effort, and while some of the energy may be restrained, it’s not gone.  Issues also speaks to the band’s growing maturity as individual musicians and composers and, in my opinion, marks a turning point in their career from “nu metal fad” to “alternative metal powerhouse.”

Written by The Cubist

Other albums from Korn in this series:

• 1994 – Korn – Issue #2
• 1998 – Follow the Leader – Issue #64

Back to The Cubist’s 90’s Albums

Written by The Cubist

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I collect as much video gaming paraphernalia as I can get my hands on, especially when it comes to hardware. With over 40 systems including oldies like the ColecoVision and Intellivision, obscurities like the CD-i and 3DO, and the latest and greatest including the Wii U, PS4, Xbox One, 3DS, and PS Vita, I get easily overwhelmed. Most of the time you can find me firmly nestled sometime between 1985 and 1995 when it comes to my games of choice, but I’m also having a great time seeing what the 8th generation has to offer.

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