Although a very new band, Issues packs a big punch that impresses many.
In their freshman album, Black Diamonds proves that they are a force to be reckoned with. Artwork from Google Images.
After shaky terms with their previous band, Woe is Me, members Tyler Carter, Michael Bohn, Cory Ferris, and Ben Ferris decided to form a new band, Issues, and start fresh. Shortly following the formation of their new band, they were picked up by Velocity Records and began working on their first single. This single was named King of Amarillo. Soon after releasing this single, they began working on their first album Black Diamonds.
King of Amarillo is one of the songs that sets the tone for the new album Issues. It is inspired by (and composed of) the events that happened between them and their last band. This song consists of a wide range of vocals from clean highs to deep lows, and even growls. It also features a section with a DJ scratching while the lead singer, Tyler Carter, says, “take that!” which is an insult towards Woe Is Me, as they are stating that they are better off without them.
Another song that snagged my attention was the introduction song, Black Diamonds. This song is unique to this album since Issues is a rock band. Black Diamonds is dub-step with an electric and synthesized voice which makes it very driving. Even though it isn’t country or traditional modern rock and roll, there is enough in each song to make it appealing to music enthusiasts.
If listeners don’t have an interest in rock music, they still might like this album. This is because it has different, non-generic aspects to it that makes this band stand out, even though it is still very new. Some of those aspects consist of very clean guitar playing, clear and deep singing, as well as screaming.
The other song on this EP that I instantly liked is Her Monologue. The intro begins with an almost electric piano and soft singing that gradually evolves into a darker rock sound. One of my main criticisms of this song, however, is that in the last half it changes into a rap song. I feel that one song should stick with one genre and not flip flop into something that lessens the quality of the album as a whole.
Overall this album is respectable, but some songs shine and some really affect the quality of the album in general. Some flaws are obviously going to be observed from a band that has just formed, but my expectations were higher for Issues because all of the band members have been performing for many years. For a new band they did well, and I am looking forward to watching them grow and become more and more well known.
Rating:★★★
