From the beginning they were formed, the name Issues instantly skyrocketed like a rocket to the surface. How not, the band is a form of adulthood and emotion that buried in the vocalist Tyler Carter and Michael Bohn who have first had the band but not in accordance with their way of thinking. Issues has issued 2 EPs and a self-titled album. Their release still feels legit with a strong post-hardcore atmosphere with a little electronic synth touch from Ty Acord.
Headspace is a phase in which our mind is in its place, which then creates an alignment and buried emotions. A place where our minds can pause and silence for a moment to contemplate what has been in our lives. So the real question is what does the Issues want to show on Headspace? What kind of reflections will be sharpened or clarified in this album? Keep in mind the previous album Issues focuses on the theme of adolescent upheaval that will grow up, where the life choices they will take will lead them to a new phase of life.
****Tracklist:**** 1. The Realest 2. Home Soon 3. Lost-n-Found (On A Roll) 4. Yung & Dum (feat. Jon Langston) 5. Made To Last 6. Flojo 7. Hero 8. COMA 9. Rank Rider 10. Blue Wall 11. Someone Who Does 12. I Always Knew 13. Slow Me Down
Issues on this album carries the genre of nu metal with the game of each instrument instrument that sounds dominant. In this album we will also find a little touch of synth but not as dominant on previous albums due to Ty Acord who decided to get out of Issues because it felt this was not the place that should be for him. Broadly speaking the theme of this album is still discussing and showing the upheaval of adolescent life, but now more focused on the consequences of the choices we have selected. Opening with the song "The Realest" which immediately led to a significant difference, opened with a bass boom from a soft Sky Acord and spliced with a guitar from AJ Rebollo who now dare to play a different guitar style different from the previous album.
In the opening song was already heard the game all the instruments that have grown and they dared to explore the ability of each personnel and then combine everything into a harmonization that can be practically easy listening for the post-hardcore listeners. This is reinforced by the choice of Michael Bohn who like to try to sing more than screaming as usual.
Unlike the previous album, on the album Headspace, Issues dared to squeeze their personnel in digging deepest abilities and then combine them. The heavy guitar with djent influences gives a pretty weighted impression in their instrument game, the bass of Sky Acord that is now beginning to dare to reveal itself, with a style of bass game that is pretty thick with jazz nuances.
This plus the sound of Tyler Carter on this album began to ventured to more highlight the R & B side and the changes brought by Michael Bohn with more singing but still bring the emotional impression that has been attached with Michael Bohn. We also should not forget the drum beat Josh Manuel that when viewed in a skill and game can almost be juxtaposed with Luke Holland from The Word Alive, but on this album Josh is more inclined to drumming djent with a touch of drum blasting on his snare, but how will songs and messages they convey? In this album, the reflection they want to convey can be said to be almost successful they do, as in the song "Yung & Dum" which tells about teenage life full of frenetic.
What is interesting is that they hook Jon Langston who is basically a country singer but surprisingly can produce a blend that brings a joyful atmosphere and can be a reflection of the life of teenagers today. Like a jamming, they match it in the right way. As for AJ Rebollo not only rely on djent as his only weapon, there is a time when he becomes funky. In the song "Hero" all personnel Issues play funky and make this song feels light. The bottom line here is the dominant Tyler Carter's voice that makes this song enough to make a difference between the other songs and the skill of the personnel that deserves thumbs up and combined with the singing of Michael Bohn that sounds unique but still gives the emotional impression. However, there are also some songs that show their tendency to re-play hardcore post. Make them seem not clear where the focus will be. Like teenagers who are still unstable, they just do not want to take off the postcard hardcore image that has been attached to them as in their previous releases.
However, behind these allegations no doubt that they have managed to break the bulkhead that covered them before by making a solid album and quite heavy in the game. Overall the album Headspace is brave enough and Issues has succeeded in carrying and packing it. But in this world nothing is perfect, there are still some minor defects like in the laying of each track. Yet all of them can be covered with the ability of each adult and their ability to combine each character appropriately.