ISSUES | Beautiful Oblivion | Album Review

You would think that R&B and heavy music wouldn't mix well but Issues has proven to be viable in this department since the band's inception in 2012. Formed from the ashes of several smaller bands, one of those being the heavily chastised band Woe Is Me, Issues have a major following in their scene. A band with such a unique fixture in terms of their style is destine to gain a following so long as the style is brewed with expertise and feels like there is something to offer. The band's third album "Beautiful Oblivion" is yet another venture into Issues' unique blend of genres. "Beautiful Oblivion" marks the Tyler Carter fronted band's first album without their founding member and screaming vocalist Michael Bohn, who left early in 2018, therefore leaving guitarist AJ Rebollo to fill in for him in the disc's recording sessions. Even past that, the sessions were tumultuous for "Beautiful Oblivion" to say the least. From the writing period beginning as early as 2014 due to the unveiling of some lost demo recordings, to Tyler Carter's solo album being put out earlier this year, to the band having to evacuate the Calabasas studio they were in multiple times due to the 2018 California wildfires being a constant interruption, "Beautiful Oblivion" has clearly been on a rocky road from point A to B. It is a miracle that this project has even been released at all because such events like this can be frustrating for many bands. Issues seems to have gotten over all of that in a good way, though, and have finally arrived with their third album-length project.

"Tapping Out" and "Drink About It" were released as the album's two leadoff singles during the summer, and "Flexin" had its premiere a week before the release of the album. Each single had an accompanying music video as well. "Tapping Out" was the song that many people first heard before getting a taste of what to expect across this 46-minute album spanning thirteen tracks, and in my opinion is one of the heaviest songs on this album. This is also one of a few songs on "Beautiful Oblivion" where the screaming vocals from AJ Rebollo come into play, as this album is toned down much more when it comes to the unclean vocal style. This song works as a not too thought-provoking but fun and enjoyable song. The djent-styled riffage provides a solid musical backdrop for these lyrics, which seem to be about a relationship of some sort, and Tyler Carter's performance is very good here. Everything the band takes into their sound is present here and you can tell there is something to gravitate towards here. "Drink About It" is another song of the same cloth, only in this case there are ambient sections that use a trap-leaning instrumentals that are mainly in the verses. The chorus of this song retains a solid hook as well. Despite the song's trap style in the verses, Issues actually manages to mix that into their style well and are an anomaly in their genre in that sense. "Tapping Out" and "Drink About It" are good songs, but it's barely scratching the surface as to the other excellent moments you'll find on "Beautiful Oblivion". 

Opening up this album is a slow-burn track entitled "Here's To You" that kicks off slower with the R&B and funk side coming out in the verses before getting into choruses with a more aggressive dynamic behind Tyler Carter's soulful vocals. That is one glaring characteristic of most of the tracks on this album by the way. Tracks on this album will feature soft verses that showcase the band's interest in the R&B sound, meanwhile the choruses are heavier with more of the aggressive guitar riffs, most of which are eight-string styled tunings in the case "Downfall", "Find Forever", and "Second Best". The best moments on the album are when the funk side is more present. Songs like "Find Forever" and "Without You" are not meant to be meaningful songs in terms of lyrical content, but both tracks are musically perfect. Tyler Carter sounds excellent on both of these and can sell these lyrics better than most, meanwhile the instrumentals on both songs are almost inexplicably fantastic and it proves that there's some serious talent in Issues as a band. "Get It Right" and "No Problem (Keep It Alive)" fall in the same category of having good rhythms that mix well with Carter's delivery. Songs like "Downfall" and the title track fall in a similar category to "Here's To You" with a stellar relationship between the funk-centered and pop-centered verses and the heavy djent-sounding choruses. "Your Sake" dials things back with just a piano and puts more focus on Tyler Carter as a vocalist, and he's able to sell an emotional song just as well as a lighthearted one. It's proof that music doesn't need to be taken seriously in order to be exceptionally well done.

It's difficult to find a flaw on this album even though this probably won't end up in the higher portions on my year end list. For example, "Flexin" is proof that Issues has a more electronic side to them but it's more of a cross between a novelty song and a filler track meant as an interlude to be honest. "Rain" is a solid track with that clever "cup half empty" line at the beginning, but it is paced too quickly even at under three minutes. "Second Best" is solid musically and has a high energy level, but is capped off with a highly annoying children's choir that is simply out of place. Taking those tracks and their flaws aside, though, there isn't a track that I feel is misplaced or unlistenable all the way through, which is surprising for an album that relies as heavily as it does on modern pop styles interjected with rock and metal. Most bands that try to do what Issues does fail miserably or have a bad reputation, proving that this is a style that needs to have some emotion and appeal to it in order for it to be executed well. Issues, who have evolved from their 2014 self titled debut to this point, are definitely among one of few bands that blend the two worlds of rock and pop without making the pop side cringeworthy. Overall, Issues will certainly please longtime fans and win over new ones with their unique and one-of-a-kind blend of styles on the band's junior release. Metal elitists will probably not like this album very much, but for people with an open mind and are willing to accept music so long as it's good, there aren't many issues to have with this. 

RATING: 8/10  

Leave your thoughts about this album in the comments section below. Was this album good or bad? Was it a surprise or a disappointment? All you have to do is type it in. Everybody's opinions matter even if they are different than mine. Scamp4553 will be back with more reviews and content coming your way soon.