Korn's fourth studio album Issues represents the pinnacle of the nu-metal movement, a record that dominated both commercial charts and cultural conversations when the band was at their absolute peak. Produced by Brendan O'Brien, whose work with Pearl Jam and Rage Against the Machine brought a new level of sonic discipline to the sessions, the album finds frontman Jonathan Davis newly sober and the band more focused than ever before. The result debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 575,000 copies sold in its first week, beating simultaneous releases from Dr. Dre and Celine Dion, and earning triple platinum certification within just over a month. With 16 tracks that balance crushing heaviness with unexpected melodic accessibility, Issues went on to sell 13 million copies worldwide.
The album opens with the atmospheric bagpipe-tinged intro "Dead" before launching into "Falling Away from Me," which became an instant classic and reached number one on MTV's Total Request Live multiple times. "Make Me Bad" showcases O'Brien's production prowess, revealing hummable melodies beneath layers of down-tuned guitars and raw emotion. "Somebody Someone" demonstrates the band's growing rhythmic sophistication with quieter, funkier passages, while tracks like "Trash," "Beg for Me," and "Let's Get This Party Started" deliver the punishing intensity that defined the band's sound. The nearly seven-minute "Hey Daddy" revisits the dark psychological territory of earlier Korn classics, and "Counting" adds unexpected melodic depth to the album's second half.
This 2018 double vinyl reissue on 140-gram black vinyl with printed inner sleeves captures the album's dense production across four sides, allowing the music proper space to showcase both its crushing low-end and its intricate details. The double LP format preserves the dynamic range of O'Brien's production, from the album's quietest moments to its most explosive passages.
- Format: 140g Black Vinyl 2LP
- Standout tracks: "Falling Away from Me," "Make Me Bad," "Somebody Someone"
- Pressing details: 2018 reissue with printed inner sleeves
- Genre/style: Nu Metal / Alternative Metal / Heavy Metal / Industrial Metal
- UPC: 190758439815
This double vinyl edition presents one of nu-metal's most successful albums, a record that helped define a generation of heavy music and proved metal could dominate mainstream charts.
* The Spotify track list may not exactly represent the tracks and audio of this LP edition.
Track List:
Side A:
- Dead
- Falling Away From Me
- 4U
- Beg For Me
Side B:
- Make Me Bad
- It's Gonna Go Away
- Wake Up
- Am I Going Crazy
-
Hey Daddy
Side C:
- Somebody Someone
- No Way
-
Let's Get This Party Started
Side D:
- Wish You Could Be Me
- Counting
- Dirty