| Converge Petitioning The Empty Sky |
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 | Tracklist:
1. The Saddest Day
2. Forsaken
3. Albatross
4. Dead
5. Shingles
6. Buried But Breathing
7. Farewell Note To This City
8. Color Me Blood Red
9. For You*
10. Antithesis*
11. Homesong*
| Ranking: #26 for 1998 | |
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On 52 Lists
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5 of 16 thought this review was well written
You know those albums that get a lot of praise solely based off the first couple songs while, if the album was shortened to an EP size, it could be far easier to sit through, let alone enjoy. Converge, the epitome of relentless anger, unfortunately falls into this trap here. Petitioning The Empty Sky is their third album, and sees Converge well on their way to the cacophonous sound they’re known for today, however does not follow through with the conscious insanity of Jane Doe or the raw power of You Fail Me. While those two albums certainly had their flaws scattered about as well, Petitioning is unaware of such faults, therefore making most of the material sound pretty juvenile.
As anyone who’s heard this before, The Saddest Day is one of Converge’s best songs. It follows no pattern, incorporates a few math-metal sections, and is ridiculously unrefined in terms of performance (possibly due to the high-treble production), but it doesn’t hurt it in any way aside from the poor clean vocals. It shows that the band is now capable of something worthwhile even though they don’t realize it yet based on Albatross. It’s basically the same thing as Forsaken drum-wise but more catchy and with more clean vocals, bearing a strange influence of early, early post-hardcore. Dead and Buried But Breathing have similar concepts, following the ideas of bands like The Accused and Born Against and it doesn’t hold up very well. The use of clean vocals throughout the record is very shiver-inducing as they are usually off-key and simply sound very weird. That’s not to say clean vocals don’t fit, but it’s too bad someone else couldn’t do it, and it ruins what could be considered worthwhile moments (see Farewell Note To This City).
This is possibly the most disjointed album Converge has released, due to the band still trying to come into their own and incorporating far too many influences all at once in an incoherent manner. Sure a Converge fan will enjoy this, but as far as anyone else it’ll sound a bit lackluster compared to anything they do later (except No Heroes, that was just bad), so if you feel like you still want to listen to this record, just listen to the first track and move on to something else.
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| Recent reviews by this author | | | |
Album Rating: 2.5
less of a bashing, more of a disappointment
time for 4 hours of kill bill
| | | Album Rating: 3
This is my least favorite by them, but its still not THAT bad even though its not the best either. The vocals seem kinda different to me from the other albums though. "The Saddest Day" rules.
Digging: Fear Factory - Obsolete | | | Album Rating: 4.5
Eh, I see your point, but I disagree. I think this album was just when Converge reallly started to hit their stride. They were still young and all angsty as a motherfucker. Saddest Day gets a lot of play, but I would take Color Me Blood Red over it any day of the mothafuckin' week.
Digging: Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea | | | Album Rating: 4.5
and good review...albeit a bit short.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
The Saddest Day, Albatross and Shingles are some of my favorite Converge songs.
Digging: Animal Collective - Spirit They've Gone, Spirit They've Vanished | | | Album Rating: 4.5
you're pushing out controversy like the Octomom.
Digging: Minus The Bear - Planet Of Ice | | |
Awesome, a Converge negative review
Digging: Tiamat - A Deeper Kind of Slumber
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I totally disagree, but pretty well written review
Digging: Coalesce - There Is Nothing New Under the Sun
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gotta check out more converge soon
Digging: The Swell Season - Strict Joy
| | | Album Rating: 4
This is my second favorite Converge album (though I've only heard 3 of them)
Digging: Gunther - Pleasureman | | | Album Rating: 3
Holy negative reviews batman
Digging: Drudkh - Blood In Our Wells | | | Album Rating: 4
Well technically they aren't negatives until they get to 2 and lower.
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
because average is a compliment
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
i give it an average +, best album evar
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Is there any reason you're putting out negative reviews for like every album sputnik loves?
Digging: Manchester Orchestra - Mean Everything To Nothing
| | | Album Rating: 4
The Saddest Day, Farewell Note to This City, and Color Me Blood Red easily make my top 10 Converge songs.
I disagree with the review, I thoroughly enjoy the whole album.
Digging: Emery - ...In Shallow Seas We Sail | | | Album Rating: 2.5
Is there any reason you're putting out negative reviews for like every album sputnik loves? yes, but you'll come up with your own petty reason regardless of what I say
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the core is exposed strike for animal collective!
Digging: Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
you're damn straight
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Is there any reason you're putting out negative reviews for like every album sputnik loves?
Probably because he doesn't love them as much as the rest of Sputnik.
Digging: Believer - Gabriel
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