Review Summary: A rather misunderstood album that can easily deceive a listener into thinking it's a classic, however doesn't have too much longterm appeal.....
You Fail Me
Be My Light In This World of Darkness
Converge. The name alone carries a sense of mysticism, a sense of respect, accomplishment, and honesty. Having released some of the most emotionally charged music of the last 20 years, it’s not hard to see why. They are largely credited with starting the Metalcore movement, being one of the first bands to infuse Hardcore breakdowns into their Heavy Metal sound. Creating a chaotic atmosphere with technical guitar work
complex rhythms, ridiculous drumming, and of course Jacob Bannon’s tortured shrieks, few bands possess the originality or aggression of
Converge. They had gained recognition with their first two LPs
Petitioning the Empty Sky and
When Forever Comes Crashing, however it wasn’t until their third release
Jane Doe that they reached their creative peak. Revered as a masterpiece by almost all fans of Extreme music,
Jane Doe is a culmination of all the things that make
Converge such a respected and influential band. With song lengths varying from 1 to 11 minutes, it’s frantic and hyperactive instrumentation and it’s personal and emotional(if not somewhat clichéd) lyrics,
Jane Doe set the bar for which all
Converge albums would come to be judged. And so, coming off the success of an album as monumental as
Jane Doe, it is not surprising that
Converge felt the need to alter their sound. After all, there was simply no way that they would be able to top
Jane Doe using the same formula. They had perfected their sound, and it had taken them as far as it could. In order to create another masterpiece, changes had to be made. The result would come to be one of the most misunderstood albums of all time. An absolute gem that, sadly, never received the recognition it deserved after being overshadowed by its predecessor.
Enter You Fail Me
There is no doubt that most would consider it a travesty to compare
You Fail Me to the Holy Grail of
Converge’s catalogue,
Jane Doe. They largely altered their sound when making it, creating an extremely dark and desperate atmosphere. Just the Intro track,
First Light conjures up images of desperation and loneliness. The entire album is bleak, alone, abandoned. The title itself is a reflection on disappointment and failure, a reflection on giving up. It is a lyrical masterpiece, dealing not so much with failed relationships but rather failure of society. There is not a consistent story, but there is a consistent message. Poetic in nature, Bannon confronts his own failures and demons, as well as how the darker nature of society corrupts the youthful and sews the seeds of contempt.
You Fail Me is ultimately a rejection of society, of conformity, and of the Oppressors who continue to gnaw at the fabric of moral justice.
With darker subject matter than any other
Converge release, the band took their instrumentation to new heights with
You Fail Me. It is less technical than
Jane Doe, there is not nearly as much of the complex polyrhythmic drum and guitar interplay, however quite frankly, it would not suit the album very well. One of it’s biggest strengths its how comprehensible it is, it does not constantly assault you from every angle like previous
Converge releases. That being said, the musicianship is in no way lacking. The Bass, Drums, and Guitar all work together perfectly, playing off one another to provide the desolate backdrop on which Bannon tears into our social fabric. To touch on the lyrics again, they are just unbelievable. I believe that
You Fail Me is Bannon’s lyrical masterpiece. It could easily be converted to poetry and still retain all of its wonder and presence. Jacob Bannon screams the lyrics with conviction and angst, the delivery is simply perfect. At times his words are even decipherable, sounding reminiscent of some of the more Hardcore influenced
When Forever Comes Crashing. However, despite the strengths of the lyrics and instrumentation, it is the atmosphere that they create which makes
You Fail Me so memorable. It is unsettling and cold, not so much a collection of songs but rather an entire experience.
Is
You Fail Me a better CD than
Jane Doe? No, but that doesn’t mean that [/i]Jane Doe[i] is better than
You Fail Me. This is
Converge at their artistic height, working together perfectly as a band to orchestrate an album that captures an entire feeling, an entire idea. With soundscapes as barren and bleak as the poetry that they support,
You Fail Me is a classic. To this day, there is no other CD like it. Many bands have copied the sound of
Jane Doe, however it is doubtful that there will ever be another group of performers who can create such a chilling, honest, and poetic piece of art.
