Converge are a metalcore/hardcore who have a mathcore sound to them. They have enjoyed high levels of popularity in their genre despite the non-mainstream sound and the lack of media attention. They are an acquired taste and the music is extreme but they have been getting better since they moved from independent label Equal Vision Records to the larger independent punk label Epitaph Records.
Converge is definitely something you won’t get into straight away, it takes the time to listen to the band to get the full pleasure of what is here. I never liked it straight away either though I have to say that this is an incredible record to me now. The album is extraordinary and the only band I can think of even remotely like it is The Dillinger Escape Plan.
Some Stand-outs:
My Unsaid Everything
Everything on this album is represented in this one song. No intro or anything to ease yourself into the song, it goes crazy from the start. The screams are good on this one even though you can’t understand them. It is heavy and doesn’t slow down or go soft on any reason. It is fast, hard hitting metalcore from the start. At 1:45 it is creepy with this kind of high whine. The song has no major changes throughout and it is definitely a highlight and it doesn’t fail for one moment. The drums are fast and pounding giving the song it’s feel but I never liked the guitar tone.
The Lowest Common Denominator
This song is my nomination for weirdest song on the album. Starting with this kind of loose guitar part (like how the guitar sounds when you tune down with thin strings) It is a very creative track but dark and gloomy and doesn’t speed up to what Converge have accustomed to. It is really slow but gives off a heavy sound. 2:00 – 2:30, there is some strange feedback noise to add effect to the song. It is a great song to listen to but sometimes it seems like it isn’t a real song. My only real complaint would be that the end part is too long for me.
Love As Arson
Returning to the fast crazy Converge that everyone is used to, here comes last track “Love As Arson” like a bullet through a sheet of metal. Again there is no long intro, it is just straight into the madness. It is in the same vein as “My Unsaid Everything” except this is faster and is a second shorter. The drums are amazing in the song and I can stand the guitar tone more. I can hear the bass on this one and it seems it just follows the guitar (typical metal eh?) except when the guitar is playing this high note riff but the bass is still just playing the main riff. It is catchy in a strange weird kind of way or maybe it’s the heaviness that appeals to me.
What I Liked About The Album:
¦¦--> No one can complain about the musicianship, the vocals are outstanding and keep strong throughout the album and I’m surprised his vocal chords aren’t damaged by the intensity of his scream as they are quite rough and harsh. The guitars have a horrible tone yet the parts played were done well. The bass makes the album more heavy though bassists would complain about that, the music would be too bare without the bass. The drums are fast and hard and some complicated beats are spread throughout.
¦¦--> All the songs are strong, there is not a weak or bad track on the album. Some of the tracks are boring sometimes but they are never bad. The contribution of the stand-out tracks make the album and without, this would be quite poor but the band haven’t failed here on making every song great. It shows they worked really hard on this.
¦¦--> The artwork is amazing. Aaron Turner has made excellent art for the album and it suits the music well for what it sounds like and the feel of the album.
What I Didn’t Like:
¦¦--> It may not appeal to everyone and it is damn hard to get into. It took me 10 listens to get in to it but it is a grower and so is many of the greatest albums ever. Fans of mainstream metalcore may find this hard to devour and bite through but people in the underground will like this perfectly.
¦¦--> Though this is a work of genius, it is not something you can put on a “Classic" sticker and there is no classics on the album. Good songs, yes. But no classics and is off a bit on being a favourite.
Summary:
This is metalcore at it’s finest and is certainly worth your money though it is not perfect and hard to access.
Instruments: 8/10
Lyrics: 7/10
Replay-value: 8/10
Within the genre: 5/5
Outside the genre: 2/5
