"These Floods of You are Unforgiving" - A Look at Converge

Today  I wanted to get the ball rolling with a new series of posts solely dedicated to putting certain bands and artists I've come to adore over the years in the spotlight. It's within my humblest of hopes that I can bring some attention and light to these musicians, as their work is truly brilliant in their own way. So let's kick off things with a look at a band whose music can only be described as brutal and abrasive. Converge!

This Massachusetts four-piece has its origins rooted in 1990 with front man Jacob Bannon and guitarist Kurt Ballou coming together in the winter to create a bloody fantastic hardcore band. While Converge's music is rooted primarily in the genres of hardcore and hardcore punk, there are occasions in which implementations of metalcore and even mathcore can be heard. With that in mind, Converge may very well be the single most influential hardcore band of modern time. They have performed numerous live acts throughout the world and have had a profound influence on numerous bands. Some would either don their hardcore punk mantle or even become part of Deathwish Inc., a record label (that is within my personal top 5 favorite record labels) that was founded by frontman Bannon himself. 

While their earlier releases had their own strengths, it wasn't until the 2001 release of their legendary 4th LP "Jane Doe," that the band really came into their own as the powerful and influential hardcore act we know today. "Jane Doe" is heralded by numerous critics as a masterpiece of its genre. It's one of the very few albums I've ever listened to that I can truly describe as a unique experience. It's intense, heavy, cacophonous, and insane. Yet, it is bolstered by a lack of rudimentary structures and some of the most impressive and cogent experimentation I've ever heard in hardcore instrumentals. To this day the album holds up as something truly unique. "Jane Doe" is an album that always seems to leave listeners with something different and it's truly interesting to discuss such with fellow hardcore fans with an appreciation for the album. 

Since "Jane Doe," Converge seemed to be simply incapable of releasing any album that was short of masterful and brilliant. Every release post "Jane Doe" brought something new and interesting to the hardcore genre. While later releases saw the rise of more melodic portions including: melodic vocals, strong tonal-based guitar riffs, and even some post-rock influenced tracks or segments of tracks, Converge still remained the masters of their hardcore roots. I highly recommend this band to anyone who appreciates the hardcore genre and is looking for music that is equal parts heavy and smart. Converge is still going strong today and I eagerly await what they intend to release next in coming years. 

Fun Facts:

-Front man Jacob Bannon is not only the founder of Deathwish Inc. but is also a graphic artist. He has done all the album covers of Converge's LP's and has even provided album art for bands such as: As I Lay Dying, Cursed, Bane, Every Time I Die, End of a Year, Fall Out Boy, Norma Jean, Modern Life is War, Poison the Well, and Underoath to name a few. 

-Guitarist Kurt Ballou is a notable and prolific record producer who owns his own studio named Godcity. To date he has produced and assisted the recording of 174 albums. 

Track Recommendations

Thank you and have a wonderful day.

-Nights Off