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Converge: All we love we leave behind
16/04/13 || The Duff
Converge are a well seasoned outfit that still play with the energy and gusto of a starting out band yet with the soul that can only come through the wearing over many years.
Most would agree their best record is “Jane Doe”, while I find it an interesting mix of unusual sounds, some harmonious, some dissonant, all melding quite well with killer riffs to boot, but personally think it falls short to “Axe to Fall”, their true piece of glory (closers “Cruel Bloom” and “Wretched World” are tracks of pure emotion, a cue for tears if ever there was one) – a mesmerising masterpiece of rage and sorrow with a reminiscence of a classic Mastodon era I thought long departed.
Regardless, pretty much everything the band has released to date has been of quality, so here we are with “All We Love We Leave Behind”, about as endearing a title as they come and fitting of Converge’s depth and unbridled passion/fury as a band.
With this record, Converge are not changing their formula, which to me is a first: “All We Love…” is essentially “Axe to Fall 2”, an honest collection of bravado and despondency. Of course, Converge are as ever masters of energy, mood, and the all important riff, crust, thrash, hardcore and punk; they are also incredibly well versed musicians, something they are wont to remind us of with tech-flare every so often.
At the end of the day these are melodies, these are riffs, punk meets stoner meets Neurosis meets atmosphere. A contrast from such are of course the vocals of Bannon, who has always delivered in a barking wail of a tone, but here he is more withheld in places, allowing a more sorrowful tone to accompany the first track and maybe allowing the listener an introduction before being thrown head-on.
To conclude, it is maybe a little disappointing they aren’t emerging anew as with every single one of their past efforts, but then they’ve certainly put the time in to rest on their laurels, so to give them anything other than they are as consistent as ever would be barking up the wrong tree. This album is as expected excellent from start to finish.
- Information
- Released: 2012
- Label: Epitaph
- Website: www.convergecult.com
- Band
- Kurt Ballou: guitars, keyboards, mixing, percussion, producer, engineer, vocals
- Jacob Bannon: lead vocals, artwork, lyrics, visuals
- Ben Koller: drums, percussion, vocals
- Nate Newton: bass, vocals
- Tracklist
- 01. Aimless Arrow
- 02. Trespasses
- 03. Tender Abuse
- 04. Sadness Comes Home
- 05. Empty on the Inside
- 06. Sparrow’s Fall
- 07. Glacial Pace
- 08. Vicious Muse
- 09. Veins and Veils
- 10. Coral Blue
- 11. Shame in the Way
- 12. Precipice
- 13. All We Love We Leave Behind”
- 14. Predatory Glow
