Converge : "Love is Not Enough"

I would hope that at this point, these guys do not need an introduction. Converge wastes little time ripping into their vision of hardcore hyper-aggression, with less chaos on the title track that opens the album. With a gang vocal feel to the chorus, it's catchier than some of their earlier work. "Bad Faith" has a more Entombed-like stomp to it. They do throw themselves into a more reckless gnashing of teeth on "Distract and Divide". There is a similar energy to "Too Feel Something" in its frantic attack, but it is more nuanced.

"Beyond Repair" is one of the darker, more melodic interlude-like pieces they have sometimes built into full-on songs on previous albums. "Amon Amok" is not the songtitle you expect from these guys. It has a more deliberate menace to its sludge-tinged riff. They are known for creating some massive guitar sounds, and this can be heard on "Force Meets Presence." They allow the feral nature of hardcore to release with their metal influences here.

"Gilded Cage" finds Jacob using a less harsh vocal approach and a bass line providing a tense backbone for the song. In my first pass through the album, it might be my favorite side so far. There is a great deal more soice depth to the writing of the guitar parts this time around. The more punk-paced "Make Me Forget You" feels likea pretty accurate representation of what they sound like live. The breakdown in the middle is very effective. "We Were Never the Same" is more brooding and dynamic. I've seen some people say this album is just as chaotic as their other work, and I am here to tell you it's not, and that is a sign of growth. It feels more like "You Fail Me" if you had to compare this to other albums. I will go ahead and around it up to a 10 for the mature songsongwriting and stellar production.Out on Epitaph Records.  

PST58