Converge : " the Hum of Hurt"

 

These guys have been working overtime as it's their second album of the year. From what I heard about this album going in, the buzz seemed to be it was going to be their noise rock albun, but I am not hearing that on the opening track, which might find the feral speed dialed down a bit but is pretty metallic otherwise, just more deliberate and not as chaotic.  Jacob's vocals are not as snarled on "Doom in Bloom". They pretty much pick up where they left off on the "Love is Not Enough" album with "It Only Gets Worse." Production-wise, it sounds like it was recorded in the same sessions. 

"Detonator" carries a steadier groove as the riffs flow with a more organic intention. Jacob is exclaiming the vocals in a pained spoken tone that he tenses up into his trademark bark here. There is a post-hardcore feel to some of the space and atmosphere here, rather than the type of barrage they normally hit you with."I Won't You Go" has a more Black Flag era hardcore sound to it, but there are more rabid, rapid-fire injections of blasts forced into the transitions. There is more tension built into these songs thanks to the bass being more of the backbone, but on a song like "It's Not Up to Us," this is continued to be tempered by wrathful sonic indulgence. I can appreciate the increased levels of dynamics here, and Jacob is using more vocal colors. 

At six minutes, "Dream Debris' is the longest song, but it's also the darkest and most brooding, with the rumbling bass line coming further to the forefront yet. When the vocals come in, they are low and spoken at almsot a whisper. It builds up into a sludgey roar. The two-and-a-half-minute instrumental."It Used to Matter showcases creepy guitar tones, but it seems like an intro to the more caustic title track. The opening riff is the most metal part of this album so far, and adheres closer to what you expect from the band. The last song is the album's second longest. It has a crushing, heavy riff that powers it and gives you the kind of punch you want these guys to pack as it ebbs back into weirdness. I will give this album a 10 as it might even be better than the year's previous release from them.