Converge
When Forever Comes Crashing


4.0
excellent

Review

by Neoteric USER (86 Reviews)
July 27th, 2006 | 754 replies


Release Date: 1998 | Tracklist


Converge are a metalcore/hardcore band 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.

Everything on this album is represented in My Unsaid Everything. 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 for 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 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 become accustomed to. It is really slow but gives off a heavy sound. 2:00 to 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.

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. 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 heavier 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 hasn'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.

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 are 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 are no classics on the album. Good songs, yes. But no classics and is off a bit on being a favorite. This is metalcore at its finest and is certainly worth your money though it is not perfect and hard to access.

http://www.purevolume.com/converge



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3.8
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Comments:Add a Comment 
Neoteric
July 27th 2006


3243 Comments


I submitted this from my other account, I just need to get the other one deleted.

Two-Headed Boy
July 27th 2006


4527 Comments


Nice. Can't say I care for this kind of music, though.

RandyfromPennywise
July 28th 2006


752 Comments


The first sentence needs the word 'band' inserted in to it.

Confessed2005
July 28th 2006


6009 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Good review of a good album.



Can't wait for the new one.

RandyfromPennywise
July 28th 2006


752 Comments


"...and so is many" should be "and so are many" in the conclusion. Also, it should be "there are no classics" not "there is no classics".

2nd paragraph: "...doesn't go soft on any reason", I think this should be "for any reason". "...what Converge have accustomed to", should be "...have become accustomed to".

I am picking at this review a bit, hope you don't mind. It kind of feels like you lumped a heap of info into the third paragraph without any real structure, it's a little all over the place.

Neoteric
July 29th 2006


3243 Comments


Yeah, I wrote this review a while ago and I still need to touch it up here and there but that'll all be done.

canadapantsman
August 31st 2006


236 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

this really is a good album... the Godflesh influences are more present and it makes for one of the rawest and heaviest hardcore/metalcore albums

Burn2Burn
November 28th 2008


2374 Comments


The opening to When Forever Comes Crashing Down is fucking menacing.

edit: wtf is the song called "When Forever Comes Crashing Down" or just "When Forever Comes Crashing"
somebody heeeelllpThis Message Edited On 11.27.08

bastard
November 28th 2008


3432 Comments


it's just crashing i think.

Burn2Burn
November 28th 2008


2374 Comments


Well then, I downloaded a torrent which provided incorrect song titles! Piff, I say! Piff!

IsItLuck?
Emeritus
November 28th 2008


4957 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

yeah it's definitely just 'crashing'

IndieOut
May 17th 2009


498 Comments


Would this be their most accessible album? I'm looking to get into them.

eternium
September 17th 2010


16358 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

I might be a Converge fanboy now.

ffs
September 17th 2010


6327 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

cant get into this as much as their other stuff

eternium
September 17th 2010


16358 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

I thought it was their weakest on the first listen. It has grown considerably, especially as I've gotten more into older metalcore.

ffs
September 17th 2010


6327 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

i think all the songs are good and everything it just doesnt seem to have the same ridiculous intensity of most of their other stuff. probably need to give it a few more listens though idk

deathofasalesman
September 26th 2010


8641 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I like the demon thing album art better than skull baby.



Album rulez.

NeutralThunder12
September 26th 2010


8742 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

havent heard this yet

climactic
September 26th 2010


22765 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Listening to this now actually

NeutralThunder12
September 26th 2010


8742 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

because Ive been busy with other music brah



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