This album starts off with “A Single Tear”, and what do you know, it’s a very intense and throttling start. But at the same time, I’ve certainly heard Converge perform heavier tracks than this. So in their own way, the band is sort of easing us into this album. I love how melodic some of these guitars are in between just how angry and pissed off these vocals sound. But I think what brings me to love Converge after all of these years, is their playing. The guitar solos constantly whirling through this track as well as some of these intense breakdowns are just fantastic. I love frontman Jacob Bannon’s performance because his vocals here truly sound tortured. Yet, he still ends up coming off as human enough to connect with his fans. The result is an emotional, and intense Metalcore track that I absolutely love. But as emotionally tuned this is, this track will absolutely still kick your ass, don’t take it lightly. “Eye of the Quarrel” is up next, and at this point, Converge are done easing us into anything. This is right up their very destructive alley, with a much more off-the-rails and in-your-face feel. Not to mention, Jacob is back to sounding like an absolute monster. It’s intense, it’s off-the-rails and ridiculously performed. I mean, listening to these vocals and how they just sear through everything this late in the band’s career is quite frankly, insane. I love just how intense the drums are and these seemingly relentless guitars. “Eye of the Quarrel” is absolutely brutal to hear, int he best way. Obviously, if you haven’t been a fan of Converge up to this point, this probably isn’t going to win you over. But still, this rules. Now, I actually really love the approach to “Under Duress”. There are some pretty strong grooves on this one, and the breakdowns are just so intense. As far as a slow burner goes, this is probably the slowest and most tension-filled we’re going to get here. But Jacob’s performance really sells this one by sounding absolutely hellish. Outside of the semi-chorus, the vocal performances here are heart-wrenching and brutal. I still love some of the more human aspects that we’re getting ins one of these lyrics which, quite frankly, is just something I’ve come to expect from Converge. And the later moments when these breakdowns get more hulking and the vocals get more explosive are absolutely brilliant. Converge haven’t let anything slide as far as intensity goes. Now, “Arkhipov Calm” is by far the most hardcore track that we’ve gotten yet. But it honestly doesn’t do that much for me sadly. I feel like it’s almost a little too on-the-rails sounding. As a matter of fact, I feel like this comes off like Converge had every twist and turn planned out within their performance here, which is exactly what I don’t want to hear when I’m listening to Metalcore. It’s still brutal, and the playing is still spot on. But for this sort of Balls-Out track coming from Converge, I would have liked this to come off as more spontaneous. Now at the very least, “I Can Tell You About Pain” sounds much more in the moments and is much more exciting. I love just how vicious Jacob continues to sound, and for the most part how easy it is to read into some of his lyrics. But the playing continues to be the real star. Listening to the drum work of Ben Koller as well as the guitar work of Kurt Ballou is quite frankly overwhelming. Then we have the breakdowns here, which are just so hulking and gigantic. And of course, I have to talk about the production. On tracks like this, the production has become so beefy that Converge have simply become a wall of sound, and it’s wonderful.
This album trudges along with another slow-burner in the form of “The Dusk In Us”. Right off the bat, I love how moody some of the play is. And, while Jacob’s vocals here are much more toned down obviously, they still come off so damn tortured. His lyrics remain so twisted, and even when they get to their higher register and the instrumental picks up, there are a few moments where he comes off sounding hopeful almost. But the pacing on “The Dusk In Us” really gets under your skin. That, alongside the atmosphere, really gets you into this mindset that Converge can, and will attack at any moment. Now, this one really never gets too heavy. On the contrary, this one remains a slow-burner throughout its entirety. But it’s emotional, gripping, and even a little thematic. It’s something I really didn’t expect to hear here, but man is it ever likable. “Wildlife” however throws us right back into the fire VERY quickly. It’s intense and truly wild, but outside of that, it comes off very technical. So if you like your metal very rigid and finely tuned, this continues to be an album you’re going to want to check out. I love also just how melodic this all is beyond the hell-screams and solos. Which of course, takes up quite a bit of the track. But there are certainly enough strangely melodic moments to make this a little more digestible. Outside of that, it’s just as intense and throttling as ever so don’t you worry. But of the heavier tunes here, “Murk & Marrow” sort of underwhelms me. When it comes to some of the atmospheres here, it’s a little on the cheesy side which I really didn’t think I would have to say here. To me, this just doesn’t come off as a Converge tune. It’s still very tightly wound and all, and some of the playing is still top-notch. But the verses on this one just seem to be so fragile and thrown together sloppily, which is so far south of everything else on this album. On the other hand, I do sort of like the very grimy groove of “Trigger” which is something we heard a little bit of earlier. It gives this track such a dirty feel to it, and it once again is on the slower side. But with “Trigger”, it just comes off like so much bottled up anger and aggression. I wouldn’t say this is the best of the slower tunes here, but it’s got a ton of great moments. I love the very tense breakdowns and some of the more sung vocals which are a nice addition every once in a while. But I think what really drives this one home is the atmosphere and the tension, which really save this from becoming boring. But “Trigger” ends up coming off as a constant release of aggression, and that’s all I could ask for. Up next is “Broken By Light”, and I don’t know what it is about that opening twangy guitar but, my lord is that ever cool. And most of that twangy guitar tone follows through most of this track, and that’s something totally fresh that we really haven’t heard from Converge here. It’s intense, it’s brutal, short, and sweet. Plus, these vocals are easily some of Jacob’s most hellish. So hell yea, “Broken by Light” works amazingly for Converge, as does most of this album.
Sadly though, “Cannibals” is just sort of alright. I mean, I dig Converge when they’re at their most aggressive and doing these small blasts of anger. But I would so much rather hear their more technical side, but that’s just me. But, I still do really enjoy some of the playing here and the absolutely gruesome vocals. On the other hand, “Thousands of Miles Between Us” gives me the chills. Converge are so good at choosing when to come out with their more explosive material, and how to make their slow burners just as interesting. The instrumentals on this one are so patient, and Jacob’s vocals here are just so human. But never once does it come off as sappy it just comes off like a really hardened, emotional tune. There’s almost a weird Southern flair to this which baffles me, but it does work in their favor. The result is tension-filled track, feeling like it could break at any moment. The playing is heartbroken, and the solos are powerful, and I quite frankly have nothing bad to say. Also, there’s a ton of Post Hardcore influence in there as well, which is always welcomed. This album ends off with “Reptilian”. Now, all of these slow tracks are doing a hell of a job of keeping me on the edge of my seat. The playing here continues to be so fueled by some serious tension that it feels like it could explode at any second. “Reptilian” is just such a hulking finale and much more intense and heavy than the other slow tunes here. The riffs are certainly much more muscular, and the playing is much more in-your-face. I feel like the Post Hardcore influence is still very real, but this one is all Metalcore at the end of the day. Jacob’s vocals continue to be wretched. Now, I may wish that this one was maybe just a little more melodic but this is still a brilliant ending to one of the year’s best Metal releases.
Rating: 8.4/10
Give A Listen To: “A Single Tear”, “Under Duress”, “The Dusk In Us”, "Broken by Light"
Genre: Metalcore / Hardcore Punk / Post Hardcore
Overall Thoughts: This is easily one of the most intense and brilliant Metal album's I've heard all year. Converge seemingly never age or seem stale, as a matter of fact, they sound more intense than ever. Some of the more wild and Hardcore tracks didn't do as much for me as they usually would. But some of the longer tunes here are absolutely expertly put together. I wouldn't say this album is anything radically different for one of Metalcore's finest, but it's more of what they've done amazingly for over 20 years.
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