|
Review Navigator   FeaturesReviews
 | ConvergeUnloved and Weeded Out2003 Deathwish 
 Review by: FortyMinutesWest See others by this writer ![[staff]](/images/icons/staffsticker.gif){kind=icon}
Converge (link) Only registered users can post comments 
 
Published on May 27th 2003 Converge has been one of the most talked about bands in the hardcore/metal scene throughout their long history. Love them or hate them, you have to at least respect them. Unloved and Weeded Out is a collection of rarities, demos, and a few live tracks put out on Jake Bannon's(founded with the help of Tre McCarthy) own label, Deathwish Inc. This collection comes complete with sleek packaging and the hardest to read list of credits I've ever seen (or in this case, not seen). The old adage "save the best for last" apparently means nothing to Converge, as they've placed the most impressive song at the beginning of this album. Downpour (which also appears on the "Fighting Music Vol. 1" compilation) best showcases Converge's chaotic, technical style, as well as Bannon's trademark vocals. For those of you who are aren't familiar with Bannon's style, think of a banshee fronting your favorite band. Yeah, I know that's not the best description, but you get the idea. Aside from Bannon's shrieking, Converge also provides some eerily calm vocals that actually might be more likely to catch the listener off guard than the screaming. Kurt Ballou, who also mixed the tracks, provides the impressive guitar playing that fights with Bannon's vocals for your attention. The guitar playing on here ranges from speedy chaotic passages to calmer, almost melodic parts. I wouldn't call any of it pretty, but it's catchy enough to lull you into a false sense of security before it throttles you. The speedy scaling at the beginning of the tenth track, "When Forever Comes Crashing" is just one of the highlights here. Sometimes (track 2 and tracks 4-7) Ballou gets some help from Aaron Dalbec, who some of you will know from the band Bane. Although the work between the two is sparse, it does add a slightly different dynamic to the songs. The production is generally very solid, but on tracks 8-12 it's somewhat lacking. There is a very good reason for this though; they were recorded in Kurt Ballou's basement. It's actually pretty impressive that Converge can outdo certain bands in high priced studios while playing in a basement. These demos from the "When Forever Comes Crashing" sessions actually sound just as good, if not better than the versions that made it onto the final cut. The album ends with two live tracks, the better of the two being "Locust Reign." While these two songs don't exactly showcase the insanity of seeing Converge live, they're probably the closest thing you're going to get to it on a CD. Here's the bottom line: If you're a Converge fan, then you need to get your hands on this essential disc. If you don't know this band, and chaotic (how many times can I say the word chaotic in one review?) hardcore/metal (Nora, Dillinger Escape Plan) is your thing, you would be better off starting with a proper album (Jane Doe in particular). This isn't exactly a new full-length, but it does fill in some of the gaps in the 11 year history of one of the most influential bands in recent memory.
Here’s the track listing : People who liked this also liked:   ![Converge - When Forever Comes Crashing [reissue]](/images/covers/thumb/converge-when_forever_comes_crashing_reissue.jpg)        Please login or register to post comments. What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?
Best cover art ever. That is nuts. "one of the most overrated hardcore bands" i'm not much for the music itself, but their cover art is always so cool Converge = today's Black Flag "The first song is good, but all the other unreleased stuff is a giant step back from Jane Doe. When you cut the bullshit out, the only salvageable tracks could have been released on one or two seven inches sometime between When Forever Comes Crashing and the split with Agoraphopic Nosebleed." one of the most overrated hardcore bands Converge is a good hadcore band, but they have a tendency of releasing the same stuff over and over again. Nobody cares about live tracks enough to put Locust Reign on THREE ALBUMS. The other songs from Petitioning and such don't sound as good as the oiginals, so what's the point? The first song is good, but all the other unreleased stuff is a giant step back from Jane Doe. When you cut the bullshit out, the only salvageable tracks could have been released on one or two seven inches sometime between When Forever Comes Crashing and the split with Agoraphopic Nosebleed. good metal....but sometimes much to grindcore/metal sounding. Good. But not their best. "Converge= today's Black Flag". no, caring and killing = by far converge's worst stuff. i think people too often confuse simplicity and accessability with quality. caring and killing and petitioning the empty sky...hands down the best converge shit out thereif you kids can get your hands on caring and killing...it blows this away U&WO is still good though.----trav Converge = today's Black Flag converge slays. so brutal. I'm not a huge fan of Metalcore, or hardcore, or whatever you want to call it but even I think that Jane Doe was one of the greatest cd's ever put out. Amazing stuff. Converge is just too cool to fuck with. i saw them live and the guitarist had his guitar in the air nonstop I'm broke as well, that's why promo CDs are so great. I have yet to get this cd. I love Converge and i'm sure it's great. I'm just broke right now. (I knew someone would pick up on the parentheses thing) Converge is amazing. Hmm (I guess this review wasn't that good). I never heard Converge before (but I don't think I want to after reading this). If converge isn't one of the most amazing bands out there then I don't know who is. I'd recommend petitioning the empty sky, easily one of the best metalcore records ever. i love dep as much as the next guy, but converge scares the hell out of me. guess i'm not as hardcore as i thought. "i love the music but honestly cant stand his voice. sounds like a cat with his throat slashed grasping for air." Haha, good analogy. He kind of sounded like a psychotic Donald Duck on the tracks he appeared in on the Ramallah CD. For some reason though, I still think his voice sounds cool. i love the music but honestly cant stand his voice. sounds like a cat with his throat slashed grasping for air I might as well have put parentheses around the whole damn review. my favorite hardcore band ever, if youre a fan of hardcore converge is essential Wow, I like the cover art. Al0t. |
