Converge (band)
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Converge is an American
hardcore punk Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk ...
band formed by vocalist
Jacob Bannon Jacob Bannon (born October 15, 1976) is an American musician who is the vocalist, lyricist and graphic artist for the metalcore band Converge. He is the co-founder and owner of the record label Deathwish Inc. and the author of many visual works ...
and guitarist
Kurt Ballou Kurt Ballou (born February 1, 1974) is an American musician and producer based in Massachusetts, best known as the guitarist for hardcore punk band Converge and for his prolific recording and production work at his own GodCity Studio. Early an ...
in
Salem, Massachusetts Salem ( ) is a historic coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, located on the North Shore of Greater Boston. Continuous settlement by Europeans began in 1626 with English colonists. Salem would become one of the most significant seaports tr ...
in 1990. During the recording of their seminal fourth album ''
Jane Doe John Doe (male) and Jane Doe (female) are multiple-use placeholder names that are used when the true name of a person is unknown or is being intentionally concealed. In the context of law enforcement in the United States, such names are ofte ...
'', the group became a four-piece with the departure of guitarist
Aaron Dalbec Bane was an American hardcore punk band that began in 1995 as a side project between Aaron Dalbec (then of Converge) and Damon Bellorado. Dalbec approached Matt Firestone to sing and they played under the moniker of Gateway for a few shows, bef ...
and the addition of bassist
Nate Newton Nathaniel Newton (born December 20, 1961) is a former American football guard in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers. He also was a member of the Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League. He ...
and drummer
Ben Koller Ben Koller (born July 29, 1980) is an American drummer who has played with Converge, Mutoid Man, Killer Be Killed and All Pigs Must Die. He started playing a full drum kit at age 14. Musical career Early bands (1997–1999) Koller played ...
. This lineup has remained intact since. They have released nine studio albums, three live albums, and numerous EPs. The band's sound is rooted in hardcore and also features frequent influences from heavy metal. They are considered pioneers of metalcore as well as its subgenre mathcore. Converge have enjoyed a relatively high level of recognition. According to
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
, they are "regarded as one of the most original and innovative bands to emerge from the
punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
underground."Stacia Proefrock
Converge Biography
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
Their popularity rose with the release of ''Jane Doe'', which was ranked as the best album of the decade by
Sputnikmusic Sputnikmusic is an American music community website offering music criticism and music news alongside features commonly associated with wiki-style websites. The format of the website is unusual in that it includes both professional and amateur c ...
, the best album of 2001 by ''Terrorizer'' and later as the 61st-best metal album of all time by ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
''. Subsequently, Converge moved from
Equal Vision Records Equal Vision Records is an independent record label based in Albany, New York. It was founded in the early 1990s by Ray Cappo, singer for the punk bands Youth of Today, Shelter, and Better Than a Thousand. The label originally existed solel ...
to the considerably larger label Epitaph Records and their records gradually became more elaborate and expensive to produce. Special releases have traditionally been handled by Deathwish Inc., established by Bannon in 1999. Converge's latest albums are ''
The Dusk in Us ''The Dusk in Us'' is the ninth studio album by American metalcore band Converge. It was released on November 3, 2017, via Epitaph Records and Deathwish Inc, and is the band's first studio album in five years since 2012's ''All We Love We Leave ...
'' (2017) and their first full-length collaboration, '' Bloodmoon: I'' (2021) with
Chelsea Wolfe Chelsea Joy Wolfe (born November 14, 1983) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. Her work has blended elements of gothic rock, doom metal, and folk music. Raised in Northern California with a country musician father, Wolfe began writin ...
.


History


Early years and ''Halo in a Haystack'' (1990–1994)

Converge was formed in the winter of 1990 by Bannon and Ballou, they were later joined by high school friends Jeff Feinberg and Damon Bellorado in 1991. They started by playing covers of
hardcore punk Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk ...
, punk rock and heavy metal songs. The band soon graduated to playing live performances in mid-1991, after recording some demos on a 4-track recorder. The band started writing and playing what they consider "relevant" music in 1994. In 1994 the band became a five piece when Aaron Dalbec was recruited as a second guitarist. Later in the year Converge released their debut album, ''
Halo in a Haystack ''Halo in a Haystack'' is the debut album by American metalcore band Converge (band), Converge, released in 1994 through Earthmaker Records. Overview To fund the making of the record, vocalist Jacob Bannon saved up money from working at a nursi ...
'', released through Earthmaker Records. This was only released as a vinyl record and was limited to 1000 copies. The album has not been reprinted since its release. The record was funded by Bannon through money he saved up from working at a
nursing home A nursing home is a facility for the residential care of elderly or disabled people. Nursing homes may also be referred to as skilled nursing facility (SNF) or long-term care facilities. Often, these terms have slightly different meanings to i ...
.


''Petitioning the Empty Sky'', ''When Forever Comes Crashing'' and line-up changes (1995–1999)

In 1995 Converge released their first
compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several Performing arts#Performers, performers. If by one artist, then generally the tr ...
, ''
Caring and Killing ''Caring and Killing: 1991 Through 1994'' is a compilation album by American metalcore band Converge, originally released in 1995 through Lost & Found Records and re-released on November 17, 1997, through Hydra Head Records. Release The album ...
'', which featured tracks from the band's early work from the years 1991 to 1994. The album was originally released as a European exclusive through Lost & Found Records. However, Converge became dissatisfied with the way the label was handling the release and overcharging fans for their hard-to-find older songs. The album was re-released through
Hydra Head Records Hydra Head Records was an independent record label that specializes in extreme metal music, founded in New Mexico by Aaron Turner (the frontman of Isis) in 1993. It had another imprint, Hydra Head Noise Industries, which specialized in experiment ...
on November 17, 1997 in America to "make an overpriced release obsolete". Converge also released a seven-inch EP called ''Unloved and Weeded Out'' in 1995, which Bannon links more to contemporary Converge than the stuff that predated it. In 1996 Converge released a four-song EP, ''
Petitioning the Empty Sky ''Petitioning the Empty Sky'' is the second studio album by American metalcore band Converge. However, contrary to many sources, the band considers this a compilation album, being a collection of songs recorded at different times. While tracklist ...
.'' It was released through
Ferret Music Ferret Music was an American independent record label turned Warner Music Group subsidiary, founded in 1996. The label is owned by NORA's vocalist, Carl Severson, and based in West Windsor, New Jersey. Ferret recently started an imprint called ...
, and was one of the earliest releases through the newly-formed label. Later that same year the record was re-released with four additional new tracks. Two years later, the record was reissued through Converge's new label
Equal Vision Records Equal Vision Records is an independent record label based in Albany, New York. It was founded in the early 1990s by Ray Cappo, singer for the punk bands Youth of Today, Shelter, and Better Than a Thousand. The label originally existed solel ...
on January 20, 1998. This version contained the previous eight tracks as well as three newly added live tracks, recorded during a radio broadcast. Due to the addition of the new tracks, fans and sources consider this to be Converge's second studio album, while the band considers it a compilation album because it is a collection of songs recorded at different times. In early 1997 the band's original bassist, Feinburg, left the band, and was replaced with
Stephen Brodsky Stephen Brodsky is an American rock musician best known as a member of Cave In, Mutoid Man, New Idea Society and Old Man Gloom. He also has a solo career and is a former member of Converge, Kid Kilowatt, Parasite and Pet Genius. History Stephe ...
. Also that year, the band signed to Equal Vision Records. On December 22, 1997, recording for the band's third studio album ''
When Forever Comes Crashing ''When Forever Comes Crashing'' is the third studio album by American metalcore band Converge, on April 14, 1998 through Equal Vision Records. Recording The album was recorded at God City Studio from 22 December through 3 January 1998. Steve A ...
'' began at Ballou's GodCity Studio; it finished on January 3, 1998. On April 14, 1998 Converge released ''When Forever Comes Crashing'' through Equal Vision. In 1998, Brodsky left the band and was replaced by Newton, who initially joined the band as a part-time member while he was still active in another band,
Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...
. Jesuit later disbanded in 1999, allowing Newton to make Converge his main focus. In early 1999, the original drummer Bellorado left the band and he was quickly replaced with John DiGiorgio. Converge's only release with DiGiorgio was '' The Poacher Diaries''; Koller joined Converge in late 1999, replacing him. Ballou selected Koller to temporarily fill in while Converge searched for a more permanent replacement for Bellorado, as he was familiar with his work in previous bands, Force Fed Glass and Blue/Green Heart, a band that Ballou and Koller played in together. After working well with the band during some local shows in Boston, Converge made him an official member. Newton and Koller remain in the band to this day.


''Jane Doe'' (2000–2003)

The band was reported to take part in a Metallica tribute split series titled '' Crush 'Em All'' with Today Is the Day for
Undecided Records Undecided Records was an American independent record label established in 1998 by Clifford Wiener and Alexander Kenny. The record company was founded in Loxahatchee, Florida but its headquarters moved around in various parts of Palm Beach Coun ...
in 2000 but the release fell through. In mid-2000 Converge self-released a three-track demo record titled ''Jane Doe Demos''. This was released on tour and was limited to 100 copies. It contained unreleased demo versions of "Bitter & Then Some" and "Thaw" from their upcoming album ''
Jane Doe John Doe (male) and Jane Doe (female) are multiple-use placeholder names that are used when the true name of a person is unknown or is being intentionally concealed. In the context of law enforcement in the United States, such names are ofte ...
''. Converge entered the studio to begin recording in the summer of 2001. On September 4, 2001, Converge released their fourth studio album, ''Jane Doe''. It was met with immediate critical acclaim, with critics praising its poetic lyrics, dynamic range, ferocity and production. The album was a commercial success in comparison to Converge's previous outings, and both the band and the album have developed a cult following since its release. It is the band's first studio album to feature Newton and Koller, and the last to feature Dalbec, who was asked to leave the band due to his devotion to his side project
Bane Bane may refer to: Fictional characters * Bane (DC Comics), an adversary of Batman * Bane (''Harry Potter''), a centaur in the ''Harry Potter'' series * Bane (''The Matrix''), a character in the ''Matrix'' film trilogy * Bane the Druid, a Gu ...
. Converge's first tour in support of ''Jane Doe'' was in September 2001 with
Drowningman Drowningman is an American hardcore punk band from Burlington, Vermont, which was active from 1995 to 2005. Formed in the fall of 1995 by Simon Brody, Denny Donovan, Javin Leonard, Dave Barnett and Todd Tomlinson, the band was heavily influenced ...
and Playing Enemy, however Drowningman later dropped out of the tour to work on a new album. In 2002 a music video was released for the track/tracks "Concubine/Fault and Fracture" from the album ''Jane Doe''; the music video was directed by Zach Merck. On January 28, 2003 Converge released their second compilation album, '' Unloved and Weeded Out''. The album was originally released as a three track EP in 1995. The 2003 album version contains all three tracks from the 1995 EP but in total features 14 tracks, some of which were previously released rarities while others were previously unreleased. On February 25, 2003 Converge released their first official
DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...
, ''The Long Road Home''. It is modeled after band home videos such as Metallica's ''
Cliff 'Em All ''Cliff 'Em All'' is a compilation of video footage, and the first video album by the American thrash metal band Metallica. It was released on November 17, 1987, as a tribute to Metallica's bassist Cliff Burton, who died in a tour bus accident on ...
''.
Deathwish Inc Deathwish, Inc. is an American independent record label conceived by Jacob Bannon of Converge and Tre McCarthy in 2000. Their first release was '' Deeper the Wound'', a split album between Converge and Japanese band Hellchild on April 23, 2001. ...
describes the DVD as a "two disc collection that is as energetic and exciting as the moments the release captures". The DVD also comes with a bonus disk that included three full live sets from the band.


''You Fail Me'' and ''No Heroes'' (2004–2007)

In early 2004 the band announced that they were signing to Epitaph Records, having previously been signed to Equal Vision. Bannon stated, "We are confident as artists and genuinely happy about the move. We are part of a diverse, quality roster with Epitaph, rich in both history and integrity. We've struggled for years looking for a supportive label to call home and after a decade we have found it." Converge began writing for '' You Fail Me'' after they recorded ''Jane Doe''; they wrote on the road during sound checks of shows. Converge entered the studio to begin recording in March 2004 mainly at GodCity Studio. On September 20, 2004 Converge released their fifth studio album, ''You Fail Me''. It was the band's first to chart commercially, reaching number 171 on the ''Billboard'' 200. On February 14, 2005 a music video was released for the track "Eagles Become Vultures", directed by Zach Merck. Converge's first tour in support of ''You Fail Me'' started in September 2004 with
Cave In Cave In is an American rock band that formed in 1995 in Methuen, Massachusetts. The band's lineup solidified with the 1998 release of ''Until Your Heart Stops'' through Hydra Head Records, and their early albums were prominent in the metalco ...
and
Between the Buried and Me Between the Buried and Me, often abbreviated as BTBAM, is an American progressive metal band from Raleigh, North Carolina. Formed in 2000, the band consists of Tommy Giles Rogers Jr. (lead vocals, keyboards), Paul Waggoner (lead guitar, backing ...
. In 2005 Equal Vision reissued ''Petitioning the Empty Sky'' and ''When Forever Comes Crashing''. These reissues gave the albums one new bonus track each; ''Petitioning the Empty Sky'' received an alternate version of the song "Love as Arson" and ''When Forever Comes Crashing'' received a demo version of the song "Bitter and Then Some". These reissues also came with new album artwork by
Aaron Turner Aaron Turner (born November 5, 1977) is an American musician, singer, graphic artist, and founder of label Hydra Head Records. He is most widely known for his role as guitarist and vocalist for the post-metal bands SUMAC and Isis, while also ...
of
Isis Isis (; ''Ēse''; ; Meroitic: ''Wos'' 'a''or ''Wusa''; Phoenician: 𐤀𐤎, romanized: ʾs) was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. Isis was first mentioned in the Old Kin ...
. Ballou said in an interview that he wanted to remix and remaster the albums because the quality of Converge's recordings had improved so much that the original recordings were "becoming distracting". These reissues became the standard versions of these albums. In early July 2006 Converge's official website announced the title of their upcoming album, ''
No Heroes ''No Heroes'' is the sixth studio album by American metalcore band Converge, released on October 24, 2006 by Epitaph Records. The album was produced by guitarist Kurt Ballou, and the artwork was created by vocalist Jacob Bannon. ''No Heroes'' re ...
'', as well as the meaning behind it: "These days, cowards outnumber the heroes, and the begging souls outweigh the calloused hands of the hardest of workers. Both in life and in art, the lack of passion is sickening, and the lust for complacency is poisonous. This album is the artistic antithesis of that sinking world; a thorn in the side of their beast. It's for those who move mountains one day at a time. It's for those who truly understand sacrifice. In our world of enemies, we will walk alone..." On October 24, 2006 Converge released their sixth studio album, ''No Heroes''. This was the first Converge album to be self-produced by Ballou with no input from other producers, at his own GodCity Studio. The same day as the album's release, Converge released a music video for the title track, directed by Ryan Zunkley. Converge's first tour in support of ''No Heroes'' started in November 2006 with
Some Girls ''Some Girls'' is the 14th UK and 16th US album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 9 June 1978 by Rolling Stones Records. It was recorded in sessions held between October 1977 and February 1978 at Pathé Marconi Studios in ...
,
Modern Life Is War Modern Life Is War is an American hardcore punk band formed in Marshalltown, Iowa in 2002. During Modern Life Is War's six-year original run, the band released three full-length albums and one self-titled 7" EP. Despite a growing profile on the u ...
, Blacklisted,
Kylesa Kylesa is an American heavy metal band that was formed in Savannah, Georgia. Their music incorporates experimentalism with heavy riffs, drop-tuned guitars and elements of psychedelic rock. The group was established in 2001 by the former member ...
and
Gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
. Despite their growing prominence, Converge continued to appear at small independent events such as Fluff Fest in the Czech Republic, which they played in 2007.


''Axe to Fall'' (2008–2011)

In November 2008 Converge began writing ''
Axe to Fall ''Axe to Fall'' is the seventh studio album by American metalcore band Converge, released on October 20, 2009, by Epitaph Records. It is the band's most collaborative album, featuring a number of guest musicians, including members of Cave In and G ...
''. Following a short tour in March 2009 with
Ceremony A ceremony (, ) is a unified ritualistic event with a purpose, usually consisting of a number of artistic components, performed on a special occasion. The word may be of Etruscan origin, via the Latin '' caerimonia''. Church and civil (secular) ...
,
Coliseum The Colosseum ( ; it, Colosseo ) is an oval amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, just east of the Roman Forum. It is the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built, and is still the largest standing amphitheatre in the world t ...
, Pulling Teeth and Rise and Fall, Converge entered the studio to begin recording in May 2009. During this short tour, the band debuted a few new songs live, and footage could be seen online. The album was produced by Ballou, at GodCity Studio. In August 2009, two months prior to the release of ''Axe to Fall'', Converge made the opening track, "Dark Horse", available for streaming and as a free download. It was noted for being one of the few tracks lacking guest musicians, and was met with a very positive reaction from reviewers. The title track was also made available for free download in September 2009. The entire album was available for streaming on Converge's MySpace page one week before the official release date. On October 14, 2009, a music video was released for the title track of the album, directed by Craig Murray. On October 20, 2009 Converge released their seventh studio album, ''Axe to Fall''. On November 7, the "Axe to Fall" video debuted on MTV2's heavy metal music program, '' Headbangers Ball''. Converge's first tour in support of ''Axe to Fall'' was the
Metalocalypse ''Metalocalypse'' is an American adult animated television series, created by Brendon Small and Tommy Blacha, which premiered on August 6, 2006, followed by a musical one-hour special, '' Metalocalypse: The Doomstar Requiem'', on October 27, 2 ...
tour in late 2009, sponsored by Cartoon Network's
Adult Swim Adult Swim (AS; stylized as dult swim'' and often abbreviated as s'') is an American adult-oriented night-time cable television channel that shares channel space with the basic cable network Cartoon Network and is programmed by its in-house ...
. Alongside
High on Fire High on Fire is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California, that was formed in 1999. Matt Pike, the band's frontman and founder, also plays guitar for doom metal band Sleep. High on Fire won the 2019 Grammy Award for Best Metal Perfo ...
, Converge held an opening slot for co-headliners
Mastodon A mastodon ( 'breast' + 'tooth') is any proboscidean belonging to the extinct genus ''Mammut'' (family Mammutidae). Mastodons inhabited North and Central America during the late Miocene or late Pliocene up to their extinction at the end of th ...
and
Dethklok Dethklok is a fictional melodic death metal band featured in the Adult Swim animated television series ''Metalocalypse''. The first official Dethklok album was released on September 25, 2007, entitled '' The Dethalbum''. The album debuted at n ...
. Converge's first headlining tour in support of the album started in April 2010 with
Coalesce Coalesce may refer to: *Coalesce (band), a metalcore band from Kansas City, Missouri, active from 1994 to 1999, 2005– **Coalesce discography, a list of Coalesce's albums and songs * COALESCE, an SQL function *Null coalescing operator, a binary o ...
,
Harvey Milk Harvey Bernard Milk (May 22, 1930 – November 27, 1978) was an American politician and the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California, as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Milk was born and raised in ...
, Gaza, Lewd Acts and Black Breath. Converge began the European part of their world tour in July 2010 with
Kylesa Kylesa is an American heavy metal band that was formed in Savannah, Georgia. Their music incorporates experimentalism with heavy riffs, drop-tuned guitars and elements of psychedelic rock. The group was established in 2001 by the former member ...
, Gaza and
Kvelertak Kvelertak () is a Norwegian heavy metal band from Stavanger, formed in 2007. The group comprises vocalist Ivar Nikolaisen, guitarists Vidar Landa, Bjarte Lund Rolland and Maciek Ofstad, bassist Marvin Nygaard and drummer Håvard Takle Ohr. Foun ...
. In July 2010 the band released a limited-edition 7-inch vinyl single, '' On My Shield''. It was released in three different colors, with each limited to 1,000 copies. One version was sold during Converge's 2010 European tours, one was sold through the band's Epitaph web store, and the final version was distributed to various vinyl retailers.


''All We Love We Leave Behind'' (2012–2016)

In January 2012 Converge completed writing for their eighth studio album, '' All We Love We Leave Behind''. The following day, Ballou announced plans via his
Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
page to begin recording with the band in January. On August 28, 2012 a music video was released for the track "Aimless Arrow" from the upcoming album, directed by Max Moore. On the same day, Converge revealed the album's artwork, depicting a lunar cycle. On October 3, 2012, the album was available to stream in its entirety on
YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
, a week before its official release. On October 9, 2012 Converge released their eighth studio album, ''All We Love We Leave Behind.'' It peaked at number 70 on the ''Billboard'' 200, surpassing ''Axe to Fall'' in terms of commercial success. Converge's first headlining tour in support of ''All We Love We Leave Behind'' started in October 2012 with Torche,
Kvelertak Kvelertak () is a Norwegian heavy metal band from Stavanger, formed in 2007. The group comprises vocalist Ivar Nikolaisen, guitarists Vidar Landa, Bjarte Lund Rolland and Maciek Ofstad, bassist Marvin Nygaard and drummer Håvard Takle Ohr. Foun ...
, Nails and Whips/Chains. On April 17, 2014 another music video was released for the track "Precipice / All We Love We Leave Behind", directed by Craig Murray. On October 15, 2015 Deathwish's YouTube channel released a trailer for Converge's
Blu-ray The Blu-ray Disc (BD), often known simply as Blu-ray, is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released on June 20, 2006 worldwide. It is designed to supersede the DVD format, and capable of sto ...
set, '' Thousands of Miles Between Us''. This was released on November 27, 2015. The set was described by Deathwish as the long-awaited sequel to their landmark 2003 DVD release, ''The Long Road Home''. The footage includes a full 20-song Converge set and over 15 hours of live, rare, and previously unseen footage, which is claimed to span over a decade in the life of the band. On April 29, 2016 Converge announced plans to reissue the album ''You Fail Me'' (12 years after the original release); it was made available for pre-order the same day. On May 2, 2016 the title track from the upcoming version of the album was made available to stream on
SoundCloud SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...
. On June 17, 2016 Converge reissued the album under the name '' You Fail Me Redux'' through Epitaph and Deathwish. Ballou remixed the album and Alan Douches remastered it. The album was also repackaged by Bannon. Ballou explained in an interview with Noisey that after he recorded and mixed the album ''No Heroes'', he wanted to go back and remix ''You Fail Me,'' because he and the rest of the band were "never quite content with the original mix".


''The Dusk In Us'' and ''Beautiful Ruin'' (2017–2020)

On January 16, 2017 the band announced they would release a live album of their ''Jane Doe'' set from the Netherlands Roadburn Festival in 2016, titled '' Jane Live''. The album was put up for pre-order the same day. Deathwish's SoundCloud put the live version of the track "Jane Doe" up for streaming. ''Jane Live'' was released on March 3, 2017. Koller announced during an interview that the band was planning to start tracking for a new album in the spring of 2017. Following their tour on April 8, Converge planned to promptly head into the studio to record their next album. On May 27, 2017
DigBoston ''DigBoston''—formerly known as the ''Weekly Dig'' and known colloquially as ''The Dig''—is a free alternative newspaper in Boston, Massachusetts. It covers news in the Greater Boston area and offers commentary on music, arts, politics, busin ...
published an interview with the band's vocalist Jacob Bannon, who revealed that the band had 18 songs already written. He stated the album is "very powerful" and will be a "progression of something
hey Hey or Hey! may refer to: Music * Hey (band), a Polish rock band Albums * ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014 * ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980 * ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the title s ...
did previously." On July 25, 2017 Converge released the single " I Can Tell You About Pain", accompanied by a video directed by Tony Wolski. The single also contained the non-album track “Eve” as a b-side. On August 15, Converge released the new track "Under Duress", available for streaming. It was described by Bannon as his "emotional reaction to the complex world in which we live". With the announcement of the song, the album's tracklist and cover art were revealed. The band toured in Europe in August 2017 prior to the release. The following month another track, “Reptilian”, was made available for streaming. "A Single Tear" was made available for streaming on October 31, accompanied by a video directed by Max Moore. The video was described by having "heavy with symbolism about parenthood and connection." ''
The Dusk in Us ''The Dusk in Us'' is the ninth studio album by American metalcore band Converge. It was released on November 3, 2017, via Epitaph Records and Deathwish Inc, and is the band's first studio album in five years since 2012's ''All We Love We Leave ...
'' was released in the through Epitaph and Deathwish on November 3, 2017. On June 28, 2018, the band uploaded a short series of images to their Instagram page, alluding to a new release. On June 29, the band released the '' Beautiful Ruin'' EP via Epitaph and Deathwish, along with a music video for the song "Melancholia", directed by Tony Wolski. The EP consists of four tracks recorded during the sessions for ''The Dusk in Us'' which did not make the cut. Under the name Shattered Void, Converge contributed the new song "I Won't Let You Go" to the soundtrack for ''
Cyberpunk 2077 ''Cyberpunk 2077'' is a 2020 action role-playing video game developed by CD Projekt Red and published by CD Projekt. Set in Night City, an open world set in the ''Cyberpunk'' universe, players assume the role of a customisable mercenary know ...
'', a 2020 video game.


''Bloodmoon: I'' (2021–present)

On September 28, 2021 the band announced their 10th studio album '' Bloodmoon: I'', a collaboration with singer-songwriter
Chelsea Wolfe Chelsea Joy Wolfe (born November 14, 1983) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. Her work has blended elements of gothic rock, doom metal, and folk music. Raised in Northern California with a country musician father, Wolfe began writin ...
. Converge's longtime collaborator Brodsky and Wolfe's longtime collaborator Ben Chisholm also contributed to the recording. The project was preceded by all of the aforementioned, as well as
Steve Von Till Stephen Francis Von Till Jr. is an American musician, poet, and educator, best known as the guitarist of the band Neurosis, in which he also shared lead vocals with former member Scott Kelly. Following Kelly's departure in 2019, he is now the ...
of
Neurosis Neurosis is a class of functional mental disorders involving chronic distress, but neither delusions nor hallucinations. The term is no longer used by the professional psychiatric community in the United States, having been eliminated from th ...
, uniting for a series of performances called Blood Moon in 2016. ''Bloodmoon: I'' was released on November 19, 2021 to critical acclaim.


Artistry


Musical style and influences

Converge's music is rooted in both
hardcore punk Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk ...
and heavy metal and they are considered one of the earliest and most influential metalcore bands. Their sound has also been described as mathcore,
post-hardcore Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. It was initially inspired by post-punk and noise rock. Like post-punk, the term has been ...
, noisecore,Kevin Stewart-Panko, "The Decade in Noisecore", ''Terrorizer'' no. 75, Feb 2000, p. 22-23.
experimental An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs when a ...
hardcore, or simply hardcore.
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
describes them as a "revered
punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
metal band that combined the aggression of hardcore and metal with the complexity and
polyrhythm Polyrhythm is the simultaneous use of two or more rhythms that are not readily perceived as deriving from one another, or as simple manifestations of the same meter. The rhythmic layers may be the basis of an entire piece of music ( cross-rhyt ...
s of
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
." Their 2001 album ''Jane Doe'', which has become their most acclaimed work, introduced an experimental approach and emphasis on rhythmical complexity, which are defining features of mathcore. However Bannon has stated: "I really don't know what mathcore is. Converge is an aggressive band. We have elements of hardcore, punk, and metal for sure. But I think trying to define our efforts and other bands with a generic
subgenre Genre () is any form or type of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially-agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other for ...
name is counter productive. We all have something unique to offer and should be celebrated for those qualities rather than having them generalized for easy consumption." Converge started writing and playing what they consider "relevant" music in 1994. At that time they started incorporating influences like Starkweather (band), Starkweather, The Accüsed, Rorschach (band), Rorschach, Born Against, Moss Icon, Universal Order of Armageddon, Heroin (band), Heroin, and Mohinder (band), Mohinder into their approach. In a 2012 interview, Bannon told Jonny Cohn of ''The Aquarian Weekly, The Aquarian'' that the band "don’t really look to any outside influences all that much anymore. We kind of haven’t for a long time. We have been a band for over two decades. We’re more introverted. We’re used to writing and creating in our own little bubble. We love and appreciate all different kinds of music and at times you can hear little subtle things come out but for the most part, they’re just an extension and exploration of things that we’ve done in the past." Kurt Ballou has produced (and co-produced) the majority of Converge's albums at his own GodCity Studio. He has always been involved in the production of Converge's albums, but it was not until their 2006 album, ''No Heroes'', that he was involved in the entire recording and mixing process. This became the standard for Converge releases afterwards. One reason Ballou claimed to get into the studio side of music was to have "maximum control over our music". He stated, "When we were starting out, no one wanted to help us anyway, so if we didn't take control, nothing was going to get done."


Lyrics and vocal delivery

Scott Butterworth of Noisey has described Bannon's vocals "as just another sonic element—more percussive and tonal than lyrical—allowing listeners to develop an emotional understanding of the material even without a precise knowledge of the words." Sammy O'Hagar of MetalSucks, Metalsucks stated Bannon's vocals "[are] as much a part of Converge's uniqueness as is Ballou's nimble riffing".


Artwork

Bannon has designed all of Converge's artwork since their 1996 release, ''Petitioning the Empty Sky''. Although reissues of older albums have had artwork done by Aaron Turner such as the 2005 reissues of ''Petitioning the Empty Sky'' and ''When Forever Comes Crashing'', Bannon still took part in the design process of these reissues. In an interview with ''Revolver (magazine), Revolver'', Bannon shared his art process, saying, "When I work I usually start out with a sketch of some kind, either in my process book or on a scrap of paper," he explains. "I also did this with the ''Jane Doe'' album. By doing that, I work through ideas, write about them, and force them to evolve into something more refined. Process is extremely important for me--it allows me to have a log of my ideas, whether they're successful or not. That said, I sketched the basic cover and started building it in layers, using acrylic, ink, and spray paint. Because of the nature of the work and the need for flexibility in the imagery, I decided to build it in physical layers and scan certain elements for future use." Since the release of Converge's 2001 album ''Jane Doe'', the cover art of the woman simply known as "Jane" (recently revealed to be based on a photograph of French actress and model Audrey Marnay) has become Converge's icon, in a similar vein to Iron Maiden's Eddie (mascot), Eddie or Motörhead's Motörhead#Name and logo, Snaggletooth.


Collaborations

Converge have collaborated with numerous musicians throughout their work such as members of
Cave In Cave In is an American rock band that formed in 1995 in Methuen, Massachusetts. The band's lineup solidified with the 1998 release of ''Until Your Heart Stops'' through Hydra Head Records, and their early albums were prominent in the metalco ...
, The Hope Conspiracy, Genghis Tron,
Neurosis Neurosis is a class of functional mental disorders involving chronic distress, but neither delusions nor hallucinations. The term is no longer used by the professional psychiatric community in the United States, having been eliminated from th ...
and Disfear. Most of these bands are featured on the band's collaborative album ''
Axe to Fall ''Axe to Fall'' is the seventh studio album by American metalcore band Converge, released on October 20, 2009, by Epitaph Records. It is the band's most collaborative album, featuring a number of guest musicians, including members of Cave In and G ...
''. However, with the exception of ''Axe to Fall,'' Converge tend not to include many guests on their albums, and the guests that are included have minor roles such as backing vocals. The band have also worked with Tomas Lindberg (of At the Gates, Skitsystem, The Great Deceiver, and Disfear),
Aaron Turner Aaron Turner (born November 5, 1977) is an American musician, singer, graphic artist, and founder of label Hydra Head Records. He is most widely known for his role as guitarist and vocalist for the post-metal bands SUMAC and Isis, while also ...
(of
Isis Isis (; ''Ēse''; ; Meroitic: ''Wos'' 'a''or ''Wusa''; Phoenician: 𐤀𐤎, romanized: ʾs) was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. Isis was first mentioned in the Old Kin ...
and Old Man Gloom), and The Hope Conspiracy, Kevin Baker (of All Pigs Must Die (band), All Pigs Must Die and The Hope Conspiracy), all of whom provided vocals for a cover of Entombed (band), Entombed's "Wolverine Blues" performed by Converge.


With Cave In

After touring together in 2004, every member of Cave In and Converge entered Ballou's GodCity Studio to lay the foundation for what was intended to become a full-length collaborative album between the two bands. Tentatively dubbed the "Verge-In" sessions (an Amalgamation (names), amalgamation of the bands' names), the project was described as sounding "like this freaky mix of ''Ride the Lightning''-era Metallica meets Mars Volta meets the Allman Brothers." Due to both groups growing busier with their primary bands, as well as creative differences, the project eventually fizzled out. Brodsky described the sessions as being a "bigger project than anyone had anticipated taking on... The idea was to put out some sort of release at some point. But as with anything that has too many cooks in the kitchen, the project got delayed, and certain people felt one way or another about the pieces we came up with, and in the end, there was a very small portion of material that everyone could agree on." Tracks from the abandoned Verge-In sessions were reworked and transformed years later into the Converge songs "Plagues" from ''No Heroes'' and "Effigy", "Cruel Bloom", and "Wretched World" from ''Axe to Fall'', the latter of which were heavily reworked by members of Genghis Tron. Bannon said he believes there are only two unused and half-finished tracks from these sessions that could end up being reworked into new Cave In songs down the road. Brodsky said what became "Effigy" was some of the best material from the sessions and expressed interest in going back and finishing the remaining unreleased tracks at some point. Cave In and Converge members have collaborated numerous times, Brodsky had been the bassist of Converge from 1997 to 1998. Ballou produced Cave In's first two records, ''Beyond Hypothermia (album), Beyond Hypothermia'' and ''Until Your Heart Stops.'' Koller became a temporary drummer for Cave In during their support tour of their fourth studio album, ''Perfect Pitch Black''. Cave In also recorded two songs with Koller, "Dead Already" and "Shapeshifter"; these songs were released together on a limited-edition cassette single. Bands that feature both members of Cave In and Converge include Kid Kilowatt, Old Man Gloom, Doomriders, Mutoid Man and Bannon's Wear Your Wounds live band. The relationship between the two bands has been described as "incestuous" by members of each band. The bands even went as far to joke with each other about hosting a festival titled "IncestFest", which would only feature bands and side-projects that are related to Cave In and Converge.


Blood Moon

In April 2016, all four members of Converge, and guests
Chelsea Wolfe Chelsea Joy Wolfe (born November 14, 1983) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. Her work has blended elements of gothic rock, doom metal, and folk music. Raised in Northern California with a country musician father, Wolfe began writin ...
, Ben Chisholm also of Chelsea Wolfe, Stephen Brodsky of Cave In and
Steve Von Till Stephen Francis Von Till Jr. is an American musician, poet, and educator, best known as the guitarist of the band Neurosis, in which he also shared lead vocals with former member Scott Kelly. Following Kelly's departure in 2019, he is now the ...
of
Neurosis Neurosis is a class of functional mental disorders involving chronic distress, but neither delusions nor hallucinations. The term is no longer used by the professional psychiatric community in the United States, having been eliminated from th ...
, collaborated for four limited European performances titled Blood Moon. The collective performed "Ambient music, ambient/post-rock interpretations" of various tracks from Converge's discography, particularly their "lesser-heard and slower work." The first Blood Moon set took place at Postbahnhof in Berlin on April 11. The second took place at La Cartonnerie in Reims on April 12. The third took place at Electric Brixton in London on April 13. The fourth and final Blood Moon show took place after a special one-off Converge set where they played their 2001 album ''Jane Doe'' in its entirety for the first and presumably last time, to celebrate its 15-year anniversary. This took place at the Roadburn Festival in the Netherlands on April 14. The following Blood Moon set took place at Roadburn on April 16. In Tom Hartley of NME's review of their London performance, he said: "As one of only four European cities visited by Converge on this tour, it felt truly fortunate to witness such a unique show and once again reaffirmed they are crushingly brilliant with whatever they choose to do." In Kim Kelly of Noisey's review of Blood Moon's Roadburn Festival performance, she said: "I hadn't realized Converge's Jacob Bannon had such a powerful clean voice, or just how well it would mesh with Chelsea Wolfe's; I stood rooted to the spot for a good half hour if not more, totally sucked in by what was happening onstage. It was obvious that the musicians involved had put a lot of thought into what they were presenting up there." These performances paved the way for Converge's 2021 full-length collaboration album with Wolfe, Bloodmoon: I.


Members

;Current *
Jacob Bannon Jacob Bannon (born October 15, 1976) is an American musician who is the vocalist, lyricist and graphic artist for the metalcore band Converge. He is the co-founder and owner of the record label Deathwish Inc. and the author of many visual works ...
– Lead vocalist, lead vocals , Bass guitar, bass *
Kurt Ballou Kurt Ballou (born February 1, 1974) is an American musician and producer based in Massachusetts, best known as the guitarist for hardcore punk band Converge and for his prolific recording and production work at his own GodCity Studio. Early an ...
– Electric guitar, guitars, Backing vocalist, backing vocals , Bass guitar, bass *
Nate Newton Nathaniel Newton (born December 20, 1961) is a former American football guard in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers. He also was a member of the Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League. He ...
– bass, backing vocals , guitars *
Ben Koller Ben Koller (born July 29, 1980) is an American drummer who has played with Converge, Mutoid Man, Killer Be Killed and All Pigs Must Die. He started playing a full drum kit at age 14. Musical career Early bands (1997–1999) Koller played ...
– Drum kit, drums ;Current session musicians *
Stephen Brodsky Stephen Brodsky is an American rock musician best known as a member of Cave In, Mutoid Man, New Idea Society and Old Man Gloom. He also has a solo career and is a former member of Converge, Kid Kilowatt, Parasite and Pet Genius. History Stephe ...
– bass , guitar, backing vocals *
Chelsea Wolfe Chelsea Joy Wolfe (born November 14, 1983) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. Her work has blended elements of gothic rock, doom metal, and folk music. Raised in Northern California with a country musician father, Wolfe began writin ...
– vocals, guitars * Ben Chisholm – synth, piano, electronics, bass ;Former * Jeff Feinburg – bass, guitars * Damon Bellorado – drums *
Aaron Dalbec Bane was an American hardcore punk band that began in 1995 as a side project between Aaron Dalbec (then of Converge) and Damon Bellorado. Dalbec approached Matt Firestone to sing and they played under the moniker of Gateway for a few shows, bef ...
– guitars * John DiGiorgio – drums ;Former session/touring musicians * Erik Ralston – bass * Urian Hackney - drums


Timeline


Discography

;Studio albums * ''
Halo in a Haystack ''Halo in a Haystack'' is the debut album by American metalcore band Converge (band), Converge, released in 1994 through Earthmaker Records. Overview To fund the making of the record, vocalist Jacob Bannon saved up money from working at a nursi ...
'' (1994) * ''
Petitioning the Empty Sky ''Petitioning the Empty Sky'' is the second studio album by American metalcore band Converge. However, contrary to many sources, the band considers this a compilation album, being a collection of songs recorded at different times. While tracklist ...
'' (1996) * ''
When Forever Comes Crashing ''When Forever Comes Crashing'' is the third studio album by American metalcore band Converge, on April 14, 1998 through Equal Vision Records. Recording The album was recorded at God City Studio from 22 December through 3 January 1998. Steve A ...
'' (1998) * ''
Jane Doe John Doe (male) and Jane Doe (female) are multiple-use placeholder names that are used when the true name of a person is unknown or is being intentionally concealed. In the context of law enforcement in the United States, such names are ofte ...
'' (2001) * '' You Fail Me'' (2004) * ''
No Heroes ''No Heroes'' is the sixth studio album by American metalcore band Converge, released on October 24, 2006 by Epitaph Records. The album was produced by guitarist Kurt Ballou, and the artwork was created by vocalist Jacob Bannon. ''No Heroes'' re ...
'' (2006) * ''
Axe to Fall ''Axe to Fall'' is the seventh studio album by American metalcore band Converge, released on October 20, 2009, by Epitaph Records. It is the band's most collaborative album, featuring a number of guest musicians, including members of Cave In and G ...
'' (2009) * '' All We Love We Leave Behind'' (2012) * ''
The Dusk in Us ''The Dusk in Us'' is the ninth studio album by American metalcore band Converge. It was released on November 3, 2017, via Epitaph Records and Deathwish Inc, and is the band's first studio album in five years since 2012's ''All We Love We Leave ...
'' (2017) * '' Bloodmoon: I'' (2021) (with
Chelsea Wolfe Chelsea Joy Wolfe (born November 14, 1983) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. Her work has blended elements of gothic rock, doom metal, and folk music. Raised in Northern California with a country musician father, Wolfe began writin ...
)


Awards and nominations


Boston Music Awards

! , - !scope="row", 2009 , rowspan="6", Converge , Metal Act of the Year , , style="text-align:center;", , - !scope="row", 2012 , Metal/Hardcore Artist of the Year , , style="text-align:center;", , - !scope="row", 2013 , Metal/Hardcore Artist of the Year , , style="text-align:center;", , - !scope="row", 2014 , Metal/Hardcore Artist of the Year , , style="text-align:center;", , - !scope="row", 2016 , Metal Artist of the Year , , style="text-align:center;", , - !scope="row", 2017 , Metal Artist of the Year , , style="text-align:center;",


Heavy Music Awards

! , - !scope="row" rowspan="4", 2018 , rowspan="3", Converge , Best Album , , rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;", , - , Best International Band , , - , Best Album Artwork , , - ,
Kurt Ballou Kurt Ballou (born February 1, 1974) is an American musician and producer based in Massachusetts, best known as the guitarist for hardcore punk band Converge and for his prolific recording and production work at his own GodCity Studio. Early an ...
, Best Producer ,


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Converge Metalcore musical groups from Massachusetts American mathcore musical groups American post-hardcore musical groups Hardcore punk groups from Massachusetts Heavy metal musical groups from Massachusetts Punk rock groups from Massachusetts 1990 establishments in Massachusetts Musical groups established in 1990 Epitaph Records artists Equal Vision Records artists Deathwish Inc. artists Undecided Records artists