All We Love We Leave Behind
(2012, Epitaph) USA, Massachusetts
And one new album by Converge.
I really love that one. It is a little different than the previous records, and I love that Jacob sing in a more melodic way.
The album starts with Aimless Arrow which makes me think of a Capsule’s song, with a terrific drum part at 1:45 until the end of the song.
The soundscapes and the taping parts in Glacial Pace are really interesting ! (Awesome Finale at 4:03).
My favorite song on that disc is Tender Abuse, really violent, à la “Jane Doe” with a better sound even.
I love Shame In The Way which makes me think of a song by Swarm Of The Lotus, another terrific band recorded some years ago by Kurt Ballou.
That album ends with the perfect All We Love We Leave Behind, new epic song, the brand new Jane Doe song, with moving parts and a magic Finale.
I love the artwork, B&W on the outside, and colorful in the inside.
A huge album !
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COUP DE COEUR : MY TOP 5
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| 1. Tender Abuse |
| 2. All We Love We Leave Behind |
| 3. Shame In The Way |
| 4. Aimless Arrow |
| 5. Glacial Pace |
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Napalm Death Split
(2012, Deathwish Inc.) USA, Massachusetts
I love that guitar’s riff with all the bends in No Lights Escapes.
I’m not a huge Entombed’s fan, so that Wolverine Blues cover doesn’t really move me.
Napalm Death offer us two soft songs as usual. I just wished that this high-medium-drum-sound would have been different as it doesn’t really transmit the power of Danny’s play.
The way that Will By Mouth end is really cool.
That artwork with a woman waving a lightning is really beautiful.
For fans.
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COUP DE COEUR : MY TOP 5
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| 1. No Lights Escapes |
| 2. Will By Mouth |
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Dropdead Split
(2011, Deathwish Inc.) USA, Massachusetts
Runaway is terrific ! I love the dialog between Jacob on the vocals and Kurt playing these little riffs. That song is fast and brutal and this is enlighted by the great quality of the recording and mix.
I’m a Dropdead’s fan and I was so happy to learn they released a split together.
Paths Of Glory is a pure Dropdead song, with a very good sound !
I listen to that Ep a lot.
That transparent mixed brown and black color is a success.
A great Ep.
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COUP DE COEUR : MY TOP 5
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| 1. Runaway |
| 2. Paths Of Glory |
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On My Shield Ep
(2010, Epitaph Records) USA, Massachusetts
Here is an Ep with one track only : On My Shield, somewhere between Mastodon and Old-School-Converge (metal).
As usual, the artwork is beautiful and one of the side of that dark-green-7″ is engraved, cool !
A cool object for your collection.
For fans.
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COUP DE COEUR : MY TOP 5
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| 1. On My Shield |
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Axe To Fall
(2009, Epitaph) USA, Massachusetts
That’s it ! Now I’m old and dumb and nostalgic.
Latest album of Converge and another great artwork as ever.
There is all the Converge recipies with a rock’n’roll and heavy touch that some will like or not. (End solo in Wishing Well)
Axe To Fall is the hit of this album, very technic and more powerful and innovating than before.
Here is the videoclip : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jjBinzryFY
Losing Battles sounds more like one of the early songs.
Damages an interesting sludge touch and Dark Horse an heavy touch, and for both of these songs, I really found them more interesting as soosn as I saw them live.
As I said as the beginning, is a great album, but I prefered the darknest and power of their first albums.
I remember that I saw them 3 times in my life (twice in Paris, and one at The Groezrock in belgium) and I was amazed by their stage presence, but I could see that the vocals were a little bit tired because of the crazy tours they did since years.
But that year in Paris at the Trabendo, it was their first european gig and then : It was one of the best gig ever in my life, with Jacob with his full vocals power.
Video here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BCv3gAWUak
See you next year !
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COUP DE COEUR : MY TOP 5
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| 1. Axe To Fall |
| 2. Losing Battles |
| 3. Dark Horse |
| 4. Damages |
| 5. Wishing Well |
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No Heroes
(2006, Epitaph) USA, Massachusetts
Another mythic Converge album with another sucessful artwork from Jacob.
“No heroes” is clearly in the fast and powerful vein and very homogeneous.
Some new with Heartache, first song with a complex and brand new rhythmic.
Another hit is No Heroes right after the great Weight Of The World. it’s a looped riff which grows and creates a lot of pressure.
Hellbound is one of their new live classics : very powerful too : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR0Vft1eON4&ob=av2nm
I really love the groove in the drum parts at the end of Sacrifice.
To The Lions reminds me of Jane Doe in a way and it’s a good idea to end like this.
To buy before everything else haha.
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COUP DE COEUR : MY TOP 5
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| 1. No Heroes |
| 2. Heartache |
| 3. To The Lions |
| 4. Hellbound |
| 5. Sacrifice |
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You Fail Me
(2004, Epitaph) USA, Massachusetts
I discovered Converge with this album and this grand videoclip : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjZMySPcQfI
Eagles Become Vulture is a huge slap in your face. “You Fail Me” is my favorite album of their discography, probably because it’s the one I listen to the most often, but because it’s really homogeneous.
All the tracks follow each other like a story, with its chapter, its break and its action part. You can keep every song.
It’s probably too one of the darkest and fastest album of their discography (Hope Street).
COUP DE COEUR : MY TOP 5
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| 1. Eagles Become Vultures |
| 2. Hope Street |
| 3. Drop Out |
| 4. Heartless |
| 5. Black Cloud |
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Deeper The Wound (Split with Hellchild)
(2001, Deathwish Inc.) USA, Massachusetts
On that split with the japanese band Hellchild, there is only one track by Converge : Thaw that I love a lot, mainly for the guitar sonorities.
They did Depeche Mode cover for Clean that I don’t really like and some live version of Converge’s songs.
I’m not a really in love with Hellchild’s music.
For fans.
COUP DE COEUR : MY TOP 5
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| 1. Thaw |
| 2. Shallow Breathing (Live) |
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Jane Doe
(2001, Equalvision) USA, Massachusetts
“Jane Doe” is their second best album in my opinion.
I can guess many people won’t agree that I prefer “You Fail Me” but I think “Jane Doe” gives the best songs of the band, the album is not as homogeneous as “You Fail Me”.
Fault And Fracture and its intro Concubine are a total must and probably the two songs which give me the envy of playing hardcore music with my band. they perfectly match with their beautiful videoclip : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go8KMq_WjLI
They are very talented and skilled, what a melody, what a power, what a groove.
These songs sum up the à la Converge style.
In Heaven In Her Arms, I love the part at 2:39, very loud and heavy.
You’ll notice the wonderfull artwork designed by Jacob. The band’s visual identity is a big plus in its popularity.
The part at 1:36 in The Broken Vow is one of their best live moment.
Finally Jane Doe is an awesome finale, very classy and easy to approach as by the hardcore public as by the indie rock or sludge public. You have to see this live.
A Must Have
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COUP DE COEUR : MY TOP 5
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| 1. Fault And Fracture |
| 2. Concubine |
| 3. The Broken Vow |
| 4. Jane Doe |
| 5. Heaven In Her Arms |
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The Poacher Diaries (Split with ANB)
(1999, Relapse Records) USA, Massachusetts
On that split, three songs shine out of the record for their spathic touch, like This Is Mine (great part at 0:48).
I don’t really know why but Locust Reign remains in mind.
These songs are really death-metal, almost Psyopus like.
The Human Shield makes me think to some of The Dillinger Escape Plan’s song almost.
For fans.
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COUP DE COEUR : MY TOP 5
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| 1. Locust Reign |
| 2. This Is Mine |
| 3. The Human Shield |
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When Forever Comes Crashing
(1998, Equalvision) USA, Massachusetts
In deed, I discovered that album only last week !
That album is one of the most metal album by Converge.
I love a lot Conduit,
When Forever Comes Crashing makes me think of a song by He Who Corrupts : Master Of Profits.
I love the power in Love As Arson.
For fans.
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COUP DE COEUR : MY TOP 5
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| 1. Conduit |
| 2. When Forever Comes Crashing |
| 3. Love As Arson |
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Petitioning The Empty Sky
(1996, Ferret Record) USA, Massachusetts
Converge is one of my favorite bands, major icon of Hardcore. They’ve defined metalcore (evenif that term is wide nowadays) in adding Jacob Bannon’s supra-scream and heavy breaks to traditionnal punk hardcore.
“Petitioning The Empty Sky” is one of their first album and it’s really easy to figure the metal touch they add. It will become more subtle in their last records.
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COUP DE COEUR : MY TOP 5
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| 1. The Saddest Day |
| 2. Color Me Blood Red |
| 3. Forsaken |
| 4. Dead |
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Unloved And Weeded Out (Compilation)
(2003, Deathwish Inc.) USA, Massachusetts
Nice Artwork for this compilation of unreleased tracks.
As a compilation, there is not really an homogeneity in between the songs.
I bought”Unloved And Weeded Our” for Downpour that I think terrific as for the rhythms as for the vocals.
I really live the break at 1:18, it really inspired me for my own vocals in my side-projects.
Tremor is one of this slow and powerful songs that I love, it’s just a little bit short.
Jacob’s Ladder is one of their songs with there is blast parts in between traditionnal punk beats and I like this effect.
I finally love Undo for its break at 1:28.
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COUP DE COEUR : MY TOP 5
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| 1. Downpour |
| 2. Tremor |
| 3. Jacob’s Ladder |
| 4. Undo |