Best Of.... Converge
Fact Leaves It's Ghost - A Zen and the Art of Face Punching Best Of Converge (2008)
Converge has long been one of my favorite bands in any extreme aggressive music genre. They have tact, skill and feeling in all that they do. The albums have artwork that is equally as good as the songs within. The lyrics echo sentiments of lost love and innocence all while waving a big fuck you to all who care to balk. Its no surprise that with those elements Converge have been a consistent force in hardcore and metal for the past 15+ years. They have yet to tire and yet to show any signs of slowing down, whatsoever. Their latest album, No Heroes, released last year, attests to this fact. It is some of the most surgically precise and visceral music made on the planet.
I compiled this 2 disc set together in an attempt to convert those who might need converting. Consider this the Converge Missionary Post. I want you to join my church. A church of togetherness, emotional release and blistering metallic hardcore. Not such a bad deal eh? Just sign on the dotted in your own blood and youre good to go.
This 2 disc set is NOT official. This is not a release, and nothing to do with it is official, other than the complete and official awesomeness of the songs and their makers. The cover artwork is also not official. I made it in a paltry attempt to keep up with the Converge design aesthetic. Of course some will think I missed some of their favorite songs and I must assure you that it was no easy task to leave many songs off. Each and every album has a particular flow that is worth hearing in its entirety (Except maybe Petitioning and Unloved, which are compilations of sorts, but Petitioning is also my all time favorite Converge record). As I said before, the packaging is amazing on all releases and there is nary a weak song on all 6 or 7 or 8 of their releases.
Songs are arranged in chronological order starting with the very first song from Halo In A Haystack, "Shallow Breathing". Most of these songs stick out to me for particular reasons here and there and that is why they are included. It could be song I skated to, a song I blasted in my car, a song my friends and I jumped around like lunatics to. Do yourself a favor and if you find yourself as into these guys as I expect you to be, then do seek out the rest of their stuff because I left a lot of amazing songs off of this.
*As it turns out, the song that I was wondering about is called Serial Killer. It is the b-side to the Downpour 5" and is a cover of a Vio-Lence track. Thanks to Forever Gold from Last.fm for clearing that up. If anyone has the full track and wouldnt mind upload please leave a link in the comments. The mp3 I have is cut off towards the very end.
Converge [Disc 1]
1. Shallow Breathing / I Abstain
2. Two-Day Romance
3. Fact Leaves Its Ghost
4. Divinity
5. The Saddest Day
6. Dead
7. Farewell Note To This City
8. Color Me Blood Red
9. Snowblind
10. For You
11. Downpour
12. My Unsaid Everything
13. The High Cost of Playing God
14. Conduit
15. Year of the Swine
16. Love As Arson
Converge [Disc 2]
1. Serial Killer*
2. Locust Reign
3. This is Mine
4. My Great Devestator
5. Concubine
6. Fault and Fracture
7. Hell To Pay
8. Thaw
9. Last Light
10. Drop Out
11. Hope Street
12. Heartless
13. You Fail Me
14. Hanging Moon
15. Heartache
16. Hellbound
17. Sacrifice
18. Vengeance
19. Weight of the World
20. No Heroes
posted by blend77 at 2:14 PM
15 Comments:
Converge probably is my favorite hardcore band of all time. Even though most/many argue they aren't hardcore. I simply don't give a fuck what others think. For over 11 years now, I've seen this band, and been in awe when in a live setting. Each disc they've released has its own identity. To me, no album is better the the previous. They are all unique in the fact that I can listen to all of them from the first track to the last, and still be fucking floored. Its like i'm listening to these albums for the first time. I just converted one of my co-workers by playing him "Lonewolves" off of No Heroes. This band can simply do no wrong in my book. If that makes me a fanboy, so be it. At least I love and jock the shit out of a band that I know when it comes down to it, gives 110% on every release and live show and refuses to mail it in. That is why I love Converge and will continue to love them...
there are people who still haven't heard everything by converge?
wow. this is good comp of their releases. i already have everything from 'em, but you should have included some annihilate this week instead of snowblind. also replace for you with flowers and razorwire or homesong, i think those two songs show more of an evolution of kurt's playing.
Well the co-worker in question is more into mainstream stuff and never would have heard of Converge anyway, at least thats what he said. Who cares, he went and picked up a few albums and is I guess is a fan now.
i agree with you Chris... thats a huge reason why this band rules so much. they still have feeling for it. I think it will be a life long thing for them, to make aggressive music... or brooding at the least...
Nonetheless, despite their large popularity, they are still extremely small on a wider scale. A good majority of mainstream music listeners might not know of Converge.
)(*@#^&, i should have put homesong, but no way I could flip out For You for Flowers & Razorwire.
And Snowblind is a good cover of a pretty bad Sabbath song. It also has meaning to me due to the summer that I purchased that 7".
nice comp man...dig the artwork.
never heard of these Converge guy, but I'll try it.:)
I have to take a 6 hour car ride tonight..this will definitely be coming along.
nice!
i am thinking of doing more of these best ofs... who knows.. lots of plans, very little time... im sure you know how that goes, pop. ^_^
have fun on your road trip. where you going?
blend, do you like fucked up? this has nothing to do with converge.
Awesome post man! I think it would be an awesome idea if you did more of the 'best of' posts. I always enjoy reading those.
- Jourdan
this is a fantastic comp. I still have yet to see Converge live for 1000 reasons. But every release gets me pumped for the day I do. Thanks a lot!
nice comp man!
Excellent work!
I too share a love for this band that is unparalelled.
It would be hard for me NOT include nearly every song they have done cuz... well.. they fucking rule.
Oh yeah, I forgot something.
here's the Downpour / Serial Killer 5":
http://www.mediafire.com/?dy1txgbjjly
hope that helps
Jason/L-R V
thanks Jason! Glad to finally have that song figured out...
Thank you very much, this is an excellent collection of songs.
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