Converge
Love Is Not Enough
Epitaph
Converge’s latest album has landed, and as lifelong fans, we enthusiastically dove in, headphones on and expectations very high. At first, we were thrown off balance. This is Converge at their most streamlined, their most approachable and dare we say it, user-friendly, a shock for anyone who is accustomed to their usual chaos.
For many years, Converge have hurled us into the unknown, continuously pushing limits, so we braced for impact, only to find a cleaner, more accessible sound within this album. It took a few spins to adjust, but soon enough, Love Is Not Enough revealed itself as a breakneck rager of an album.
The album opens and closes with singles that have likely already wormed their way into your brain, thanks to a new arsenal of irresistible hooks. These hooks come as the band’s new secret weapon, which was a real surprise, as was the nod to Slayer on To Feel Something, a burst of 80’s speed-metal on Force Meets Presence, and a So-Cal punk flavour on Make Me Forget You, which caught us off guard.
Yet it’s within these familiar touches that act as a gateway for newcomers, inviting them into Converge’s wilder, more feral back catalogue. Jacob Bannon’s vocals and Ben Koller’s drumming are as fierce as ever, surging with the energy of a thousand toddlers on a Red Bull rush. Even with a cleaner mix, the guitars and bass still snarl and snap, just now with a tighter leash.
As Converge gear up for a summer of festival stages, including the UK’s Outbreak festival, this sleeker sound is sure to win over a fresh wave of Gen Z fans. Once again, Converge keep us guessing, proving that after decades at the cutting edge of hardcore, they still have plenty of surprises up their sleeves.
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Review By George Miller