Artist: Converge
Album: Petitioning the Empty Sky / When Forever Comes Crashing (Re-releases)
Label: Equal Vision Records
Tracks: 12 / 12
Length: 47:36 / 40:47
Review by: Luke Kruse

 

In the realm of hard music, Converge is a band that needs no sort of introduction or background information.  They are widely regarded as the pioneers of metal core, and are the standard to which dozens of imitators are measured.  Converge is absolutely one of the most brutal and talented bands around today, and their recent releases Jane Doe and You Fail Me were critically acclaimed and heralded by fans of heavy music.  With Converge only increasing in importance as their legacy builds,  Equal Vision Records has decided to re-master and re-release two of their early classics Petitioning the Empty Sky from 1997, and When Forever Comes Crashing from 1998.  Let me first say that these spruced up releases look phenomenal.  Each album features brand new artwork courtesy of Converge vocalist and respected designer Jacob Bannon.  Both albums also feature a thick booklet with lyrics, pictures, and a biography on Converge that is split into halves, one half written in each release.  From what I’ve read, the sound quality is greatly improved, and was the major reason why these albums were re-released.  There is also bonus multimedia content featuring live video as an extra bonus.  Equal Vision did a great job putting the complete package together, so even if you already have the original releases, it is still worth picking up the re-releases.

 

Onto the music itself, it is obvious that Petitioning the Empty Sky came prior to Forever Comes Crashing.  While both albums are near-relentless in the crushing brutality, Petitioning is the rawer of the two releases, and the songs seem to have a little less defined structure.  The opening seven-minute opener “The Saddest Day” is widely regarded as perhaps the finest Converge song, and for good reason.  The song builds riff upon riff, picking up and slowing down several times, and Bannon’s high screams match perfectly with the music.  Starting the album off in such fine form makes the rest of the album pale a bit in comparison, but there are certainly no bad songs on the album.  A couple of the tracks, notably the one minute track “Buried but Breathing,” actually have more of an old school punk feel, and it is clear that Converge did not quite have a fully defined sound quite yet.  The variety keeps the album from being monotonous, though Converge is definitely at its best when they play at their heaviest.   The guitarists are certainly more than proficient and the rhythm section keeps the chaos somewhat in check, though the double bass drum adds to the fury regularly.

 

When Forever Comes Crashing finds Converge more consistent in their sound.  This is definitely a much more technical album, the time changes and guitar wizardry is unbelievable.  The punk feel found on Petitioning is gone, and this is an album that is probably unrivaled in its heaviness.  Seriously, do not play this record anywhere around small children or pets.  This album is honestly difficult to get through.  I find myself getting worn out about half way through because it is just so intense and unrelenting.  Converge is not a breakdown machine in the same way as say, Norma Jean, so there is little respite, though the quiet and sung “Ten Cents,” placed two-thirds through the album seemed intentionally placed to give the listener a break.  It might be best to listen to this album in parts in order to truly digest and appreciate the intricacies in each track.  I will say that the title track here rivals “The Saddest Day” in terms of its epic nature, and features a rare breakdown.

 

To sum it up, these re-issues are almost required listening for any fan of hard music.  These records make bands like Every Time I Die and Norma Jean seem like child’s play.  Even if you have these releases, Equal Vision did such a nice job with the re-issues that these two albums are worth picking up.  Listening to these albums repeatedly just might kill you, but at least you will die with a smile on your face.    

 

Petitioning The Empty Sky:

 

When Forever Comes Crashing: