Converge
Axe To Fall
"For a very long time, we've wanted to do a collaboration album where we could include people we're close with or friends with and who we gel with musically and socially. Now, we did that and it's pretty seamless. [Axe to Fall] doesn't feel like a big rock record where the guest vocalists come out and a spotlight is being thrown on them. It's much more involved than that. It's much more refined."
-Jacob Bannon (vocalist/album artist)
What a fun album to listen to! Converge have done it again with 'Axe To Fall', a powerful and frenetic bullet-train of unsteady and unruly chaotic hardcore. And since the band wanted to change the formula a bit by featuring guest musicians (hence the quote above, where Jacob mentions doing a collaborative effort), all kinds of new musical territory, in terms of the band's resume, are explored. It's great when a band progresses as they please, and they know what they want to do with it as well, thus coming out gloriously.
The progressive-metal stylings of the first song, with extremely fast drumming by Ben Koller, and then machinegun like power-metal guitar work by Kurt Ballou, all make the opening track (Dark Horse) a huge blast to listen to. It's definitely worthy of an ecstatic and energetic concert crowd, ready to pounce and dance in every way imaginable. Jacob's vocals aren't all screaming either, he yells as well, during the verses. It's somewhat new territory for fans who are used to how he sang in previous records. And as usual for Jacob Bannon's lyrical prowess, it's a solid effort on his part. Very good way to start off what works out to be a very good album.
The next track, Reap What You Sow, features ex-Hatebreed guitarist Sean Martin on lead guitar, shredding the poor thing to good use. Sean couples his sold hardcore punk skills with Jacob's crazy vocals as well as providing backup vocals, and blesses the listener with a fast-paced heavy metal solo. The song closes with a quick scream of lyrics by Jacob, then the next song immediately continues where the previous song left off. This is Axe To Fall, the title track of course. It's their first single. Kurt Ballou picks up the lead guitar again, and George Hirsch of Blacklisted backs up Jacob's sonic assault with some vicious howling. This song slows down a little bit mid-way, but the song is heavier overall than the second track.
The guitarists of Cave In, a side-project that Kurt Ballou contributes to, take the appropriate positions on the album. The way they deliver in this song is wild, making Effigy, the fourth track, a wild and ambitious mosh-pit driver.
The band itself returns in full for Worms Will Feed/Rats Will Feast, a very slow, Doom Metal styled song full of hard hitting bass lines. The latter half of the song is the best part overall, with intriguing grooves laden with a more focused rhythm. I also like the lyrics, they're very hard-hitting, and are fitting for the style the band is executing in the song.
Wishing Well is one of the most hardcore punk styled songs on the album, by a landslide. From the drum tempo delivered by Koller, to the hardcore inspired lead guitar from guest musician Ulf Cederlund of Disfear (indeed, the band sounds very much like Disfear in this track, thanks to a Disfear member's contributions), the track is fun to listen to. As usual, the theme of the lyrics fit a "cause & effect" story, especially because of the lines: "your words can't touch me/while your past ways down your life/your heart can't love me/while your past (still) haunts you inside."
Just like Worms.../Rats..., the next song, Damages, is a different style and pace for the album. The song does pick up a bit after 1:05 or so. It's also a somewhat slow song, just like the previously mentioned Doom metal stylings of Worms.../Rats... The lead guitarist of Hindi-Hardcore punkers "108" lends a hand, making this a very heavy track. Koller's drumming is also very effective because it's very loud, but it doesn't detract from the rest.
The next four tracks all clock to under three minutes, most of them only a minute and a half. They pretty much pick up the pace from Damages, and are, like usual with Converge fare music, absolutely bristling with energy.
Then the album really starts going into interesting territory. Cruel Bloom is a wonderfully executed track featuring Steve Von Till of "Neurosis", an awesome hardcore punk/ambient/industrial group. It's gloomy nature is pronounced by the haunting piano. Also, the choruses are very moving, with great melodic effect from several vocalists thanks to their soft voices. Then the band kicks in with a massive guitar riff, and throaty, more heavy metal styled growls from Von Till. Personally my favourite track on the album.
Wretched World sort of follows the same formula as the previous song, but is twice as long, which works for the song very well. Mookie Singerman of Genghis Tron is the lead vocalist, and has a softer, but less gloomy voice than Steve Von Till. This is not a falling grace at all because overall, the song simply kicks ass. Like the band's last epic track, "Grim Heart/Black Rose", it changes pace a little bit and Jacob jumps back into the lead role, closing the track aggressively.
So basically, the album builds on everything good the band has done so far, and goes into all sorts of new directions. Because of the experimentation, it should reinvigorate any listener, especially previous ones, into listening to the band's efforts further on. The talent at work here deserves praise, especially from the performances on the final two tracks. If anyone felt Converge was waning with "No Heroes", then this album will convince such skeptics otherwise. As I said before, what a fun album to listen to!
9.3/10
Breakdown:
- Many guest performances that serve the sound of the album very well.
- Notable guests, such as Sean Martin of Cage, Steve Von Till of Neurosis, and the backing vocalists on "Wretched World" should receive praise!
- Kurt Ballou flexes his guitarist muscle big time, especially on the thrilling opener, "Dark Horse."
- Jacob's singing is crazy as ever.
- So are his lyrics. Though they do depart a little from the rather personally-oriented stylings of their previous works, especially the masterpiece Jane Doe.
- Cruel Bloom is a magnificently executed song, and is overall the best on the album.
- Converge sort of plays with the Grim Heart/Black Rose formula on Wretched World, and to great effect.
- The fact that the band experimented with new styles shows that they are not afraid to think outside the box. This suggests that the band feels a lot more enthusiasm in making great music than some may think.
- Neat artwork.
