Converge
“When Forever Comes Crashing” (Reissue)
Equal Vision Records

Remember the words “This time it’s war!” because chances are if you ever go to see Converge play 1000 kids will be screaming it while you are busy avoiding flying karate kicks. Much like “Petitioning the Empty Sky”, this record struck a nerve in the hardcore scene. Converge proved they weren’t a one album fluke and annihilate everyone and everything in their path on the second release.

Hardcore has never sounded more real than this record. “My Unsaid Everything” is unapologetic with the crushing metal groove that opens this record up. The title track is so good that the EVIL breakdown in the middle of the song gives me goosebumps. You haven’t lived until you’ve been screaming that chorus in the middle of the pit. Granted I was doing that in 1996 and 2005 is a whole new ballgame. Unlike many of their contemporaries, Converge grew and evolved their sound to make original sounding and distinctively different records.

Converge was on top of the world when this came out. It’s ugly, brutal, honest, and as real as music gets. The reissue of course makes the album sound 100x better than the previous version. Go out of your way to pick these two discs up.


Reviewed by: Adam Circumstance
Reviewed on: July 6, 2005