What Are You Listening To Now - The Revolution Edition

He only did a couple of years for it.

Converge - Jane Doe (2001)

No, believe it or not, I hadn't listened to this before today, even though I am well aware how critically-acclaimed it is. Despite metalcore not being one of my "core" genres, I have found Converge to be one of the more palatable bands in the genre, so I can't really say why it has taken me so long to get round to their highest-rated album, sheer bloody mindedness I suppose! Well, I can certainly hear why it is so highly acclaimed as I found it to be quite a striking listen. There is a nice blend of short, aggressive tracks and more expansive, sludge-influenced workouts. The greater depth to the guitar tone and the slower tempo of a couple of tracks, most notably Hell To Pay and Phoenix in Flight, unsurprisingly appeal to my Fallen-obsessed sensibilities more than most metalcore albums do. Then, the absolute nirvana of what is already a singularly great Revolution release, the epic closing title track and it's dabbling with atmospheric sludge renders this so far above the metalcore crowd that it inhabits a different plane of existence. Shit, at this rate I'm going to be swapping one of my clans for The Revolution. (Not really, Andi, before you say anything!) Anyway, credit where credit is due, this is a fantastic metal release with the ability to invigorate even an old curmudgeon like me.

4.5/5