Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Converge - Halo in a Haystack (1994)

Converge is one of the most famous and infamous metalcore bands around. They've pioneered the genre, each member has phenomenal talent, their vocalist is chaotic, and they can f*** up song structures while still sounding listenable. However like other bands, there's this dull debut that's f***ed up in a bad way...

Their debut Halo in a Haystack released in 1994 to finally start writing and playing "relevant" music 4 years after their formation. Sadly, this isn't an entirely relevant album. Of the 10 songs in this album, two are good, three are average, and five are outright stinkers that should've never existed. I'm sure those guys were young(er than I am) and just staring out, but their lack of talent is what makes this album mostly dull. The track pacing is the main problem, especially in the first 4 tracks too awful to talk about here.

The average songs start with track #5 "Divinity", which sounds nice but a bit weak. The otherwise dull drumming really leaps out startlingly to kick off "Fact Leaves Its Ghost", but other than that, that song is a mess of chords that does no good. "Antithesis" does not have any good usage in its long length of 5 minutes.

And now for the two good tracks, starting with "Down" the best song in the album. It's another 5-minute track, but it comes out much better with its constant change of sound and styles, dark mood, excellent vocals, and good guitars. While not as good and heavy as in Jane Doe, the guitars still sound decent. That song is really where the riffs stand out and add more feel to the music than the other songs in the album. "Undo" is shorter at just two minutes but another clean highlight that never loses quality. But why didn't I mention the in-between track "Exhale"? It's a very sh*tty stinker, that's f***ing why!! "Exhale" is probably the worst track Converge has ever done!

Halo in a Haystack is another one of those disappointing metalcore debuts. Wait, is this album even metalcore!? It's more of a hardcore punk album! The shorter and longer songs are either average or good, while the intro and radio-length songs are horrible. Converge would level up in later albums to make up for this punk-ish train wreck....

Favorites (only songs I like in this album): "Down", "Undo"