Converge - Axe To Fall (2009)

For 20 years, Converge has been reinventing themselves while still staying constant with one thing.... playing disturbingly good hardcore. The Boston natives released their 7th studio album, Axe To Fall about a month ago. I have been waiting to get receive the LP in the mail since its release, and hadn't listened to a single song. Now that I have it, it hasn't left my ears for three days. In fact, I listened to the album for 10 hours straight today. The album is 42 minutes long, but truly feels like an ep. Among the 7 studio albums, Converge has released a slough of splits, comps, and eps. The music they produce is always heavy as hell, and Jake Bannon's vocals always rip me to shreds. Over the years, they have gathered a cult following, and its for good reason--Converge makes music that is like no other band in the world.

Axe To Fall is no exception. It gets better and better with each listen. Their album Jane Doe is on my top 5 list of hardcore albums ever, and I've been muttering to myself, ".....this might be better than Jane Doe". The severity of that statement can not be appreciated unless you are a hardcore kid that grew up with Converge. Converge has taken everything that I love from each of their previous album, and woven it into their unique style seamlessly to create Axe To Fall.

The opening track 'Dark Horse' sets a pace for the album that makes me feel like the Maxell cassette tape dude in the chair. The onslaught continues for three more songs one of which has 3/4 of Cave In (Steve Brodsky, Adam McGrath and J.R. Connors), called "Effigy". The album then slows down with the two part beast, "Worms will feed/Rats will feast". "Wishing well" starts another four song theme of more doom/sludge songs, then leads into my personal favorite track, "Cutter". Machine gun/galloping drums command the song, and rattle the fillings out of my head. "Slave driver" is the 'last hoorah' before going into two absolutely amazing and unique songs that I still haven't decided if I can consider them Converge due to the guests on the songs. "Cruel bloom", is a Tom Waits/Black Heart Procession/Mike Patton song that is fronted by Steve Von Till of Neurosis. It makes me want to howl at the fucking moon. I LOVE THIS SONG. The closer is another amazing song that has almost all of Genghis Tron (Mookie Singerman, Hamilton Jordan and Michael Sochynsky), called "Wretched World". Its another very mellowed out song, that I think closes the album beautifully.

I'm still undecided about whether or not this album replaces my beloved Jane Doe, as the best Converge album. Axe To Fall defiantly has made the top three albums of the year list, and perhaps is my favorite album this year. Its a testament to how great bands can always reinvent themselves, while still embracing their own style. Converge is an amazing band, and this is an amazing album. Enjoy.

Other guests on Axe To Fall are John Pettibone (Undertow, Himsa), Ulf Cederlund (Entombed, Disfear), Sean Martin (Hatebreed), George Hirsch (Blacklisted).

Doomriders - Darkness Come Alive (2009)

My first experience with Doomriders was when I picked up the record on account that there was almost an exact replica of the tattoo that covers half my arm on the cover. It was their first album, Black Thunder. On the first listen, I thought to myself, 'if I were to start a band today, this is exactly what it would sound like'. I was absolutely addicted to that record for 6 months, and for several years I have listened to them on a weekly basis. The only bit of new material since Black Thunder was a split 7" with Disfear, and a couple podcasts. In late September of this year, Doomriders released their 2nd full length album, Darkness Come Alive. Upon the first listen, I was texting one of my best friends who lives in LA, exchanging thoughts on the record. We both had the same reaction – "Fuck, this is good". I really liked it on the first couple listens. I was really surprised of how much Nate's singing reminded me of Lou Koller of Sick Of It All, and how much the song structure sounded like Danzig.

I was used to their fast paced riff ridden mix of metal, hardcore, rock, and doom that they had on Black Thunder. There was a certain beer drinking humor that was present on Black Thunder that made the band seem like a party/live band that I was way into. At some point in the last 4 years, the party ended, and it got real fucking dark. On Darkness Come Alive, their pace has slowed waaaayyyy down. It is way more sludgy, and I have come to appreciate it exponentially with every listen. It is so much more heavy, and it lends the ears to pay attention to Nate's lyrics so much more, which have gotten real dark and real rad.

"Choke on all their lies / wasted all their lives / lowest of the low / You’ve got the heart of a lion”

The only song that has remnants of Black Thunder on it is the title track "Come Alive". For the first month of listening to Darkness Comes Alive, it was my favorite song on the album. I have come around and let the gloomy cloud cover of the rest of the album cover up the little bit of light that "Come Alive" contributed to the album. "Bear Witness" is probably my #1 on the album right now. The last 40 seconds of the song blows my mind every time i hear it. Other honorable mentions are "Lions", "Jealous God", and the amazing closer, "Rotter".

This album appeals to so many different listeners due to its diverse influences, and genres that it touches on, but it is an absolute must have for people that want to get pissed and throw some hairnados.

"Pretenders beware/strike you down where you stand."