Converge Post Follow Up..

This album made me remember why I fell in love with this band in the first place. Very good album, I'm very satisfied.

~VII

All We Love We Leave Behind

The pre-orders we all made several months ago FINALLY started shipping out, and I got my copy of the new Converge album, "All We Love We Leave Behind", yesterday. I ordered mine through Kings Merch, and got the yellow/gold/orange/whatever variant. Part of me kinda wishes I got the 180g. variant from Deathwish, but that's long gone by now, so who cares. Anyway, Converge is a band that I've really settled down on the past couple years. I used to live and breath this band, and they were my first real introduction to the modern style of hardcore. They really did help change my life. But with the VERY underwhelming couple of splits they've released, and the fact that I've probably over saturated myself with their music, I really don't listen to them all that much anymore. Truth be told, I haven't listened to this album yet either, I just wanted to get some pictures up on the blog after the long break and show you the absolutely GORGEOUS packaging and artwork on here.

Very tidy matte cover sleeve with foil graphics all over the cover. I chalk this up with some of the best artwork Jacob has ever done (wait until you see the gatefold), and it's a very refreshing change from the bands usual "damaged woman" aesthetic.

Bam! Lookit that gatefold. I gasped the first time I cracked this open and saw it. 

The colors...

They called this "yellow vinyl". Nuh-uh. I was honestly expecting a solid yellow color, which I think would have been cooler. 

Everyone and their dog is telling me this is a fantastic album. I have pretty high expectations, and I'm gonna spin it as soon as this is done posting. Updates later!

~VII

WIll By Light

Well, here it is. One of my most anticipated releases of this year. This could only go a couple ways; love, hate, or disappointment. After the bitter taste in my mouth left by last years Converge/Dropdead split, I was really hoping to love this one a lot. Here's the Converge/Napalm Death split 7", on transparent pink vinyl, 45 RPM.

 It really pains we to say this, but I really think I don't give a shit about new Converge anymore. At least when it comes to their last 2 splits. It's just been boring, unfulfilling listening with all of their new stuff. One here we got one all new 52 second song called "No Light Escapes" and a cover of Entombed's "Wolverine Blues". The new song, I really don't care for. It's boring, and not memorable in the slightest. The cover is honestly better, and has a lot of guest vocalists on there which is interesting, I guess. I really hate to diss a band that meant so much to me in the past, but I'm really underwhelmed, yet again, but their side of this split.

The Napalm Death side however, is pretty damn gnarly. Two new songs from them, one a fast, grindy song, and the other a more modern ND style song. Interesting riffs, some melody here and there, and Barney tearing everything to pieces with his excellent raw as fuck vocals. The recording is a little quiet, strangely enough, Barney vocals are probably the loudest thing in the mix, but the songs really are good and more than make up for Converge's lackluster contribution.

There were three different variants with this record. I got two of the three, the pink was sold in the Converge e-store, as well as a yellow variant, and the Deathwish Inc. store sold the "vinyl bong" variant. Which is pretty much just a marble color. I got two of the "vinyl bong" ones, one is for a friend.

I'm really hoping the new Converge full-length restores my love for the band, otherwise I'm pretty much just going to stop caring for their new stuff. Napalm Death continues to be excellent though, 30+ years later. Fantastic.

~VII

The Poacher Diaries

Gah, no posts for a few days, my bad. In internet time it feels like I've been away for a few weeks. Pretty weird how that happens, but I digress. Two of my favorite bands sharing a split is always a good thing, and this right here is one of the greatest of the greats(that I own). One of my prized records and only my 2nd Discogs purchase so far; Agoraphobic Nosebleed/Converge - "The Poacher Diaries" split 12" on yellow w/ red splatter vinyl, 33 RPM.

This is a Relapse Records pressing, Hydra Head Records did all of the first presses. It looks really good and it arrives to me in excellent condition, although the inner sleeve has a lot of split edges. Not a real big issue, though I am really careful putting the record band in the sleeve. 

Excellent material from both bands, of course. The Agoraphobic Nosebleed side shows them being a bit more reserved and less 1000-BPM-y. J.R. Hayes also lends his vocals to many tracks, which is an awesome bonus. The Converge could have been released as it's own EP, it's so solid. Of course their side features the song "Locust Reign", which always makes me want to punch the nearest small animal every time I hear it. Excellent stuff, so happy to finally own this!! Great artwork too!

Printed inner sleeve^

Pretty rare record, and everyone's selling it for buttloads of cash. I lucked out and managed to get mine at a great price. Yay me.

~VII