Converge Albums Ranked

Converge is an American hardcore punk band formed by vocalist Jacob Bannon and guitarist Kurt Ballou in Salem, Massachusetts in 1990. During the recording of their seminal fourth album Jane Doe, the group became a four-piece with the departure of guitarist Aaron Dalbec and the addition of bassist Nate Newton and drummer Ben Koller. This lineup has remained intact since. They have released nine studio albums, three live albums, and numerous EPs. The band’s sound is rooted in both hardcore punk and heavy metal, and they are considered pioneers of metalcore as well as its subgenre mathcore. Here are all of Converge’s albums ranked.

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10. Jane Live (2017)

“”Jane Live” – a live recording of their Roadburn show from 2017 – far and away surpasses their then 16-year old studio album. It plays the entire album from start to finish, and somehow ups the craziness and chaos with an immaculately-recorded release that’s light on stage chatter. Jacob Bannon’s screams haven’t been lost at all – and if anything they’re even stronger – and Ben Koller somehow goes even more apeshit on the drums.”

9. Halo In A Haystack (1994)

“”Halo in a Haystack” is the debut full-length studio album by US post-hardcore/metalcore act Converge. The album was released in 1994 in a limited number of vinyl copies by Earthmaker Records and is now out of print. However 8 out of the 10 tracks on the 34:00 minutes long album also appear on the “Caring and Killing (1995)” compilation. The compilation is easier to find as it was released on slightly more prolific labels in Lost And Found Records in Europe and Hydra Head Records in the US.”

8. No Heroes (2006)

“A big difference with the brainfucking “Jane Doe”. The focus is much more on the music, the vocals here not being what the music is about but rather an instrument to convey the anger. It’s actually a much more accessible than “Jane Doe” because it is not as mentally all over the place, and has great guitar work namely on “heartache” and “plagues”. Aggressive but in a different way, on “No Heroes” Converge succeed in exploring the depths of thrash metal.”

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7. Petitioning The Empty Sky (1996)

“Petitioning the Empty Sky’s extremeness and passion what makes them unique. Unique even to thrash or death metal; there are (almost paradoxically!) little traces of speed metal, there is absolutely no blast beat and it is more vigorous and anarchical than the metal styles. It hardly fits in Metalcore or Mathcore as we think of nowadays; those styles are way too sugary for the album’s abrasiveness”

6. When Forever Comes Crashing (1998)

“This contains some of the best drumming and riffs of their entire career, and don’t forget the vocals of Jacob Bannon here. This is where he really found his voice, and only gets better with every release. I feel the reason people rate this so low is probably because of the supposed bad production on the original recording.”

5. You Fail Me (2004)

“Converge went from one of the greatest and most amazing metalcore albums ever created to this. It’s good, but like many people say, it’s no Jane Doe. I like how one of the songs is a really long accoustic song, it made the album stand out a lot more.”

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4. Axe To Fall (2009)

“Listening to Converge is like having your brain constantly blasted by an assault riffle. It’s that deadly. I really don’t know how they manage to still make the most impressive guitar music after all these years, this group is really something else. Actually Metalcore is probably one of my least favorite metal sub-genres, but Converge are easily one of my favorite metal bands of all-time… pure masters of the style.”

3. The Dusk In Us (2017)

“It’s quite possible I’ve just been deaf, but it feels like the post-hardcore has really grown in Converge’s music. It kind of cuts away the raw intensity, but I feel like The Dusk in Us is made much more accessible as a result. The intensity is still there, but it seems more focused and necessary. It’s also released in a couple different ways.”

2. All We Love We Leave Behind (2012)

“This is honoured basement-flavoured mathmetalcore from the bosses themselves: an established long-run band under recreation. Once again they rattle around with chaotic yet pretty selective riffs through a well balanced, organic and artsy record, and still they have time to kick stillborn scene bands’ ass with lovely, beautiful post-hardcore as they yell, “this is how you do it punks.”

1. Jane Doe (2001)

“This album is not for the weak-hearted or the mainstream, but it’s one of the best albums I’ve heard. The excess of distortion, dissonance, and Jacob’s vocals push a lot of people away. But, this is what anger sounds like. This is my go-to album every time I’m angry because it fits the mood so perfectly. It’s disorienting, loud, obnoxious, but at the same time, beautiful, uplifting, and blissful. One of the most amazing records out there.”