Converge have dropped ‘We Were Never The Same‘, and it demands your full attention.
The track opens with something almost theatrical, a powerhouse introduction that builds with sweeping intensity before detonating into absolute fury. Fast-paced, headbanging madness takes hold. Then comes the melody, cutting through the chaos. There’s so much happening here that repeat listens reveal new layers. You should definitely analyse this one for yourself because there’s plenty to discover.
This is the final preview from Love Is Not Enough, arriving 13th February via Epitaph/Deathwish, and if it represents the album’s closing hurricane as the band suggests, then we’re in for something special. Vocalist Jacob Bannon, guitarist Kurt Ballou, bassist Nate Newton and drummer Ben Koller have been refining their craft for over three decades, and this record sounds like everything they’ve learned distilled into something razor sharp.
Bannon’s words carry particular weight this time. He wrote the lyrics in a funeral home car park, reflecting on loss and asking uncomfortable questions about how we treat each other. “Why do we gather to mourn but not to cherish?” he poses. “Grief brings clarity. We all must do better.” It’s raw, honest, and cuts deeper than any breakdown could.
Recorded at God City in Salem, Massachusetts with Ballou at the helm and Zach Weeks assisting, the production captures that balance of vitality and viciousness the band have always chased. Bannon handled the artwork too, creating visuals for each track and a striking cover depicting a celestial witness to a world on fire.
For a band who gave us Jane Doe back in 2001 and continued pushing boundaries with their 2021 Bloodmoon: I collaboration, Converge remain essential.
UK fans can catch them at Outbreak Festival in Manchester on 27th June, with European dates including Jera on Air (25th June), Superbowl Of Hardcore in Rennes (26th June), Obscene Extreme Festival in Czech Republic (1st July), and Resurrection Fest in Spain (4th July).
Love Is Not Enough is available for pre-order now.
