All We Love We Leave Behind

In a recent Pitchfork interview, Converge vocalist Jacob Bannon was asked if they had plans for the band’s upcoming 25^th anniversary. “No. I’ve never been a fan of bands that go out and celebrate their age,” he said. “I’d rather be celebrated for being relevant.” It’s a fitting statement for a group that continues to explore outside their core sound, and All We Love We Love Behind is another powerful explosion of noisy, caustic chaos. This is Converge stripped down, but with their most intense display of the complex punk-metal they’ve done so well. It provides a mix of batshit-crazy numbers like “Tender Abuse” and “Veins and Veils,” while shining brightest on the slower rifftastic “Predatory Glow,” “A Glacial Pace” and the experimental yet mellow “Coral Blue.” Converge is proof that old dogs can learn new tricks.