PLAYGROUND BOSTON

Boston’s very own hardcore legends, Converge, are a band that I have always felt very strongly about, ever since I discovered them about 8 years ago. Nearly a decade, 4 stunning albums, and 2 Converge tattoos later, I feel I can safely say this is not going to be a picture perfect review, full of unbiased statistics and facts on Converge, and their newest release, Axe To Fall. Converge cannot be explained in facts and numbers, they are so much more than that, so much deeper, and dare I say it, more soulful than that.

First and foremost, I should say that Axe To Fall was born into a rather large and daunting shadow. Over the years Converge have released albums that can be described as nothing short of legendary, from the absolute masterpiece that is Jane Doe, to the classics, When Forever Comes Crashing and Petitioning An Empty Sky. These albums are held in such high regard by Converge fans that any new album is thoroughly scrutinized, torn apart, and ruthlessly compared to the classic fan favorites. To be perfectly honest, and badly as I wanted to be objective and judge the album on it’s own personal merits, I nearly did the same thing.

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One day that I will never ever forget is October 10th 2004, I was 15 years old, and I was at the 9:30 Club back home in Washington DC. I was waiting to see Coheed & Cambria with Underoath. I had been waiting for this show for months, and I was finally there. I stood waiting on the floor of the club with secondhand cigarette smoke accumulating over my head, and I was so excited, more than excited, anxious even, nearly shaking. And when the lights dropped, and Underoath stepped onstage, it was unreal. These guys were rock stars- they had complete control over the stage, the crowd, and me. I was lost in the music; I became a part of a sea of people, all gathered together, standing shoulder to shoulder as a single entity. For the rest of that night I was a part of the music, as much as Aaron Gillespie’s drum set, or Claudio Sanchez’s Gibson Explorer.

After that night, I was a lost cause, my soul was devoted to music, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it. I started playing in bands, I bought Aaron Gillespie’s signature drum set, and a classic white Gibson Explorer, just like Claudio’s. Now, years later, I still play in a band, teach music lessons, run a record label, and write for this for a music blog, and I owe it all to that night.

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