Converge (band)

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Converge
Converge at Neumo's in Seattle, Washington, 2008
Converge at Neumo's in Seattle, Washington, 2008
Background information
Origin Salem, Massachusetts, United States
Genre(s) Metalcore
Hardcore punk
Mathcore
Years active 1990–present
Label(s) Epitaph
Deathwish Inc.
Hydrahead
Relapse
Equal Vision
Associated acts Old Man Gloom
Doomriders
Cave In
Bane
Website www.convergecult.com
Members
Jacob Bannon
Kurt Ballou
Nate Newton
Ben Koller
Former members
Aaron Dalbec
Jon DiGiorgio
Damon Bellorado
Stephen Brodsky
Jeff Feinburg
Erik Ralston

Converge is a four-piece band based out of Salem, Massachusetts. Playing a blend of hardcore punk and extreme metal since 1990,[1] Converge has helped to define many of the rudiments of the metalcore genre.

Contents

[edit] Description

Converge's influences range from hardcore punk bands, such as Black Flag, Negative Approach[citation needed], The Accused[citation needed] and Born Against[citation needed]; metal bands like Black Sabbath, Godflesh[citation needed], Slayer[2], and Entombed[citation needed]; and proto-mathcore bands Starkweather[citation needed] and Rorschach[citation needed]. The group's musical style consists of complex guitar work and off-time polyrhythmic drumming, which leads some to classify them as mathcore[3], which is best exemplified on their album Jane Doe.

[edit] History

Converge formed in the winter of 1990. They first started by playing covers of hardcore punk, punk rock and heavy metal songs, being self-confessed "hardcore kids with leftover Slayer riffs"[citation needed]. The band soon graduated to playing live performances in 1991, after recording some demos on a 4-track recorder.

In recent years, Converge have enjoyed relatively high levels of popularity, despite the esoteric nature of their music[citation needed] and the lack of media attention. Their popularity began to rise with the release of their breakthrough album, Jane Doe, which is considered by many their best work to date[citation needed]. Their records have gradually become more expensively and extensively produced, having moved from the independent label Equal Vision Records to the much larger and more mainstream (yet still independent) punk label Epitaph Records.

Their much anticipated new album, No Heroes, was released on October 24, 2006.

[edit] Side projects

Aside from their primary focus with Converge, Jacob Bannon and Kurt Ballou compose stark, ambient music under the moniker Supermachiner, with Daltonic drummer, Seth Bannon. Bannon also has a solo side-project entitled Dear Lover, and continues to run the record label he founded, Deathwish Inc., with his longtime friend and business associate, Tré McCarthy.

In addition to keeping himself busy with recording bands in his studio, GodCity, guitarist Kurt Ballou has participated in an array of other lesser-known bands, such as Blue/Green Heart with fellow Converge alumnus Ben Koller (Koller performed in this band with Ballou well before he joined Converge.) Ballou also played guitar for the bands Kid Kilowatt, Seven Percent Solution, and The Huguenots.

In late 2005, Ben briefly assumed the drum chores for Cave In, replacing previous drummer, John-Robert Connors. He previously played in grind outfit Forcefedglass.

Alongside Converge, bassist Nate Newton is also a constituent of the bands Old Man Gloom and Doomriders. He plays guitar in both bands. Newton also played guitar in the band Jesuit, and was a member of the Virginia Beach, VA bands Lift and Channel.

Aaron Dalbec, former guitarist, and Damon Bellardo, former drummer, created a side project in 1995 called Bane. It is currently their main focus and neither are currently active in Converge. Damon Bellardo is also no longer active in Bane.

[edit] Members

[edit] Current

Jacob Bannon - vocals, lyrics, visuals

Kurt Ballou - guitar, vocals, bass guitar, keyboards, percussion, theremin

Nate Newton - bass guitar, vocals, formerly of Jesuit

Ben Koller - drums, percussion, formerly of Where's Ben? and Force Fed Glass, also in Cave In

[edit] Former

  • Aaron Dalbec - guitar (1994–2001), now in Bane
  • John DiGiorgio - drums (1999)
  • Damon Bellorado - drums (1991–1999) formerly of 500 Knives
  • Stephen Brodsky - bass guitar (1997–1998), now in Cave In
  • Jeff Feinburg - guitar, bass guitar (1991–1997)
  • Erik Ralston - bass guitar (1993)

[edit] Discography

[edit] Full lengths

[edit] EP

[edit] Demos

  • Gravel (4-song demo, independently released, 1991)
  • Self-titled (FAR/Exchange Records, 1991)
  • Where Have All the Flowers Gone (independently released, 1992)
  • Dog Days (Demo, independently released, 1993)
  • Unloved & Weeded Out (Collection of Demos and unreleased songs, Deathwish Inc, 2002)

[edit] Vinyl

  • Unloved & Weeded Out 7" EP (Heliotrope Records, 1995)
  • Downpour/Serial Killer 5" record (limited edition of 1000) (Ellington Records, 1997)

[edit] Splits

[edit] DVDs

[edit] Trivia

 Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Converge FAQ. Convergecult.com. Retrieved on 13 May 2008.
  2. ^ Ramirez, Carlos (2008-02-19). Converge: 'The Best Way To Learn Is Just Start Doing It'. UltimateGuitar.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-27. “I learned to play guitar by listening to Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies, and Metallica”
  3. ^ [1]. Rockdetector.com. Retrieved on 23 August 2007.

[edit] External links

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