Converge

The Dusk In Us (2017)

RENALDO69

Converge's evolution has been something to really take note of. 30 years in and they've charted waters that pulled in so many genres -- prog, punk, power, hardcore and well, as the young kids now say, metalcore. The Dusk In Us brilliantly encapsulates all of this, shaping the band as a storm that has no intent on ever offering a sense of calm and who, for all intents and purposes, are veterans showing how it's done.

The opener "A Single Tear" is a great example of this, feeling mostly like a Killswitch Engage song with a break in the middle that tempers things down a la La Dispute. They don't hold back on the versatility with the frenetic "Eye of the Quarrel" then unleashing like Circle Meets The Square or the Dillinger Escape Plan -- with lightning fast riffs from Kurt Ballou and Ben Koller's kitwork pounding away in apocalyptic measures. Jacob Bannon's vocals are as scary as ever (in a good way) with lyrics touching on everything from relationships to the way the world is perching itself on the precipice at present.

"The Arkhipov Calm" addresses the Cuban missile crisis and how the Russians handled affairs, showing Bannon isn't afraid of getting into politics that aren't the obvious or in the now. It's a start-stop piece of mayhem that's perfect for 90's and 2000s metalheads or just about anyone that loves the influence they've had on their Deathwish bands. 

The title-track then slows things down to a shoegaze lull before exploding at the end and getting back into the record's main swing. The overall production is as crisp as you could ask for, rough enough yet with a sheen to stand out in terms of how technically good the guys are. The second half is just as solid, and by the time "Reptilian" rushes you to close, you'll be appreciating how richly complex, adventurous and relentless Converge are. As expected. The Dusk In Us is a solid distillation of emotion, expressed as a sound that simultaneously elevates and guts you.