Customer Reviews

When Forever Comes Crashing

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To the Converge enthusiast, this CD is a godsend. I am a monstrous Converge fan, and in my opinion, their weakest album has always been When Forever Comes Crashing. The frustrating thing about WFCC is that you can tell the songs are good (especially when they play them live), but the recording quality SUCKS on the original CD. In fact, the demos released on Unloved and Weeded Out from WFCC are far better than the corresponding studio recordings.

So let me explain to you why this CD is worth buying even if you already own the original WFCC. These songs were re-mastered VERY well- they're much crunchier and more aggressive. The drums and bass are more pounding and ferocious, while the guitars still sound like they could flay the flesh from your body. I have been listening to this CD pretty much non-stop for the last 24 hours since I bought it, and I really feel like Converge has given us a chance to hear this music the way it SHOULD have been captured the first time. These are some of Converge's most aggressive and creative songs, and they finally sound GOOD.

In addition, all of the artwork is brand new (pages and pages of it), and created by Aaron Turner of Isis. Although I prefer the original interior artwork of the skulls and gold embossed ink, the slipcover is just bad-ass.

Bonus song as well- the demo version of "bitter and then some" from Jane Doe. it's good stuff. Best song on the album- "Towing Jehovah". Holy crap is that one good.

Bottom line- Converge fans can't pass this up. And the CD is finally a good jumping on point for new Converge fans as well.

If I were to have bought this record when it was released in '98 I would have dismissed it as utter shrieking garbage. Of course, back then I thought Pantera and Slayer were the only two effective extreme metal bands. This is the third record that I purchased of from this eclectic act and I was a little hesistant, but I was floored by Jane Doe and You Fail Me so I was willing to take the risk. With excellent career acts, (aka: bands that record more than one masterpiece in their career) I have theorized that the earlier you go in a band's career the more basic and homogenized their sound is. This, their second album is a totally refreshing piece of musical genius.
After purschasing what I thought up until this point was the greatest hardcore record ever, Vision of Disorder's "Imprint" I have been searching for years to find a band which encapsulates that brilliance with every record.
When Forever Comes Crashing is that record. Eclectic, surprising, twisting, and contorted sounds come out of two guitars, bass, and drums and meld in to this sinister mix which forces me to listen. It takes a while to really appreciate the genius of such diverse musical elements all intermingled into one song, but when it does I can honestly say this is the best extreme metal record I own. All these songs would have worked great as insturmentals, though Bannon's shrieks (which I can't follow, even with the lyric sheet) do add a sense of urgency which overlays this record perfectly.

Review by Mike Watson:

The long awaited Converge reissues have FINALLY surfaced, and Converge fanatics nation, and even worldwide are rejoicing as there is even more need to own Converge merchandise. The newly re-done CDs have been given new life through the mastering genius of Godcity Studios and the brilliant art-work of frontman Jacob Bannon. The initial records of both albums, although ground breaking and amazing albums, were both fairly poorly recorded and mastered leaving fans with an unquenched thirst for the clear quality of the music.

Converge has quenched that thirst and more with the newly re-released albums. Both albums have been given complete new life and sound astonishing compared to their original releases. The sound quality on the re-issues is leaps and bounds beyond the original pressings, making the albums far more enjoyable and easily listenable. The most noticeable difference is on Petitioning the Empty Sky. Petitioning was originally recorded fairly empty and powerless, the re-issue however blows the listener away, re-mastered in a way that things in-audible on the original release are now made very apparent.

The Converge re-issues are an absolute must have for any Converge fan.

One of the qunitessential metal albums of all times. If youve come here you most likey already know about Converge, and you've probably heard Jane Doe and You Fail Me and think they are horrific slabs of perfect death metal thrash meets hardcore in a pit match. If you agree then you rock. Basically Converge has been my favorite metal band hands down since they released Petitioning the Empty Sky. The Halo in a Haystack (or Caring and Killing) was great but was gently riding the lines between hardcore from that time and metal circa the height of Slayer. Petitioning the Empty Sky found the band growing comfortable with their death metal sounds and one upped Slayer with both speed and technical chops. When Forever Comes Crashing arrived, it was literally the birth of a new kind of metal. They took their styles and formed them into a huge wrecking ball of death metal, hardcore, emo (the original screamy kind) industrial and thrash and took the metal world by storm. No longer much of a hardcore band (other than values, oh and You Fail Me revisits some of their hardcore punk musical styles) this cd just shreds. It takes paint of the walls. It sonically removes earwax buildup in your ears, and if you sit too close to the speakers at high volume, it may make you poop your pants. Tempo changes that are just not human (see The Dillinger Escape Plan for a band that found lots of inspiration in Converge) lead into utter controlled (barely) chaos and then locks in to a most crushing stomping riff. All the while every band member hold on to the reigns and never letting go while Jake Bannon howls the most unearthly screams this side of Hell. He must have a gifted voice box or he gets laryngitis every few weeks. I just cant believe a person can make those sounds and not be hurt by them. On top of all this sonic death and mayhem comes some of the most poetic lyrics you will ever hear in a metal song. From the start, Jake has written great lyrics, lots of talk of angels falling, love crushing you, no hope, no light to be found. All very richly written and sure to make many a an angsty teen feel at home. If you need a preview, check out "Conduit", "My Unsaid Everything" or "Year of the Swine" Though you'd be hard pressed to find a bad song (Not including their emo attempt "Ten Cents" which actually has really nice guitar work reminiscent of their old stuff, but Bannons voice only works good like that when he balances it out with the vocal cord shred that he is so good at.) And if you are new to all of this Converge business, do yourself a flavor and please pick up Jane Doe and Petitioning the Empty Sky and You Fail Me and while youre at it, get their first release Caring and Killing. They even have a few split EPs with other bands where they completely shred, and look for a cover of Black Sabbaths "Snowblind" on Hydrahead Records.....I hope you enjoy...

One of the great things about Converge is that they bring together all the elements of hardcore over the past twenty-five years into one distinct sound. If you listen close enough, you can hear the past, present, and possibly the future of hardcore in most of their recordings.
The golden age of hardcore (`80 - `85) is represented at various places, usually only a section of a song or the guitar sound. Many consider the crossover/ thrash scene (`85 - `90) to be the dominating sound and it certainly does play a large role in their earlier records. Underground grindcore/ death metal (`90 - `94) is also present, but only appears at the peak of their songs. Finally, there is also the post-hardcore sound of the `90's which emphasized eclectic experimentation which really comes through on "When Forever Comes Crashing."

It almost seems like a tradition for Converge to coming out swinging on the first track (until "You Fail Me" came along), which is exactly what they do here. "The Unsaid Everything" comes at you like an army of tanks with all their artillery blazing and the onslaught doesn't let up until the beginning of "In Harms Way," which turns from a dark, pretty song into a horrifying, warped industrial style noisefest.
"Conduit" once again brings together all facets of hardcore and is regarded as one of Converge's finest pieces by many. One of their first attempts at Godflesh influenced sludge metal follows and you can understand why they kept playing with the style by the results they achieved. Then, they release some the most unconventional, yet effective bombs this arsenal of an album has, "Towing Jehovah" and the title track.
Their next experiment with a pure emo sound comes along which turned out to be a sound they wisely wouldn't use again. From there on the album quickly redeems itself with hellish abandon that could only come from Converge.

"When Forever Comes Crashing" has multiple personalities that don't really have a cohesive flow throughout the album. However, they would open the door for more experimentation in their sound which would pay off big time on their next full length album. Also, they would learn how to put all together all their new found styles into a perfect flow over the course of the album. Converge took a risk on this album that paid off tenfold and would end up breathing new life into a genre many had dismissed many years ago.

Abrasive doesn't even begin to describe Converge's blaring output.

I can still remember picking up the LP version of When Forever Comes Crashing at this small "Christian" venue/record shop in Butler, PA of all places. Let's just say, after that needle hit the wax, my undeveloped hardcore mind was greatly altered...in a good way (and I have to say, When Forever sounds so damn good on vinyl).

This reissue of When Forever Comes Crashing comes with an extra track (an unreleased demo version of "Bitter and Then Some"), a video of "When Forever Comes Crashing,"plus the whole album was remixed by Kurt Ballou along with new artwork and photos. Needless to say, if you don't already own this release now's the time to pick it up.

Converge is undeniably one of the most progressive bands in metal/hardcore, and heck, they put on one of the most stirring live shows you'll ever see. I've always gravitated towards When Forever Comes Crashing as one of my favorite Converge releases since it was my first real introduction to the band. It is callused, inventive, eerie, and statically charged, and the nightmarish blend of hardcore and metal found on this release surpassed anything I had heard at the time of its release. When Forever frequently changes from frantic madness to sludgy teeth rattling parts with Jacob's tortured screams ricocheting above the instrumentations, but it never loses that compelling drive that lasts from the first to last track. Probably the softest song to ever come out of the Converge camp is "Ten Cents," but it fits so perfectly on When Forever that it doesn't even feel out of place.

Overall, When Forever is an essential release, and with the extra gems scattered throughout this release, any fan of inventive heavy music shouldn't be missing this record in their collection.

If you're a Converge fan, and don't own this record, you need to change that. I have a really hard time identifying my favorite Converge record, or the "best" Converge record, but this is up there with their other releases. The remastered version sounds clean as their latest releases, and the content of WFCC is outstanding. Lyrically and musically, it is classic Converge, with all the makings of their best work. WFCC also lacks the signature short tracks - all but one are 3 minutes or longer (excluding the final demo track). I will say that I don't feel the drumming is nearly as amazing as Converge fans have grown accustomed to, although there are some great moments. I also think WFCC isn't as varied as other records, except for the fact that there are a couple of slow, subdued tracks, or parts of tracks, dispersed throughout the record. Standout tracks are My Unsaid Everything, When Forever Comes Crashing, Year of the Swine, and Letter Bomb. The artwork is also impressive - as expected. Bottom line - Converge fans need to grab a copy of this record.

this could very well be hardcore's answer to RIDE THE LIGHTNING, it is just perfect, note for note. what true punk is and what hardcore needed, no boundries, and can not be categorized. it will take alot out of you just to hear it from beginning to end. ALL MY UNSAID EVERYTHINGS, and HIGH PRICE OF PLAYING GOD. enough said. get it. this is an instant masterpiece along with PETITIONING AN EMPTY SKY, and JANE DOE. JUST GET IT.