The Viewer

It’s FINALLY here, but early?

Photo by Ryan Russell of the Denver Post

I think this is the most exciting thing I’ve heard in a while, from a personal viewpoint. Converge’s new album “Axe to Fall” leaked! The Boston hardcore band has been working on their new album for the past couple of years and it was due out October 20, but then it leaked. Exciting for you if you were downloading torrents Sunday October 3rd, unfortunate for you if you tried to find it after that because they had it taken down. The band posted on their twitter page, “BTW: Special thanks to SHAUN HAND at Metal Sucks for leaking our album…” Rumor has it that Hand’s address was posted on the internet, leaving him with the outcome of thousands of angry Converge fans. The band also said that they didn’t even have a copy of the album yet when it leaked. But the point isn’t when the album came out, but that it did. This album is so heavy it had already caught me off guard at the opening track, “Dark Horse.” The title track “Axe to Fall” might sound familiar because it was featured in the album preview Deathwish records released months ago. I’d say “Cutter” is my favorite because of the drum progression at the beginning.

Now be forewarned, if you’ve never listened to Converge it might throw you off a bit. But this is a blog to go all over the map in musical interests. Not quite the band I would describe for easy-listeners because the music is full of loud, thrashing instruments and Bannon’s screams. The band has a intimidating guitar style that creates an almost ominous feeling to it. But don’t let that stop your judgement because Bannon has a lot to say and has extremely poetic lyrics deep down. (But I don’t think boys would admit that about this tough band)

So maybe you’ll get lucky and someone you know will share it with you, that’s how I got the album. But of course not to say I won’t go out and pick it up on October 20, I wouldn’t want to miss out on the artwork Bannon does for every album. Converge is opening for Mastodon and Dethklok at Austin Music Hall on November 13, the show is sold out, but I guess there’s always Craigslist.