CONVERGE - JANE DOE

I picked this up in Tokyo used for 1200 yen which at the time was around $10.  I was pretty happy with that price as I've seen it sell for a lot more.  I already had it on clear and the beer float vinyl so it was a welcome addition for that price.

If you know Converge, you know this album.  For me it's probably their best overall album but I enjoy everything they've done from Unloved and Weeded Out.  The repress is coming out on Deathwish within the month I believe so it'll be interesting to see what it does to the price of the original.

Black /2000

CONVERGE - WHEN FOREVER COMES CRASHING

At the time hailed as a metallic hardcore classic, this album doesn't really seem to be talked about so much these days.  This is probably due to the radical shift in sound found on their next album Jane Doe which saw new fans who prefer the style they've played since Jane Doe compared to  "the older stuff" and the fact that they only seem to play one song, 'Conduit' live these days.  I did see them in Tokyo a few years ago and they played 'My Unsaid Everything' which was great to see live as it's still one of my favourite Converge tracks.  While a little uneven this is still a pretty great album.

Clear Yellow /250

CONVERGE - PETITIONING THE EMPTY SKY 12"

I've already made a post about the Petitioning Empty Sky 7", this is the full-length which adds a few extra songs from another session and one track from the original 7" session that wasn't on the 7" rounding it out to 8 songs.  The CD had a few extra live songs but they didn't make it to the vinyl.

I'm pretty sure I listened to this daily for about 2 years.

Red /300

CONVERGE - HALO IN A HAYSTACK

First full length from Converge released back in 1994 on Earthmaker / Stolnacke Records. While certainly not their best material this is something I've been after for a while to complete my collection. This is one of those records that can sell for almost anything. Just last week I saw it sell for $268, yet I've seen it sell for as low as $44 within the last year. I luckily picked this up at the lower end of the scale. Perhaps one day Hydra Head will press Caring and Killing on vinyl making this a little less sort after.

Unsure of the pressing info but I've heard 1000. I've also heard some of those 1000 were destroyed by water damage. Who knows?

CONVERGE - AXE TO FALL

Latest Converge LP, which kids went nuts for. I must be old as I can remember the time when you could pre-order the new converge LP and would get the rarest press without having to do it within 15 minutes of it being announced. I did that for Jane Doe and luckily didn't have to pay $150+ for a copy on clear. Anyway I was too late for the Axe To Fall pre-order and missed out on the clear with shards, which is a shame as I have every other Converge release on the most limited pressing. I guess one day I'll have to spend the $200 it will cost to acquire.

This is what I got...

Jacob Bannon - The Blood Of Thine Enemies

First solo release from Jacob Bannon. There has been an album in works for years, so who knows if that will ever come out. Just the one song which I've only listened to once.

The envelope style sleeve and etched vinyl both look great. I wish more bands embraced this style of packaging for 7" releases.

First Press Silver Vinyl /600

Converge - Downpour / Serial Killer

This is the only 5" record I own, so for me it is a bit of a novelty, but the material contained on here is solid.

The two tracks are Downpour, which sounds most like a When Forever Comes Crashing era track and Serial Killer, a Vio-lence cover from their Eternal Nightmare album. Vio-lence is probably best known as the band Robb Flynn from Machine Head was in before Machine Head, which is a shame as they were a great 80's thrash band that should be mentioned in the same circles as Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer. Yep, it's a crazy world.

First Press White Vinyl 218/1000

Converge - Unloved and Weeded Out

This 7" was recorded only a few months before Petitioning The Empty Sky and while it isn't considered a classic like that release, Home Song and For you are both very solid songs and show the transition from their earlier material to what they would do on Petitioning.

As you can see from the pictures, this 7" came with a heap of inserts. One of them contains a thank you from Tre McCarthy who later started Deathwish Inc with Jacon Bannon. He states "...so now i'm the one putting out the record. It's time for me to give something back to all of you for all that you've done for me... hopefully there will be more to come..."

I think there have been about 200 more.

First Press Black 337/500

Converge - Petitioning The Empty Sky 7"

First released as a 7" on Ferret records, Petitioning the Empty Sky is my favourite 7" of the 90's. It has since been re-released as a full length about 25 times each adding something extra to get the kids to re-buy it. When I first got a copy of the full length I'd say I listened to it daily for probably 2 years.

I felt they stepped it up a notch on this 7" which they arguably did again on When Forever Comes Crashing and most certainly did on Jane Doe. While I still enjoy newer Converge, for me, this and Jane Doe are the highlights of their extensive back catalog.

I still get that feeling when I hear the opening notes of The Saddest Day.

It's not that easy to got hold of a copy on purple these days, so I guess I'm lucky to have one.

On Purple /100

Converge - ST

I'm a pretty big Converge fan and this was one of those items I picked up just because i didn't have it and needed it to complete my collection. Released back in 1992, musically this is more, dare I say, hard rock influenced than hardcore and Jacob Bannon's distinctive vocal style is nowhere to be seen. To be honest I haven't listened to this more than once or twice and not something that I can see myself spinning much in the future. The band probably haven't played any of these songs live for 15 years.

Still it's interesting to see a tattoo free Bannon wearing a Biohazard shirt in the inner sleeve.

I'm unsure of the pressing info but I've heard rumors that it's out of 1000.