Album: Caring and Killing
Artist: .
Converge
Released by: Hydra Head Records
Release Date: Mid 1995
First Press: 1000 in
jewel case with white cover and 200 with green cd trays
Second Press: 1000 in polybags with white cover
Third press: 3500 (and counting) with black covers and
remastered
Track Listing
- Shallow Breathing
- I Abstain
- 2 Day Romance
- Fact Leaves Its Ghost
- Becoming a Stranger
- Antithesis
- Dead
- Tied to My Neck
- Divinity
- Blind
- Sky
- Down
- Zodiac
- Yesterday
- Savior Salvation
- But Life Goes On
This album is a U.S. collection of "rare" Converge material. In terms of the history of the album, the track Blind originally appeared on their self titled EP, Converge in 1991. This EP was released by FAR/Exchange Records, and is now only available as a split Seven inch with OvercastWho sadly broke up a few years back
This is my favorite Converge album to this day, although the band has released or appeared on over 30 different records/compilations. I have been listening to them since I was thirteen, and have hence followed their journey into the metal/hardcore scene for nine years now. I watched them grow as a band and as friends as well, seeing that they are all originally from the Central Mass area, and appeared countless times at local, mostly all ages shows.
This album sticks out for me because it was the first release from them that I felt they really fine-tuned their sound. Course it is somewhat ironic that I say this because, with their next album and even more so since then, they have evolved into a whole other type of musical monster.
The second track on the album, I Abstain was and is known by many of their fans as their "anthem." The band has always been proud of its straight edge roots and with this song, the fans that also held true to those beliefs were really given something to scream about, literally. They would usually save this track for their encore song, mainly because it would give eveyone one last "hoorah" if you will, before retiring to the back room for rest and water.
Anyway, most faithful listeners of the band know for sure that this album came out in the good old days of local hardcore on the East Coast. It is crazy to think that Hydra Head records are now pressing copies of this album for overseas record stores.
The album has that, "go out and burn everything and then piss on the ashes" kind of feel to it. Like all of their music, it is agressive, angsty, demonic, and yet also incorporates the classic elements of emo as well. Most of the songs will be a little slow and quiet and then errupt into a massive outburst of frustration and maddness. To those who are familiar with the band, it is "classic" Converge that we are dealing with here.
My favorite tracks on the album are 2 Day Romance and Divinity. Both songs touch on the painful side of relationships lyrically, while stimulating the soul of the listener as well with thier painful sounding guitar riffs and bass line.
Overall, anyone who likes Slayer, Hatebreed and other crazy metal will be immensely satisfied by every aspect of this album.
Check it: www.convergecult.com