CONVERGE – Love is not Enough

– RELEASE YEAR: 2026
– BAND URL: www.convergecult.com

I first saw Converge live over fifteen years ago. It was one of those nights you thought would change your outlook on music forever. I had listened to Converge for several years at that point, but for whatever reason, they’ve fallen out of favor with me over the years. So, I happily took the opportunity to review their latest full-length effort Love is not Enough. Would it rekindle the love that was lost, or would it prove once and for all that Converge and I had drifted apart?

The album starts with a trifecta of brutality with the title-track Love is not Enough, Bad Faith, and Distract and Divide. It’s all well-known for Converge fans, and well within their musical wheelhouse. The title-track for instance has this (almost) catchy chorus, heavy riff, and loud, searing vocals.

One thing I really admired about the album was that the band had such a strong musical variation that it’s sort of hard to explain to the uninitiated exactly what sort of music Converge makes. It’s hardcore, death metal-esque, metalcore, and about thirty other branches of a musical tree that showcases a band that’s still not willing to adapt to a set mold. Given that they’ve been going strong for over three decades, that’s quite an accomplishment, in my book.

To show the musical variation showcased on Love is not Enough, you just have to listen to Force meets Prescence, Gilded Cage and Love is not Enough. Those three songs could easily have been made by three different bands, yet the truly remarkable thing is that it all feels cohesive. The tracks feel distinct and unique, but the album doesn’t come off as disconnected or unsure. Rather, the musical variation is proof that Converge knows exactly what they are and what sort of music they want to make.

To me, that’s the beauty I’ll take away from this album. A lot of bands try to showcase musical variety, but it often feels forced. It feels like a studio executive telling them to not be too one note. But with Converge, the variety is the whole point. It’s like they’re telling a story. The album starts with hardcore fervor, ventures into death metal-drones, slides into intense and raw musical rage, and drones on into something that’s almost mellow in comparison.

I take it, you’ve already guessed the answer to my opening question. This is easily the best album I’ve heard all year, and already a strong contender for album of the year on my part. This will rekindle my lost adoration and love for Converge as a band, and it won’t be fifteen years until I listen to another one of their albums.