I think that someone out there should develop software so you can remove the vocals on a CD. Maybe something like that already exists, but my version of the software would have genre specific buttons in my neat computer window. My buttons, creatively designed, would be labeled: “eliminate whinny suburbanite punky voice, click here” and “make pop stars voice become ever so silent, press enter” or “to eliminate repetition and lack of creativity, press escape,” and finally, “to remove incoherent screaming voice, click twice.” Unfortunately, I would be pressing the last button for Converge’s re-release of Forever Comes Crashing on Equal Vision records, a record that perhaps should have stayed in 1998 where it belonged.
Nevertheless, the record from to start to finish contains this blizzard of metal that’s down right head banging awesome, but just when you start enjoying it the front man (Jacob Bannon) starts singing. His scream is just so very awful, and it continues relentlessly throughout the record’s eleven tracks. His voice never once attempts to harmonize with actual music, like melody is beneath him. On a certain level that’s okay, because metal has no set definition of anything. But when looking at their obvious influences like Slayer and Anthrax, it’s like they didn’t want to be labeled as unoriginal.
On the contrary though, the lead singer’s band mates almost make up for his lack of musical talent. They are decently advanced and definitely have more than a decade of practice under their belts, but they should take out a classified to replace their lead.
When I had some of my metal friends listen to Converge, a common remark was, “I’d listen to these guys everyday if the lead singer wasn’t so god awful.” I have to agree with them and discourage you from even taking a risk with Converge until my vocal elimination software makes its debut.
