width="130" height="130" align="right">Here at DIRTY ZINE, we believe our purpose is to seperate the wheat from the chaff and shove you in the right direction when buying records. Our reviewers are open-minded huge music fans, and there's something for everyone here. Whether you're open to it or not, I'm gonna present the case for hardcore stalwarts Converge's modern classic of 2001 Jane Doe to the court of the potential buyers. I hope it serves a useful purpose.

Converge are not like all other hardcore/post-hardcore bands. They don't shove politics in your face like Sick Of It All, or go back to "punk ethic" like some of their other Epitath labelmates. They're pretty much there to play their brand of math-metal, whether you like it or not.

A friend of mine was dragged along by a (sensible, obviously) female friend of his to a Converge gig. As a normal pop-punk fan, he wasn't particularly impressed, but did have one thing to say about it - mental. And this is one adjective that could be used to describe the Boston fivepiece.

Fitting into the same category as bands such as Shai Hulud, Coalesce and the ubiquitous Dillinger Escape Plan, Converge here serve a curveball designed to impress. It's chock full of influences, including those of close friends of the band Agoraphobic Nosebleed and some elements of the metalcore Avenged Sevenfold and buddies have been touting.

The album is packed with punch. Addictive, lurching riffs give way to ear splitting yelps and screams, and even though you may not be able to hear them, the lyrics are poetic and thoughtful, the album being based around a painful breakup. Opener 'Concubine' gives a good clue as to what you're in for, and most follows its lead until lurcher 'Hell To Pay'. This is satisfyingly dark, full of downtuned bass and riffs to please any black metal fan.

'Heaven In Her Arms' is another highlight, followed by two-parter, 'Phoenix In Flight'/'Phoenix in Flames'. The former is in epic form, sounding much like the stadium metalcore being touted by bands like A7X, Ako and 18 Visions. The latter being a 42 second race through a comeback. As a grindcore fan, guess which I prefer?

'Thaw', from its starting yelp, is a great horrorshow of a track. Wonderfully dark, it sets us up perfectly for the epic 12 minuter of a title track. Despite its length, the song 'Jane Doe' never drags, and shows us Converge's capabilities in all fields.

I described this album earlier as a modern classic. Was I overreaching myself? I don't think so. The album deserves to be heard by all and sundry. The band have been around for over a decade now, and are still going strong with new album 'You Fail Me'. If you don't buy this for the music, buy it for the great art by lead singer Jacob Bannons.

Ollie Connors