Converge is a four-piece band based out of Boston, Massachusetts. Playing a blend of extreme metal and hardcore punk since 1990, this pioneer metal/punk outfit helped define a lot of the rudiments of the fast-burgeoning metalcore and mathcore genres.
Converge's lyrics tend to deal almost exclusively with romantic relationships gone awry, based on a male's perspective. However, as it is fast become the norm in this genre, Converge's lyrics must be read from the corresponding album's booklet or from a lyric sheet in order to interpret them correctly.
In their latter years, Converge have enjoyed relatively high levels of popularity despite the esoteric feel of their music and the substantial lack of media attention they receive. The extreme nature of their music, particularly the atonal vocals and immensely complicated fingerwork of the guitar riffs, make it difficult for some to appreciate this manic brand of music. They can be considered an acquired taste. Many fans and outfits alike tend to dispute the classification of Converge into a specific genre. Their records have gradually become more expensively and extensively produced, having moved from the independent hardcore label Equal Vision Records to the much larger—though still considered independent—label Epitaph Records.
Aside from their primary focus with Converge, Jacob Bannon and Kurt Ballou compose stark, ambient music under the moniker Supermachiner, with Daltonic drummer, Seth Bannon. Bannon also has a solo side-project entitled Dear Lover and continues to run the record label he founded, Deathwish Inc., with his longtime friend and business associate, Tré McCarthy.
In addition to keeping himself busy with recording bands in his studio, GodCity, guitarist Kurt Ballou has participated in an array of other lesser-known bands, such as Blue/Green Heart with fellow Converge alumnus Ben Koller. Koller performed in this band with Ballou well before he joined Converge. Ballou also played guitar for the band Kid Kilowatt.