| All We Love We Leave Behind | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Converge |
| Cover: | Converge - All We Love We Leave Behind.jpg |
| Recorded: | February 2012 |
| Studio: | GodCity, Salem, Massachusetts |
| Label: | Epitaph |
| Producer: | Kurt Ballou |
| Prev Title: | Axe to Fall |
| Prev Year: | 2009 |
| Next Title: | Thousands of Miles Between Us |
| Next Year: | 2015 |
All We Love We Leave Behind is the eighth studio album by American metalcore band Converge. It was released on October 9, 2012, via Epitaph Records. The album did not feature any guest collaborators, unlike the band's previous album Axe to Fall. The album was produced by Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou and the artwork was created by the band's singer Jacob Bannon.
All We Love We Leave Behind peaked at number 70 on Billboard 200 chart in the United States,[1] it was the band's most commercially successful record until their next album, The Dusk in Us reached number 60 on the same chart in 2017.
On January 1, 2012, Converge announced that they had completed writing for the album.[2] The following day, Kurt Ballou announced plans via his Facebook page to begin recording with the band in January 2012. The album was recorded and mixed at Kurt Ballou's GodCity Studio in Salem, Massachusetts.[3] Unlike the band's last few albums, All We Love We Leave Behind did not feature collaborators. The album's sound has been described as "raw" and "live-sounding". The album was mastered by Alan Douches, noted for former contributions to Converge recordings as well as mastering for bands such as Death, The Dillinger Escape Plan and Japandroids.[4] Former Give Up the Ghost drummer Alex Garcia-Rivera was brought in as a drum technician.[4]
All We Love We Leave Behind was first announced on August 28, 2012. On that same day, a Max Moore directed music video for the track "Aimless Arrow" was released. On October 3, 2012, the album was available to stream in its entirety on YouTube, a week before its official release. On April 17, 2014, a second music video was released for the album, "Precipice / All We Love We Leave Behind", making it the first Converge album to have more than one music video. All We Love We Leave Behind was released through Epitaph Records on October 9, 2012, in digital and CD formats. The vinyl edition of the album was released through Jacob Bannon's own independent record label, Deathwish Inc.[5] The deluxe edition came with three additional tracks: "On My Shield," which was originally released as a single; "Runaway," which was originally released on the Dropdead split; and "No Light Escapes," which was originally released on the Napalm Death split. The deluxe edition featured a hardcover 48-page book that included art drawn by vocalist Jacob Bannon.[6] The band made an appearance at Los Angeles’ FYF Fest on September 1, 2012. Then after a short break the band began touring for support of the album on October 12, 2012, the band toured the US with Torche, Kvelertak, Nails and Whips/Chains.[7]
Bannon said "All of our albums are emotional but I feel this is our most potent album to date," Bannon continues. "For me songs like 'Predatory Glow' and ‘Empty on the Inside’ have a tone and resonance that communicates in a new way for our band," he adds, chalking up this ability to the fact that the group have become better songwriters by spending so much time on the road and in the studio perfecting their craft. "Success to me is creating something that's moving and fulfilling and I truly feel both of those things when I experience this album from start to finish".[8]
Converge wanted All We Love We Leave Behind to sound more "organic" compared to their previous releases. This means there is no artificial distortion, triggers, or Auto-Tune on the album. Ballou explains, "it's all organic, it’s real sounds that capture the way the band performs live".
Lyrically, Bannon approached All We Love We Leave Behind by once again writing about his own personal experiences, however there's no question that this time around his vocals are more direct and decipherable than they've been in the past. "This is a personal record and all of the songs tell their own stories", Bannon explains. "Every song is rooted in real life, documenting what I have experienced over the past few years". Correspondingly the title of the album is an apology letter to everything he has had to leave behind to pursue his path in art and music. Bannon explains that he feels like it's important to acknowledge these sacrifices to be "a self aware individual". The album's title track is about the death of Bannon's longtime dog, whom he regretted not spending more time with because of his busy touring.[9]
All We Love We Leave Behind was met with widespread acclaim from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 88, based on 19 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim". Brandon Stosuy of Pitchfork Media gave the album a Best New Music designation, writing "There's never a dull moment across AWLWLB'
NME's John Calvert, on the other hand, was more mixed to the album, writing "[...] [B]y trading nonsensical time signatures and atonal bursts for fluidity and stadium rock, they’ve subtracted from their former wretchedness".
All We Love We Leave Behind was named the best album of 2012 by Decibel, while Pitchfork Media ranked the album No. 2 on its list of the 40 best metal albums of 2012.[12] [13] The album was also listed 40th on Stereogum's list of top 50 albums of 2012.[14] Metacritic ranked All We Love We Leave Behind at number 5 on its "25 best-reviewed albums of 2012" list[15] and number 27 "critics pick the best albums of 2012" list.[16]
It peaked at number 70 on the Billboard 200, which was the band's highest chart performance until The Dusk in Us was released in 2017.[1]
All lyrics written by Jacob Bannon, all music composed by Converge.[17]
The following people contributed to All We Love We Leave Behind:[4]
Converge
Recording personnel
Artwork and design
| Chart | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese Albums Chart[18] | 126 | |
| UK Albums Chart[19] | 186 | |
| US Billboard 200[20] | 70 | |
| US Billboard Independent Albums | 16 | |
| US Billboard Hard Rock Albums | 9 | |
| US Billboard Rock Albums | 32 | |
| US Billboard Tastemakers Albums | 13 |