Since helping to define and refine the metalcore genre with their album Jane Doe, Converge have maintained a presence in the scene putting out a plethora of music over their 36 year career. In 2026, they’ve returned with a full force demonstration in the form of Love Is Not Enough.

Whilst starting out with this album its striking to me how tidy the mix is, every aspect of the instrumentation feels like it fits perfectly together. The guitar tones sit absolutely beautifully atop the grumbling bass and as such just feels full and rich all the way through. Kurt Ballou’s near 30 years of producing music with his own God City Studios really shines through with this.
From start to finish you can almost taste the hardcore punk in the album, with over half the songs coming in at just over 2 minutes, its rare for a track to overstay its welcome. Arguably this is a good thing, as i suspect that were they any longer you’d probably have to take a time out from the sonic pummelling you’d just received. The albums first half burns through at blistering pace with Jacob Bannon’s vocals as angry and harsh as they were when Converge first began, if not more so. Another thing that I found refreshing about listening to this album is the distinct lack of guitar solo’s. This decision I feel helps greatly with keeping the albums focus on great riffs, something that other bands really ought to take note of. Not every song needs a solo, and Converge prove this ten times over throughout Love is Not Enough.

Its only really towards the end that the songs begin to stretch out a little, becoming more thoughtful in their portrayal. Gilded Cage is a prime example of this, rather than being defined by aggressive riffs, it sits back just a little, relying on a driving bass line and mixing in a bit more slow intricacy in its guitar work. While no less fierce, it still helps to give listeners a chance to slow down as it leads into the penultimate song Make Me Forget You, which in itself feels different from the albums first half. It is reminiscent of a slower, more classic hardcore sound, which, whilst maintaining Converge’s signature aggression, helps add a variety to an album marked by turbo paced brutality.

Its worth bearing in mind I started listening to this album late at night expecting to get about halfway through before having to put it down to go to sleep in order to wake up for my day job. What I found was an intensely listenable masterclass in metalcore that was hard to stop listening to. But that wasn’t a problem, as it really was a blink and you’ll miss it scenario. Love Is Not Enough was over as quickly as it had started, but it left an impression that displayed nearly 40 years of experience in its field. Familiar, yet different, all at once.