We started this thing about a week, give or take, from the June 5th release date then missed our deadline and was thinking of shelving it despite having typed a significant amount already then decided to revisit and coincide with all this new NEWS from Converge coming our way last week with the announcement of not only the returning Saddest Day Fest but also the fact that in its’ second year the event (Held once again at Roadrunner) will be expanding to TWO days (December 12th & 13th) which works out great since Converge have now released TWO whole new albums this year.
Before diving into LP #2 (Hum of Hurt), we’d like to continue on our Saddest Day coverage and let you know that tickets are available now (Get yours here) for both days individually and as a bundle with Day One featuring a TBA headliner playing over Converge (And one other TBA band on that day and, while we have our own ideas, we’ll just cross our fingers and let it play out although we think the headliner may have put out a surprise record earlier in the year with the other TBA featuring the newest member of that outfit), Cave In, Emma Ruth Rundle, Pig Pen, Deaf Club and Final Gasp (Who recently slayed opening a loaded bill at the same venue consisting of Acid Bath, Napalm Death and Pig Destroyer). Day Two sees Converge headlining with a special Jane Doe set planned and support from Chat Pile (Have you heard their new stuff yet??), Baroness, Agriculture, Reversal Of Man, Habak and Fuming Mouth!
But enough about the live music aspect (For now) of the Boston-ish Noise quartet as we’re here to talk about Hum of Hurt, the follow-up to February’s Love Is Not Enough! And while the new LP is a different beast for sure, perhaps a little less urgent than LINE, Hum of Hurt still manages to digs its’ heels in and get under your flesh for a solid 10 tracks of calculated Converge carnage.
“Slip The Noose” is classic Converge with Ben Koller’s signature drum runs lighting up the proceedings before a slightly more dense and determined Converge emerge to begin the second full-length banger of 2026 followed by “Doom in Bloom” which is something else entirely and a slightly early indicator (After it released in early May) that HoH would stand out from LINE as Bluesy riffage from Kurt Ballou accents Jacob Bannon’s slower drawl and screeches. “It Only Gets Worse” is cacophonous chaos with Nate Newton and Koller’s rhythmic flow swelling in sync as Bannon and Newton’s call and response screams stand at the center of it all followed by “Detonator” which relents once again and showcases Converge’s penchant for being just as vicious even at slower tempos.
“I Won’t Let You Go” is glorious with a succinct pummeling out of Ballou, Newton and Koller prevalent throughout until another slower burn, “Dream Debris”, drops by with a false sense of security as Newton’s menacing bass rumble echoes Bannon’s subdued delivery and both Ballou and Koller lay down a menacing air. On that kick, “It Used To Matter” is all vibes and atmosphere that bleeds into the title track with a fiery fervor and lets Newton rip on the mic with an impassioned growl that fans of Doomriders and Old Man Gloom know well. “Nothing Is Over” closes the second Converge chapter of 2026 with a crushing mini-epic that’s the perfect culmination of the 19 tracks that have preceded it so far this year.
Hum of Hurt is out now through Epitaph Records with a variety of purchase options still available in your favorite format when you head here or to the stream below. For more from Converge, including the latest on where to catch them live LIKE the aforementioned Saddest Days Fest in December of this year and more, hop on the information superhighway then hop off here, here or here for the socials.