Band:	Converge
Album:	Jane Doe
Style:	Mathcore, Post-hardcore, Metalcore
Release date:	September 2001

01. Concubine
02. Fault And Fracture
03. Distance And Meaning
04. Hell To Pay
05. Homewrecker
06. The Broken Vow
07. Bitter And Then Some
08. Heaven In Her Arms
09. Phoenix In Flight
10. Phoenix In Flames
11. Thaw
12. Jane Doe

One of the most powerful yet emotionally expressive albums that I have heard.

As is traditionally the case in metalcore, the vocalist is always very angry, and, together with the power that the instruments give off, we obtain a fairly intense raw energy. The first two tracks introduce violence which will continue to attack the listener until the end. For instance, songs like "Homewrecker" demonstrate guitar riffs that are very intense, powerful, and effective; the very definition of what metalcore should be.

We are not attacked every second, which I can blame on many albums of the genre which, by wanting to do enough, do too much. Instead, the guitar riffs here are sometimes more relaxed such as in "Hell To Pay", where I even find that they have a slight resemblance to those of Dopethrone from Electric Wizard. The music corresponds well to the title because, at many moments, Converge address certain themes only with the instruments, such as that of mystery or even that of fatalism in the track "Thaw". The lyrics are also powerful: "At least in the dark where I'm searching for meaning, When I'm just searching for something, I want out". When reading them, we feel that the vocalist is trying to reach the unattainable. Coupled with the instruments, the result is more than successful.

"Jane Doe", the song which concludes the album, is the most striking; it deserves a review only for itself. It is monumental, more than 10 minutes long, which is very rare for a metalcore album. The track is separated into two parts: the first part is very impactful within the continuity of the album, while the second part is particularly striking by totally clashing with the first but also by having heartbreaking vocals that remind me of the despair conveyed by certain black metal albums. But, above all, the concluding title track offers a breathtaking riff, which alone can represent what Jane Doe is.

In addition to undoubtedly being one of the best metalcore albums, Jane Doe is more than that. Converge manage to create a unique listening experience, and it's hard to find an album that can do the same, especially now. Jane Doe not only represents the best a metalcore album can do, but also the best a metal album can do.