Converge is a four-piece American band, formed in February of 1990 in Salem… Read Full Bio ↴Converge is a four-piece American band, formed in February of 1990 in Salem, Massachusetts, United States. Playing a blend of hardcore punk and extreme metal, this pioneer outfit helped define a lot of the rudiments of the fast-burgeoning metalcore and mathcore genres formed by vocalist Jacob Bannon and guitarist Kurt Ballou in Salem, Massachusetts in 1990. During the recording of their seminal fourth album Jane Doe, the group became a four-piece with the departure of guitarist Aaron Dalbec and the addition of bassist Nate Newton and drummer Ben Koller. This lineup has remained intact since. They have released nine studio albums, three live albums, and numerous EPs. The band's sound is rooted in both hardcore punk and extreme metal, and they are considered pioneers of metalcore as well as its subgenre mathcore.

Converge have enjoyed a relatively high level of recognition. According to AllMusic, they are "regarded as one of the most original and innovative bands to emerge from the punk underground." Their popularity rose with the release of Jane Doe, which was ranked as the best album of 2001 by Terrorizer and later as the 61st Best Metal Album of All Time by Rolling Stone. Subsequently, Converge moved from Equal Vision Records to the considerably larger label Epitaph Records and their records gradually became more elaborate and expensive to produce. Special releases have traditionally been handled by Deathwish Inc., established by Bannon in 1999. The band's ninth studio album, The Dusk in Us, was released in November 2017 through Deathwish and Epitaph.

Reap What You Sow
Converge Lyrics

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My barren plan to be a better man
Rots in abandoned fields
These idle hands inherit spoiled lands
As the hungry become the pigs
We reap (and) we sow
We mourn who we were
Love what we lost
In the grace of (youth)

Laying with lions to hide my grief
From the beast that never sleeps
Our tired hearts tear us apart

Searching for the key
Reap what we sow

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Converge's "Reap What You Sow" speak to a sense of missed opportunity, a desire to improve oneself that has gone unfulfilled. The "barren plan" suggests a lack of direction or focus, while "abandoned fields" conjures images of desolation and failure. The next line - "idle hands inherit spoiled lands" - reflects a sense of inertia or stagnation. The singer has failed to take action to bring about positive change, and as a result, they find themselves surrounded by decay.

The next lines continue this theme of decay and decline, as the "hungry become the pigs." In a world where resources are scarce, those who are able to seize power often become the oppressors. The line "we reap (and) we sow" suggests that this cycle of violence and oppression is self-perpetuating, that each generation repeats the mistakes of the one before.

The chorus switches to a more reflective tone, as the singer mourns what they have lost while trying to hold on to the "grace of youth." The lines "laying with lions to hide my grief/from the beast that never sleeps" speaks to a sense of vulnerability and danger, as the singer tries to cope with their pain in ways that are ultimately self-destructive. The final line of the chorus - "reap what we sow" - is a reminder that our actions have consequences, and that we must take responsibility for the world we create.

Line by Line Meaning

My barren plan to be a better man
My futile attempt to become a better person

Rots in abandoned fields
Goes to waste due to neglect

These idle hands inherit spoiled lands
We are left with ruined things as a result of our inaction

As the hungry become the pigs
Those in need are exploited by the powerful

We reap (and) we sow
We face the consequences of our actions

We mourn who we were
We regret the person we used to be

Love what we lost
Appreciate what we no longer have

In the grace of (youth)
During a time when we were young and naive

Laying with lions to hide my grief
Seeking comfort in dangerous situations

From the beast that never sleeps
From the constant challenges we face in life

Our tired hearts tear us apart
Our exhaustion and emotions can cause conflict within ourselves

Searching for the key
Looking for a solution or answer

Reap what we sow
We receive the effects of our actions

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Benjamin Koller, Jacob Bannon, Kurt Parker Ballou, Nathaniel Harlan Newton

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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