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.
Serial Killer
Converge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm crushing,
Destroying,
A figure of speach.
My mind is lost eternally out of my reach,
Richard, in you glass case, stand to be judged.
Written there all over your face,
Your body should rot in public for all the women you've killed. Run for your life I'm the serial killer,
I've come to bury you today,
No family, no funeral, no rosaries for...
Slain on this hillside.
My silent grave,
That's where you lay.
Buried dead bodies behind.
Their last words are still etched so clearly into his mind. Driven, possessed by wil,
A will that takes over and drives him out for the kill.
Submit, submit to me now.
He screams out in anger,
Blood thisty as you cower down.
It's time, he raises the blade.
You cry out to god,
For your innocent life to be saved.
Run for your life I'm the serial killer,
I've come for your life today,
I'm the serial killer,
I've come to bury you today,
No family, no funeral, no rosaries for...
Slain on this hillside,
My silent grave,
That's where you lay.
The lyrics to Converge's song "Serial Killer" are quite graphic and disturbing in nature, as they describe the perspective of a psychopathic killer who derives pleasure and a sense of power from murdering his victims. The opening lines reveal the twisted mindset of the singer, as he proclaims that he has "tasted the thrill of the kill" and enjoys crushing and destroying his prey. The use of the phrase "figure of speech" suggests that he sees himself as a metaphorical force of destruction, rather than a human being with empathy and conscience.
The lyrics then take on a more specific and sinister tone, as the killer recalls the names and faces of some of his victims. Richard is presumably a reference to Richard Ramirez, also known as the Night Stalker, who committed a string of brutal murders and sexual assaults in the mid-1980s. The "glass case" mentioned may refer to Ramirez's eventual capture and trial. Ted is likely a reference to Ted Bundy, who committed a number of high-profile murders and rapes in the 1970s, and who targeted women and girls, often posing as an authority figure to gain their trust. The mention of a twelve year old victim is particularly chilling.
The killer then seems to shift from a retrospective mood to a more immediate one, threatening an unknown victim with the words "run for your life". The repetition of this phrase throughout the song creates a sense of urgency and impending doom. The lines "No family, no funeral, no rosaries for..." suggest that the killer is not only devoid of compassion or remorse, but actively revels in the pain and suffering he inflicts on others. The final lines, which describe the killer's "silent grave", suggest that he too will eventually be caught or killed, but that his victims will not receive justice in the traditional sense.
Line by Line Meaning
I've tasted the thrill of the kill the thrill of my victims.
The singer has experienced the excitement of killing and the excitement of those who have been killed.
I'm crushing,
The singer takes pleasure in crushing others through violence.
Destroying,
The singer enjoys destroying other people's lives through their actions.
A figure of speech.
The artist is using violent language for effect, but they are not actually killing anyone at the moment.
My mind is lost eternally out of my reach,
The artist's mind is unreachable and they are unable to control their violent impulses.
Richard, in you glass case, stand to be judged.
The singer is referencing Richard Ramirez, a convicted serial killer, and suggests that he is being held up as an example of the consequences of violent behavior.
Written there all over your face,
The evidence of Richard Ramirez's guilt is clear to everyone who sees him.
Ted, a twelve year old.
The artist again references a known serial killer (Ted Bundy) but this time focuses on the fact that he began his violent behavior at a very young age.
Your body should rot in public for all the women you've killed.
The artist believes that Ted Bundy deserves extreme punishment for the heinous crimes he committed against women.
Run for your life I'm the serial killer,
The artist identifies themselves as the titular serial killer and threatens the listener.
I've come to bury you today,
The singer has already decided that the listener will die at their hands.
No family, no funeral, no rosaries for...
The artist will not allow the listener any traditional mourning rites.
Slain on this hillside.
The listener will be killed and left to rot in a specific location.
My silent grave,
The singer anticipates being caught or killed for their crimes and will soon have a grave of their own.
That's where you lay.
The singer will kill the listener and leave their body in the same location where they will eventually be buried themselves.
Buried dead bodies behind.
The artist has already killed others and hidden their bodies.
Their last words are still etched so clearly into his mind.
The artist remembers their previous victims and the sounds they made before they died.
Driven, possessed by wil,
The singer is compelled by their violent impulses and feels as though they have no control over their actions.
A will that takes over and drives him out for the kill.
The singer again emphasizes that their violent urges are what motivate them to commit murder.
Submit, submit to me now.
The artist demands obedience and control over their victim, despite already planning to kill them.
He screams out in anger,
The artist becomes enraged and violent as they prepare to attack their victim.
Blood thisty as you cower down.
The artist relishes the fear and helplessness of their victim as they prepare to kill them.
It's time, he raises the blade.
The singer is ready to kill and uses a knife as their weapon of choice.
You cry out to god,
The victim pleads for mercy and help from a higher power as they are about to be killed.
For your innocent life to be saved.
The victim believes they are innocent and undeserving of the violence that is about to be inflicted upon them.
I'm the serial killer,
The singer reiterates their identity and ascertains their control over the situation.
Contributed by Julia V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
PetieFr
Awesome that this band also knows the old school thrash bands that didn't become superstars :D
Alessio Glorioso
i love both bands!! :D
Daking7861
woah this one sounds weird. i have this song, but its not this slow, it goes faster and sounds more badass.
Anti-Freeze
Fucking awsome cover song!
David C
First converge song I ever heard
Richard Lowe
this isnt bad just sounds like a cover with different vocals
IH8YOUINTHEFACE !!!!
Where did you find this
Daking7861
ah ok. i like the newer one better.
Anti-Freeze
One thing tho.. My version of this song is completly different. It's way faster.
deathturgenev
this is the old version