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.

The High Cost of Playing God
Converge Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Falling head over heels for burden and a bright light.
A high cost of playing god I guess.
Please, tell me how to survive in this.
The unforgiving role of seeing too much.
Under the dead wake of morning.
Finding solace in a diseased heart and finding love in acts of desperation.
You're no angel my friend, you're no angel.
And here we are, teetering on the edge of tried departure,

and there you are with a blessing from below.

One drop for every callous ending and one drop for every ungranted wish.
Spare me the day when I discover a new found low.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Converge's song The High Cost of Playing God delve deep into the idea of power and control, and the consequences that come with it. The line "falling head over heels for burden and a bright light" seems to refer to the temptation of power - the lure of being able to control things and make a difference. However, as the next line suggests, there is a "high cost of playing god". It's not enough to simply have power; you must also be able to handle it.

The singer then asks for advice on how to survive in this role of being all-knowing and all-powerful. It's a heavy burden to see and know too much, and the role can be unforgiving. However, there is some hope in finding solace in a diseased heart and love in acts of desperation - perhaps suggesting that even in the most difficult circumstances, there is still humanity and compassion to be found.

The line "you're no angel my friend, you're no angel" is a powerful reminder that even those with power and control are still flawed and human. The final lines of the song, with the singer referencing a "new found low," suggest that the cost of playing god is ultimately a descent into darkness and despair.

Line by Line Meaning

Falling head over heels for burden and a bright light.
Becoming completely enamored with the responsibility and potential rewards of power.

A high cost of playing god I guess.
Acknowledging that there are significant consequences for trying to control or manipulate the world around you.

Please, tell me how to survive in this.
Asking for guidance or advice on how to navigate the challenges of playing god.

The unforgiving role of seeing too much.
Describing the harsh reality of knowing more than one should or being burdened with knowledge that is hard to bear.

Under the dead wake of morning.
In the aftermath of a destructive or difficult event.

Finding solace in a diseased heart and finding love in acts of desperation.
Coping with pain or suffering through unhealthy means and finding comfort in desperate measures.

You're no angel my friend, you're no angel.
Reminding someone that they are flawed and not infallible, despite their attempts at control or power.

And here we are, teetering on the edge of tried departure,
Describing a precarious situation on the cusp of significant change or leaving behind something familiar.

and there you are with a blessing from below.
Suggesting that the source of power or control may be influenced by forces that are beyond human understanding or control.

One drop for every callous ending and one drop for every ungranted wish.
Commenting on the toll that trying to play god takes, with each failure or unfulfilled desire adding to the weight of the burden.

Spare me the day when I discover a new found low.
Expressing a fear or hope that things do not get any worse than they already are.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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