Converge’s Jake Bannon Revisits the Empty Sky and Crashing Forever

Most hardcore and punk fans view Converge's 'When Forever Comes Crashing' and 'Petitioning the Empty Sky,' which were released in the late 1990s, as neo-classics. But Jacob Bannon, the man behind the vocals on both records, isn't exactly self-aggrandizing about those records or their impact.

In fact, he's humble and keeps his eyes on the road in front of him. "I don't look back at them," Bannon told Noisecreep. "I look at records, with our band, as part of a time and a place, and I appreciate that and am happy that we released them and that they are meaningful to people.

"But I am addicted to forward movement in life, and I like being productive and having no down time. With that said, I don't like looking back at albums and talking about how they should be represented or my opinion. I created it and it's up to the listener. No matter what it is to me, it's something else to someone else."

Despite not jaundicing his eye to his own music, Bannon understands why so many people hold these records in high regard -- because they represent a chapter in their lives. "That is why people have their favorite records, whether it's our band or others," he said. "It's about time and a place. You have an experience with a record in the background and it can become your best friend. Music is different as you get older. It's not that it takes a back seat, but it does take on different meanings. You have more going on as you age and it's hard to be able to experience a record at times, the way you did when you did when you were 18."

Therefore, Bannon can't have any "best album arguments" with friends or fans. "Those are emotional arguments, but they're completely subjective and nothing factual about them, whatsoever," he said.