when i saw deathwish repressing the seventh converge studio album, especially on this very nice colour-way, i thought it was time to add it to the collection. i was a little hesitant because i already have a copy of "axe to fall" on white vinyl but when i saw "jane doe" going up for pre-orders at deathwish store, i had the excuse i needed. i mean, we all know how senseless it is only ordering one record, especially from overseas. so there was actually no other way but making shipping costs worthwhile by throwing a second record into my cart.
"axe to fall" was always the weakest post-"jane doe" era album to me, which doesn't mean that this album is weak by any means. it just pales a bit in comparison to the other records, until now that is. sometimes all it takes is to focus. i think with this new re-press it was the first time i really sat down and just listened to the music. nothing else. no writing for this blog, no comic book reading along, no internet surfing, no nothing. just me, "axe to fall" and its lyric-sheet.
it really opened new perspectives and i can appreciate this bad boy of an album in a way i did not do before. what really struck me was how lovely balanced this record is. the short venomous shots like the opener "dark horse" and "cutter", the frantic, doomier pieces like "worms will feed / rats will feast" and "damages" or the ambient stuff like "cruel bloom" or the outstanding "wretched world" - this album delivers the whole spectrum of what this band is able to. "axe to fall" will definitely get more regular spins on my turntable in the future.
the presentation is the same as on all previous pressings. a lovely gatefold cover and insert graced with another typical piece of artwork from jacob bannon's mind and hands. but the real star of the package is the absolutely cracking electric blue and baby blue merge vinyl. great match with the cover colours. 1.000 copies pressed. i actually wanted to start with the gold with black smoke "jane doe" re-press but it's a pain in the ass to get good pictures these days. bad light is the problem. when i get home from work it's already dark so i have to wait for the weekend. will fix that soon. so long. deathwish inc. 2009/2016.
