While _Axe to Fall_ saw the band tapping friends and colleagues for uncannily well integrated assistance, _All We Love We Leave Behind_ proves that Converge's core members can still bring the fire, and they can bring it in whatever form they choose. Kurt Ballou bestows nuclear-hot guitar licks on "Sadness Comes Home", and even rips off a little superb soloing deep in the track's chewy center. Ben Koller kicks off "Vicious Muse" with a jangly dance rock drum beat before the band drops in to rule your face harder than a bad batch of botox. Professional throat-hater Jacob Bannon goes for uncharacteristic scrutability on opener "Aimless Arrow" and late cut "Coral Blue", then shuts his mouth altogether on "Precipice". Of course, his contributions in the form of seething poetry and brilliant visual accompaniment seal the proverbial deal and seat _All We Love_ right next to all their other documents of untouchable greatness.

_All We Love_ is a Converge record of the highest caliber. Its message is unequivocal: grab life by the windpipe or grab a fucking mop -- your urine-drool puddle is getting out of control.