Earlier this year, we headed to Outbreak Festival in Manchester to catch up with longtime friends of Iron Heart, Converge. 

Hailing from Salem, Massachusetts, Converge has spent the last three decades pushing the boundaries of hardcore punk and extreme metal. Known for their chaotic, abrasive sound and intensely visceral live performances, they’ve become one of the most influential bands to emerge from the hardcore scene, while consistently resisting easy genre labels.

Our relationship with the band stretches back to the early days of Iron Heart Int’l. It was bassist Nate Newton who first discovered the brand, instantly striking up a rapport with co-founder Giles Padmore through their shared love of vintage Levi’s denim. Nate soon introduced vocalist Jacob Bannon, establishing a friendship and mutual respect that remains to this day.

As the brand has grown, Nate and Jacob have continued to be among our biggest advocates, with Giles once commissioning a signature jacket to Nate’s specifications — the IHJ-101J-BLK “Riffblaster General”. In return, Giles and Paula gradually became huge (if not somewhat unlikely) fans of the band, attending many Converge shows over the years and singing — or should we say screaming — their praises to anyone who would listen.

In the following video, Nate and Jacob recall their introduction to Iron Heart, while discussing a lifelong passion for workwear, the importance of attention to detail, and self-expression through music and fashion. Scroll down to watch…