Wear Your Wounds is an experimental solo project conceived by
Converge frontman
Jacob Bannon that was intended to provide a creative outlet for material that didn't quite fit the
Converge mold. Less abrasive than
Bannon's meal-ticket band,
WYW operates in a more ambient sonic realm that favors melody and mood over discord.
Bannon enlisted
Converge bandmate
Kurt Ballou, Mike McKenzie (
the Red Chord), Chris Maggio (
Sleigh Bells), and
Sean Martin (
Hatebreed) to help flesh out some of his old lo-fi recordings, resulting in the release of an eponymous debut in 2017.
Wear Your Wounds expanded into a fully operational band for 2019's Rust on the Gates of Heaven, which featured a lineup consisting of McKenzie,
Adam McGrath (
Cave In),
Sean Martin (
Twitching Tongues), and Chris Maggio (ex-
Trap Them, ex-
Sleigh Bells). The set also featured guest spots from
Ben Chisholm of
Chelsea Wolfe and
Gared O'Donnell of
Planes Mistaken for Stars and Hawks & Doves. ~ James Christopher Monger