ABOUT

About Me

Born in 1976, I grew up in the suburban Merrimack Valley, with weekends spent in Charlestown and East Boston. After graduating high school at 17, I chose to work full-time before pursuing college. Soon after, I relocated to metro Boston, where I attended the Art Institute of Boston (now Lesley University), earning my Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1998. During my time there, I was honored with the "Excellence in Design" award, presentd by Milton Glaser. For a brief period, I also taught in the school’s Continuing Education program. Following several freelance design roles, I became an independent artist and designer, with a primary focus in the independent music scene.

In 2000, I co-founded the Deathwish record label where my role is Creative Director. Today I perform those tasks while also creating art, designing, and collaborating on various visual and musical projects independently.

My artistic practice primarily involves mixed media, combining cut-and-paste collage techniques with sprays, inks, and gouache treatments. Over the past few years, I have shifted my focus toward abstract works.

Business

Deathwish Inc. (2000-Present)
I co-founded Deathwish Inc. with Tre McCarthy in 2000. Initially an aggressive record label, Deathwish has since released hundreds of projects. In 2007, we expanded by acquiring the hardcore/punk label Malfunction Records, founded by longtime friends Linas Garsys and Tru Pray. In 2008, we also acquired the Perfect Victim label, managing their existing catalog.

In 2012, we launched DW Direct, a distribution arm that places thousands of titles from hundreds of labels into independent stores worldwide.

deathwishinc.com | deathwishdirect.com

Music

Converge (1991-Present)
I co-founded Converge in 1990 with Kurt Ballou and a group of high school friends. Initially covering our favorite artists, we began writing original material in 1991, and by 1994, we were creating the music we consider relevant today. Over the years, we've drawn influence from bands like Starkweather, The Accused, Rorschach, and Born Against. To date, Converge has released music on labels such as Epitaph, Deathwish, Equal Vision, Hydra Head, Relapse, and Ferret. In Fall 2001, we solidified our lineup:

Jacob Bannon – Vocals, lyrics, visuals
Kurt Ballou – Guitar, backing vocals
Nate Newton – Bass, backing vocals
Ben Koller – Drums

convergecult.com

Supermachiner (1994-2000)
Supermachiner began in 1994 as a collection of 4-track recordings I created before moving to Boston. The project, influenced by Swans and Bauhaus, remained dormant until 1998 when I collaborated with Ryan Parker to complete the album Rise of the Great Machine. The album, released in 2000, explores themes of technology and the death of individuality. Though future projects were planned, they never materialized, but in 2008, a compilation titled Rust was released, featuring demos and unreleased tracks.

Solo Recordings (2000-2008)
After Rise of the Great Machine, I continued creating music outside of Converge’s sonic boundaries. In 2008, I released the 7” single "The Blood of Thine Enemies" on Deathwish, a track written years earlier as a standalone piece.

Irons (2007-Present)
In 2006, Dwid Hellion (Integrity) and I began collaborating on Irons, with the addition of Stephen Kasner (Fine Artist and musician). Our debut release, Grey Savior, a split with Pulling Teeth, came out in 2007. Though Stephen Kasner passed away in 2019, Dwid and I have discussed continuing the project in the future.

Wear Your Wounds (2000-Present)
Although Supermachiner ended in 2000, I continued writing music outside of Converge. Initially a solo project, Wear Your Wounds evolved into a full band in 2017, with a lineup consisting of:

Jacob Bannon – Vocals, bass, piano, electronics
Mike McKenzie – Guitars, vocals, piano, electronics
Sean Martin – Guitars, electronics
Adam McGrath – Guitars, vocals
Christopher Maggio – Drums

wearyourwounds.net

Umbra Vitae (2019-Present)
Conceived during Wear Your Wounds rehearsals, Umbra Vitae brings together members from Converge, The Red Chord, Hatebreed, and other heavy music acts. We aim to blend aggressive riffs with creative energy to produce something both brutal and dynamic. The band is named after Georg Heym’s 1912 poem Umbra Vitae.

umbravitae.com

Blood From The Soul (2020-Present)
Blood From the Soul, founded by Shane Embury (Napalm Death), originally released the industrial-metal album To Spite the Hand That Breeds in 1993. In 2020, the project returned with a new lineup, including Dirk Verbeuren (Megadeth, Soilwork), Jesper Liveröd (Nasum, Burst), and myself. Our new album, DSM-5, is available now.

Guest Appearances
I've had the privilege of guesting on recordings by bands like Petbrick, Come To Grief, MSTRKRFT, Nails, 108, Cave In, American Nightmare/Give Up The Ghost, Some Girls, Ramallah, and more.

Art

My creative journey began at a young age when I discovered my father's paintings, igniting my passion for art. By 12, I was deeply influenced by the vibrant visuals of skateboarding, BMX, and metal cultures. At 13, I began painting seriously, and in 1994, I shifted my focus from fine art to design during college. I don't consider myself strictly a musician, artist, or writer—rather, I see myself as a "life artist," with all my creative endeavors stemming from the same place internally. My work spans mixed media, cut-and-paste collage, photography, video, and more, often with an abstract and kinetic approach.

Art Exhibitions

Writing

I began writing alongside my visual art practice, mostly in the form of lyrics. In 2013, I wrote review-based pieces for The Talkhouse. In 2017, I published my first book, Dunedevil: An Artistic Journey Into Abstraction & Isolation. The book, a mix of abstract artwork and personal diary entries, is available in both physical and digital formats via Amazon Kindle.

Jacobbannon.com

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