Beyond redefining hardcore with his band Converge, upon establishing God City Studios in 1998, Kurt Ballou gave legitimacy to a teeming American underground by helping countless bands record albums worth releasing.

In part 1 of our exploration of his sprawling production discography, we keep it nasty with plenty of diamonds in the rough, and plenty of rough in the rough.

James and Graham discuss Converge, Cave in, American Nightmare, The Hope Conspiracy and more.