SHYLMAGOGHNAR - Convergence (2LP)

"What started out as a duo back in 2004 has turned into a one-man-band, yet, the upcoming
new album, titled Convergence (due out November 10, 2023 via Napalm Records), sees
atmospheric black metal act Shylmagoghnar returning heavier and stronger than before.
Shylmagoghnar is still a home produced project to this day, run by multi-instrumentalist and
founding band member Nimblkorg. Convergence picks up right where both previous
albums left off, and is intended as the end installment of a trilogy-in-spirit. While its
predecessors, the much acclaimed Emergence (2014) and Transience (2018), invited the
listener on a journey through human existence, time and space, Convergence marks the
inward journey of death that one has to go through before being able to pass on. Although it
may be from a literal perspective, as the album's protagonist is dying and lyrics describe the
emotional, philosophical and psychedelic journey he is undertaking, the new
Shylmagoghnar offering is also an allegory for learning to let go of positive and negative
themes of the past that hold us back from moving on, and eventually, hopefully reaching
inner peace. Musically, Shylmagoghnar delivers the perfect soundtrack to that journey,
where raw heaviness meets pure elegy, and where destruction gives way to harmony. Such
as from the monumental beauty of the epic piano intro in ""Follow The River"", there’s a burst
into a progressive black and death metal storm! Other tracks, such as ""The Sea"" and
""Infinion"", showcase the haunting, melodic and ballad-like yet almost folk-meets-power
metal-esque facets of Shylmagoghnar.
Both inside and outside of the music, Shylmagoghnar has always been a path with a will of
its own for the Southern Netherlands-based Nimblkorg, who produces and records all of the
music on his own. Once again, almost half of the album is instrumental, as Nimblkorg agrees
with a significant part of his fan base in that words can distract from the enjoyment of the
music. The band mastermind also wishes to motivate other artists to not be afraid of home
production. But what is immediately evident while listening to Convergence, is that it marks
the deepest and most personal Shylmagoghnar record to date, as it's dedicated to his late
mother.
Convergence is a stirring, emotional and deep journey - never afraid of genre borders and
always balanced between the light and dark, the beauty and horror, life and death. Some
bands need countless records and members to create a masterpiece, while Shylmagoghnar
already unleashes it with album number three, and one that will ultimately establish this
one-man-show as one of the most enthralling acts in extreme music!