What started out as a duo back in 2004 has turned into a one-man-band, yet, the new album 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. 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. 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.
