Labels: Cavernous Records/Dry Cough Records/Gurgling Gore
Formats: CD/Vinyl/Tape/Digital
Release Date: 09 Feb 2022
Tracklist:
1. Perilaxe Occlusion - Serrated Tessellation
2. Fumes - Monolith
3. Celestial Sanctuary - Trapped Within The Bank Membrane
4. Thorn - Pythonissam
I fully appreciate that this review is very very late. With that being said, I think it's better to live with a release before properly dissecting it. I'm fortunate enough to own a copy of this four-way death metal release on vinyl, thanks to Dry Cough Records and given my love for Celestial Sanctuary, picking it up was a no brainer. Having originally been released on tape in February 2022 via Gurgling Gore, it later saw a CD release via Cavernous Records and a sumptuous vinyl pressing via Dry Cough Records. Featuring Perilaxe Occlusion (R.I.P) and Fumes from Canada, Celestial Sanctuary from the UK and Thorn from the US, it gathers together modern bands who prefer to do it old school.
This LP contains just four songs (one from each band) and it’s pretty damn glorious. Opening with a song from the sadly departed Canadian duo Perilaxe Occlusion, this split’s immediacy takes no prisoners. ‘Serrated Tessellation’ acted as a precursor to their 2023 full-length Vapor Chamber, which it also appeared on. In true OSDM fashion, ‘Serrated Tessellation’ delivers throughout it’s entire seven+ minute playing time thanks to the dank rhythm section and bass, downturned guitars that often appear slower tempo-wise (when they’re not howling) and the dread-inducing low growls. A great start to the split for sure.
As if one Canadian band wasn’t enough, Fumes make their presence felt straight away. Interesting fact: Fumes appeared on a 2021 split release with Thorn. Their song ‘Monolith’ takes inspiration from bands like Cynic thanks to a jazz-laden approach and I have to say, it’s brilliantly performed. I love brutal and old-school death metal in equal measure but when it comes to the experimental/jazz/improv end of the spectrum, I’m utterly in awe. Fumes will definitely be a band I look into deeper following this write-up.
It’s now the turn of the UK’s Celestial Sanctuary, whom have been gaining many plaudits over the last couple of years, thanks to their consistency and quality. ’Trapped Within The Rank Membrane’ is as dirty and disgusting it’s the title doth suggest. It’s a lot more old-school and the percussion lays it’s own brutal path, yet there’s also a subtle element of avant-garde instrumentation flowing through it as well. It continues to show how fertile the global death metal community is.
This split wouldn’t be complete without the addition of some sickening US death/doom. Thankfully, Thorn and their song ‘Pythonissam’ made it onto this release. There’s no denying their quality here and what’s crazier is the fact that were it not for this split release, I might never have heard of them. They round things out perfectly thanks to their slower/old-school brand of death metal. If you thought this split peaked already, you should listen to Thorn’s song to the end.
Four-way split releases like this are becoming much more frequent and that’s fine with me, as this one is fantastic. Absolute Convergence gives you the chance to hear four bands from the same metal genre, each producing something unique and truly enjoyable.
You can stream and purchase Absolute Convergence digitally below:-
Perilaxe Occlusion - https://perilaxeocclusion.bandcamp.com/
Fumes - https://fumesofficial.bandcamp.com
Celestial Sanctuary - https://celestialsanctuary.bandcamp.com/
Thorn - https://thornx.bandcamp.com/
You can still purchase the LP from Dry Cough Records as part of a great three-LP bundle or on it's own here - https://www.drycoughrecords.com
Cavernous Records - https://www.facebook.com/CavernousRecords
Dry Cough Records - https://www.facebook.com/DryCoughRecords
Gurgling Gore - https://www.gurglinggore.com/
