Albums

Convergence - The Magic Position

Bruce Turnbull 01/02/2007

Rating: 1/5

Whilst it's best to base your retail therapy on the old maxim don't judge a book by its cover, there are times where I'd render the contrary prudent advice, as frankly, “Points of View” sports some deceptively intelligent artwork that does the album a great disservice. Ostensibly just a drab, arid scene of prevalent misery, Luca Lattuga's sleeve design is actually quite excellent in that it is the view from a driver's window; about to roll into a town technologically rife with the modern freeze of despair. What Italian nu-metallers Convergence have done however is taken that splendidly executed vista and wrote an album as dull as the town he's heading towards.

After a few listens it becomes apparent how much talent and song-writing ability these guys have, but only in short, sharp bursts of genius do we ever get a hint of their creative musk; rather a miasma of petulant, snappy mediocrity almost every band of this genre reek of. Any album that begins with the line Bleed the fuck up! isn't going to be an easy ride, and from the opening bars of “Bleed”, you pretty much have Convergence figured out for the duration. The riff that begins that track is remarkably similar to countrymen Lacuna Coil's “To the Edge”, only without the spark of conviction they confidently generate. Musically there are some interesting parts; the guitar harmonies behind the chorus of “Strike the End” lighten up the atmosphere and the dripping piano softening the verse of “Six Feet Under” are both commendable attributes, but on a whole, this album left me colder than a sunlolly.

Turgid nu-metal isn't the only genre they try their hand at; some Biohazard-style hardcore and even some Stained-esque melancholy underpin a lot of the tracks, whilst their general output has a lot in common with British melodic-noise makers Panic Cell - only without the panic. Production wise this could have been better - Michelangelo Naldini's drums are literally screaming for triggers - and the booklet presentation is a little amateur, with Alessandro Palladini's lyrics scribed in almost illegible black ink for that pained effect, which to me is as about as convincing as his screechy vocals.

Very dark, very dull and very uninspiring. It's a testament to their home country that just like their penne, if cooked too long, it will be flaccid, wilted and lifeless. If they get around to recording a follow up, I don't wanna know about it. Well, unless they hire the same guy for the artwork.