Released in 2021, Bloodmoon: I is a collaborative album that sees Converge join forces with Chelsea Wolfe, Stephen Brodsky (Cave In), and Ben Chisholm, creating a record that stretches the band’s signature intensity into expansive, atmospheric, and gothic terrain. The album melds the ferocity of Converge’s hardcore-metalcore roots with haunting melodies, slow-building textures, and cinematic scope, resulting in a deeply immersive listening experience.
The album opens with Blood Moon, immediately establishing its dual nature: delicate, reverb-laden instrumentation and Wolfe’s ethereal vocals gradually give way to bursts of Converge’s trademark intensity. Rather than prioritizing speed and aggression alone, the compositions explore space, dynamics, and texture, allowing tension and atmosphere to build as much as the raw power.
Tracks such as Viscera of Men and Coil exemplify this balance. Viscera of Men alternates between punk-infused ferocity and brooding, doom-laden sections, while Coil creeps forward with a slow, almost ritualistic build, emphasizing mood and emotional weight. Throughout the album, Wolfe’s vocals, Brodsky’s contributions, and the core Converge members intertwine seamlessly, creating contrasts between brutality and beauty, chaos and contemplation.
The production emphasizes clarity within density, allowing the listener to feel both the weight of the heavy passages and the subtlety of the atmospheric interludes. Each drone, guitar swell, and vocal layer contributes to an expansive soundscape that feels meticulously crafted yet viscerally immediate.
Bloodmoon: I is not merely an album of songs; it is a collaborative exploration of extremes and textures. It challenges expectations, offering moments of both intense catharsis and reflective stillness. While it may surprise fans expecting a relentless hardcore assault, those willing to engage with its measured pacing and gothic leanings will find it a rewarding, richly layered experience.
