Today an album was released titled ‘Bloodmoon: I’. The album is being presented as a Converge album, but is actually a collaborative piece from Converge, Chelsea Wolfe, frequent Wolfe collaborator Ben Chisholm, and Cave In/Old Man Gloom/Mutoid Man/basically everything member Stephen Brodsky. The result is an entirely other beast than Converge, and that’s why I feel it needs its own post.
So tonight I’m sort of talking about an album, as though it’s a band, but we can get through this I hope…
Bloodmoon’s sound really does take the strongest elements of all parties and present something new yet familiar. It is a deep, dark, lumbering beast of post metal, touches of sludge and hardcore, plus moments of gentleness.
Chelsea Wolfe, as always, shines with her sorrowful, beautiful voice. I’ve been a fan of Wolfe for a long time, and her work here is without a doubt some of her best. When backed by the powerful instrumentation of Converge, her incredible voice sounds even more otherworldly – like some supernatural ethereal being of light slicing through a thick fog.
I also found myself with a much bigger appreciation of Jacob Bannon thanks to Bloodmoon. His voice is mesmerising and, when paired with Wolfe, makes for something truly remarkable.
The album runs a full hour, but I never even realised until checking just now. It moves swiftly along, songs never outstay their welcome, and the variety is so well done that each song brings something different than the last yet feels like a piece of a bigger story.
Bloodmoon is, without question, one of the strongest albums I’ve heard all year. As cliched as it is, Bloodmoon really is stronger than the sun if it’s parts – and those are some pretty damn spectacular parts in their own right.
Now, if you’re okay with the idea of me talking about new release albums (and I hope you are), I’d invite you to stick around past December 31, when ABAD: A Band A Day becomes AWAR: A Weekly Album Review. I’ve loved this exercise so giving it a new spin next year is something I’m really looking forward to. I hope you’ll stick with me. 😘
a band a day. 