Convulsing, Perdurance (2024)

 

By Jack Rafferty

Grievous, from 2018, was an album that almost passed me by, and I am so happy it didn’t. Brendan Sloan’s relatively obscure one-person project Convulsing is one of the more impressive sleeper hits I’ve encountered in recent years, masterfully combining elements of dissonant technical death metal and atmospheric black metal. From my first listen of Grievous, I was hooked. Knowing that this project is astoundingly the product of one person (including production), it makes sense that the follow up would take some time to create. Much like Grievous, Perdurance very nearly passed under my radar as well. Again, I am very happy that it did not. The album picks up with the same winding, deep, resonant tones that Convulsing is known for, with a notably sharper production style, before sweeping you off your feet with the dissonant notes that fans of groups such as Ulcerate and Gorguts love. While I do feel like the drums feel a bit buried in the mix, and there are some moments in the production that seem like odd stylistic choices in shifting volume (they seem intentional), the sound is great. I am satisfied that, even though the production has a greater clarity to it, the overall sound has not lost its edge. Every bit of jagged, atonal quality remains. The low end especially is handled very well, and there is a powerfully resonant feel to the deeper tones present. 

Brendan’s vocals are as guttural as ever, the instrumentation is tighter and more complex, and his songwriting has made clear strides since 2018. I especially love moments like the acoustic into the track “Inner Oceans,” as it allows the listener a reprieve while still adding to, as opposed to detracting from, the atmosphere that has been built so far. There is a clear feeling of maturation evident in moments like this on the album. Overall, Perdurance is another great addition to an artist’s discography that, obscure though it may be, has staying power and deserved cult appreciation in the genre.