### Converge / Napalm Death: Split

#### 10/10/12 || gk

Two titans of their genre come together for a split with both bands doing 2 songs each and one band coming out as a clear winner. Converge start proceedings with a typical short blast of chaotic hardcore in “No light escapes” and follows it up with a cover of “Wolverine blues” that boasts of guest spots from Aaron Turner (Isis) and Tomas Lindberg but the song still just sounds like a pale and weak version of the original. On the other side, Napalm Death’s “Utilitarian” didn’t do much for me but the 2 songs here fucken destroy. The sound is raw and dirty and No impediment to triumph might just be one of the finer songs Napalm has done in a long while. So, overall, this split is inconsistent. Converge seem to have phoned in their contribution using the guests to mask a lack of quality material while Napalm with 2 new songs have delivered. Only fanatic Napalm Death fans need apply.

6/10: something of an interesting curiosity but not much more.