As should be expected from a guitarist,
James Murphy's first solo album,
Convergence, is more notable for its instrumental attributes than its actual songs.
Murphy is a skilled and inventive guitarist, creating new waves of sound and drawing depth from standard death metal riffs.
Convergence, unlike his work with
Testament,
Death, and
Obituary, isn't all gloom-and-doom -- there are passages where
Murphy stretches out to demonstrate that he is a full-fledged musician, not just a guitarist. Unfortunately,
Murphy isn't much of a songwriter. Though there is an abundance of leads and licks that are instantly memorable, you can't remember which boasted that stellar guitar work. All in all,
Convergence is a guitarist's album and for guitarists, it's an immensely satisfying work. If you don't play, however, you probably won't need to listen. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine