Xasthur

[outofseason]

I dont know why but at the time when Xasthur was a current band 10-12 years ago with albums coming out every year, I never really paid much attention, and kind of thought it was some over-hyped bullshit and didnt consider it 'true' black metal (yes, closed minded early 20s black metal fan at the time... haha). I owned "A Gate Through Bloodstained Mirrors" when it came out but never really gave it a shot and thought it was 'boring'.

Fast forward 10+ years - A few months ago I decided to try and give Xasthur another shot after many years, and I guess maybe I am in a different place in my life or more open minded now, but I really think some of these albums are great....  I really enjoy listening to these albums in the background while doing somewhat monotonous/tedious work on the computer. The atmosphere he creates is really nice.

Nocturnal Poisoning and To Violate the Oblivious are probably my favorite releases, but overall I dont think he really released a 'bad' record whatsoever, they are all really good (I am not counting the new albums that arent black metal but have the same band name again).

Anyone else have a similar experience with him or other artists, that you kind of glossed over at the time, then came back to many years later and found out, hey actually this is pretty good?

[Witherer]

Kind of the opposite point of view for me. I'm a huge Xasthur fan and my favorite album is All Reflections Drained. As far as I know that's a pretty unpopular opinion and Malefic even mentioned on his news blog that he wanted to retire from BM but didn't want to go out on such a weak album.

However, I wanted to end on a better note with this 'Portal of Sorrow' album because the album that came before it, 'All reflections drained', was not up to par and I couldn't finish up with an album that I was less than satisfied with.

[faeryring]

Defective Epitaph is amazing. If I had to describe what depression feels like, I would play that album. It's like trudging through treacle.

[dungeonsnake]

I love Xasthur. I agree with faeryring, i think perhaps no other artist is so fully able to articulate crushing depression.

[chaucerianmyth]

I've always really enjoyed the sort of DSBM stuff, and I think Xasthur is really among the very best when it comes to that style, if not the best. I remember it took me a while to get into, though. I first listened to Subliminal Genocide many years ago and I just didn't get it for a while. After a few listens, though, it really hit me. It's just so soul-crushing, a truly emotional and raw experience.

[Tyrannus]

I first checked out Xasthur as a senior in high school about 5 years ago.  I started out with Telepathic with the Deceased and I've been a big fan since then.  

[thekeeper]

My greatest Xasthur memory is driving at night through a really bad storm on the coastal 101 while listening to The Funeral of Being. Couldn't see a thing in front of me. Winding roads through woods, sheets of raining shattering against the windshield. Still my favorite album of his. I haven't listened to much of his newer acoustic stuff.

I haven't had many glossed over and later loved artist experiences. The main one I can think of is when I was first getting into Death in June years and years ago, I had glossed over Current 93 while reading about Douglas Pierce. I think I may have listened to a few Thunder Perfect Mind tracks and moved on. Current 93 is now one of my favorite artists, probably second all-time favorite.

[andrewwerdna]

This is the only Xasthur song I've ever really liked:

[emerge]

Telepathic with the Deceased, To Violate the Oblivious, and Suicide in Dark Serenity are the ones i've listened to.  
I've always liked the atmospheric passages more than the vocals, did he ever make a fully ambient album?

[Lye The Imprisoned]

I'm hoping to catch him on his acoustic tour coming up

[thekeeper]

Hm, I might see him when he comes here since it's a pretty small venue. Honestly, I haven't listened to any of his acoustic stuff since he put out a demo as Nocturnal Poisoning, right after he stopped doing metal but before he re-used the Xasthur name. I should probably re-check it out. I feel like he came here less than a year ago, but I skipped it.

[outofseason]

Mar 15, 2017 9:57:14 GMT -5 thekeeper said:

Hm, I might see him when he comes here since it's a pretty small venue. Honestly, I haven't listened to any of his acoustic stuff since he put out a demo as Nocturnal Poisoning, right after he stopped doing metal but before he re-used the Xasthur name. I should probably re-check it out. I feel like he came here less than a year ago, but I skipped it.

Honestly shocked he is actually coming to Maine, so I will be there for sure. It's rare that any bands come all the way up here, so there is no question for me!!

[Tyrannus]

I could go see him at saint vitus since I've been looking for an excuse to return there...I just wish it was the old xasthur

[Deleted]

You want crushing depression and psychotic riffs? Look no further than this abomination. One of my favorite albums of all time, honestly. Not really a fan of any other bands from the circle though.

[dedran]

Xasthur was the band that I got into shortly after realizing that Burzum was more the kind of black metal for me than the typical stuff by Immortal/Satyricon/Gorgoroth and the like. Nocturnal Poisoning in particular has a guitar tone unlike any other. I can't think of any artist that really comes close or tries to replicate that sound. Combine that with the melancholic clean guitars, and it's definitely haunting forest music, not all that dissimilar to dungeon synth at all. The reverb and general production really make his releases sound like a genre of their own -- definitely not "metal" in the traditional sense. He uses crushing, distorted guitars and harsh vocals, but the chords and atmosphere are more akin to depressive piano music, neoclassical, or something more horrific and esoteric. Definitely not headbanging music.

Just listen to how the clean guitars slowly fade in toward the end, here:



When I first heard this stuff, I was blown away. Something clicked, and made me realize that you can do a hell of a lot more, expressively, emotionally, or whatever, with an electric guitar than the average metal guy would have you believe.

Love the personal stories about listening experiences, especially the one about driving at night through a storm in the woods. I used to use Xasthur as the soundtrack to my reading of the Berserk manga, back when that series was still worth going through. I think the Nocturnal Poisoning album art had a lot to do with it. What do you think?