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Reviews
Xasthur: Telepathic with the deceased
06/11/07 || Global Domination
This review was written by ex-staffer/cocksmoker Desolator.
Xasthur. How the fuck does one pronounce this name? Why should I even care? I’ll just pronounce it “Zasthur” and get on with the review. I know some people (ie. our boss, Lord K) would dismiss Xasthur as total shit and that’s understandable. Even though I love the music, I understand why people would find the tunes and sounds to be monotonous and boring. Monotony isn’t for everyone, that’s for sure.
But I like some monotonous tunes, since they can be relaxing to listen to. But that’s only if the sound appeals to me in the first place. I heard a Denial of God track (at their MySpace page) and that’s a good example of a monotonous tune that didn’t work. But Xasthur’s monotony is forgiven in my eyes. Or ears, because I can’t listen to music with my eyes. Unless… (cue evil chin stroking)
Nevermind.
The concept of Xasthur’s music is suicidal and misanthropic ambiance. As I listen, I can just imagine Malefic resting in a basement, summing up all of his hatred and despair to come up with his ideas (sounds cliché I know, but whatever gets his rocks off I s’pose…). Normally loathing doesn’t get one very far, but in cases such as this, it goes very far. This guy must be so filled with hate and despair that he uses it as abstract pornographic imagination. After all, it’s possible for one’s testicles to vibrate with nager (I fucked up the spelling of anger, but “nager” sounds like a black metal word so I’ll keep it here for future reference and pornography), I mean anger.
As with any good abstract music, the songs paint vivid images in my head, such as adventures through dark passages, desolation and despair, ships sinking (K will tell me that Xasthur itself is a sinking ship, haha), shrouds of fog (clichéd enough for ya?) and other negative visual goodies. “Drown Into Eternal Twilight” is one of the best tracks for me. Not to mention it does sound like someone is drowning while Malefic is “serenading” them. I also tend to visualize the sinking ship and fog shroud images again.
What about the percussion you might ask? Or the pace? This album generally has the pace of a snail, which makes for a relaxing atmosphere (I’m amazed I haven’t grown tired of using that word). The drums are easy as fuck to play, of course, but that’s ok. Good thing Malefic didn’t get someone like Hellhammer to play them, otherwise he’d fall asleep while beating the cans slowly. But overall, I find this stuff very enjoyable and relaxing to listen to.
8 counts of depressive pornography out of 10.
- Information
- Released: 2004
- Label: Moribund Cult
- Website: http://xasthur.mercurous.net
- Band
- Malefic “I’m too evil to be Scotty”: all vocals and instruments
- Tracklist
- 01. Entrance Into Nothingness
- 02. Slaughtered Useless Beings In A Nihilistic Dream
- 03. Abysmal Depths Are Flooded
- 04. May Your Void Become As Deep As My Hate
- 05. Telepathic With The Deceased
- 06. A Walk Beyond Utter Darkness
- 07. Cursed Revelations
- 08. Drown Into Eternal Twilight
- 09. Murdered Echoes Of The Mind
- 10. Exit