Finally
I had the opportunity to listen the new LP from this great one-man-band from
U.S.A…. In this record we can find two re-recorded tracks from the “Gate through
bloodstained mirror”, two new tracks and an instrumental introduction… this
record don’t runaway from the essence of Xasthur and this is good, it shows that
Xasthur has strong musical goals.The introduction I can compare it to Burzum on “Filosofem”, it seems you’re going down to hell drowned in the dark melody of the keys, then, some screams of agony. The second track is “Suicide in dark serenity”, a re-recorded one from the first Xasthur’s release I have to say it is great because the track is a little slower than in the first record, so it becomes more morbid. The third track is a new track and it’s a good one. “With hate freezing my veins” reminds me of Burzum, again. The fourth track is a re-recorded version of “Storms of red revenge” and it’s good as well, although I think the first version of this song is better than this one. Finally this holocaust ends with a new track, an instrumental one where the double drum pedal is almost every time ripping all, that’s a nice instrumental track to end the record.
The drums are well performed, simple but good. The guitars are noisy but we can define their sound and we can hear well the bass. This album, or should I say this band, has a particularity at my point of view… all or almost all the Xasthur tracks got keyboards on the full time of the songs but these keyboards aren’t here to make the song more melodic… definitely, NO! Malefic use the keyboards very well and he can make very, very heavy and dark atmospheres. The voice reminds me Burzum on Filosofem but this one is more screamed than the distorted one on that Burzum release. The production is the same as their last album “Nocturnal Poisoning” so I’ll not say that this album the production isn’t good because the band knows what’s doing and likes it sounding this way.
Don’t expect keys ah la Cradle of Filth or something, this is true Misanthropic Black Metal in all its splendour. This is not a wannabe-Burzum, but I think the band is influenced by Varg's band and I have to say it is a nice influence. If you like atmospheric dark and agonizing Black Metal look for this release.