Harsh, fast, repetitive, slow, haunting, grim, raw, distorted, minimalist, rhythmic, this is the definitive remastered director’s cut of prolific Malefic’s 2001 demo A Gate Through Bloodstained Mirrors and 2001 promo A Darkened Winter. Unfortunately the promo copy that I am reviewing only includes disc one of the two-disc set so I still have not acquired […]

Three things come to mind as I listen to this latest offering by prolific Malefic. The instruments stand out from the murk and get noticed, the songs have definite forward propulsion, though be it very slow, and the drums are real. The next thing that really makes a dramatic impact, which is difficult to do […]

Imagine owning two paintings, Rembrandt’s Return of the Prodigal Son and Duchamp’s Nude Descending a Staircase. The first would be hung in the living room for all the guests to admire; the second would be hung in the study for special guests to admire. This new disc by Xasthur, if it was a painting, would […]

Xasthur is addictive. Never great, often dull, amazingly addictive. Modern Psychedelic US Black Metal is what the Moribund press release calls Xasthur. At least we have finally gotten past the suicidal depressive tag that was always misleading and inaccurate, despite the reappearing noose. They do however use the words despair and dreary. Maybe it is […]

This is not a new recording, but a pressing onto cd of the split vinyl release of 2004 by Profound Lore Records. Battle Kommand is offering the material to a wider audience but also to the select few that own the vinyl because of the addition of three bonus tracks by Xasthur and one by […]

This album would be more appropriately named Telapathetic with the Deceased, though I’m being overly harsh. On first listen I admit to being disappointed. The vocals are buried, the mix is horrible and the music is watered down suicide/doom black metal; run of the mill uninspired, unoriginal, monotonous.This one man band has been around nearly […]