Xasthur - Subliminal Genocide
Review by Ryan Cameron
Xasthur's album, Subliminal Genocide, is a haunting and melancholic journey through the depths of black metal. The album is a masterful showcase of atmospheric and depressive black metal, with haunting melodies, eerie soundscapes, and raw, abrasive vocals that will leave a lasting impact on the listener.
The album opens with the track "The Eerie Bliss and Torture (of Solitude)", a slow-building and atmospheric piece that sets the tone for the rest of the album. From there, the album moves through a series of dark and brooding tracks, each one more haunting and introspective than the last.
One of the standout tracks on the album is "A Walk Beyond Utter Blackness", which features some of the most haunting and atmospheric guitar work on the album. The track is a slow, mournful journey through a desolate and barren landscape, with the vocals adding a sense of despair and hopelessness.
Table of Contents
Download
Filename: xasthur-subliminal-genocide.zip- MP3 size: 126 mb
- FLAC size: 1170.4 mb
Tracks
| Track | Duration | Preview |
|---|---|---|
| Loss and Inner Distortion | ||
| Loss And Inner Distortion | 4:04 | |
| Disharmonic Convergence | ||
| The Prison of Mirrors | 12:42 | |
| Subliminal Genocide | 8:49 | |
| Beauty Is Only Razor Deep | 7:0 | |
| Pyramid Of Skulls | 2:36 | |
| Trauma Will Always Linger | 8:29 | |
| Malice Hidden in Surrealism | ||
| The Prison of Mirrors | ||
| Beauty Is Only Razor Deep | ||
| Disharmonic Convergence | 1:50 | |
| Victim Of Your Dreams | 6:12 | |
| Through a Trance of Despondency | ||
| Through A Trance Of Despondency | 3:30 | |
| Pyramid of Skulls | 2:36 | |
| Malice Hidden In Surrealism | 6:37 | |
| Trauma Will Always Linger | ||
| Victim of Your Dreams | ||
| The Prison Of Mirrors | 12:42 | |
| Frozen | ||
| Loss and Inner Distortion | 4:4 | |
| Through a Trance of Despondency | 3:30 | |
| Malice Hidden in Surrealism | 6:37 | |
| Arcane and Misanthropic Projection | 9:40 | |
| Arcane And Misanthropic Projection | 9:40 | |
| Prison Of Mirrors | ||
| Victim of Your Dreams | 6:12 |
Images
Catalog Numbers
- HH666-115, BKR013
- HH666-115
- THR-113
- hh666-115
Labels
- Hydra Head Records, Battle Kommand Records
- Hydra Head Records
- Total Holocaust Records
Listen online
- lyssna på nätet
- online anhören
- ouvir online
- ascolta in linea
- écouter en ligne
- lytte på nettet
- kuunnella verkossa
- escuchar en línea
- online luisteren
Formats
- CD
- Album
- 2 × Vinyl
- LP
- Limited Edition
- Picture Disc
- Grey w/Black Splatter
- Cassette
- Promo
- Numbered
- Test Pressing
- White Label
- Clear/Red Splatter
- Repress
Credits
| Role | Credit |
|---|---|
| Instruments | Malefic |
| Performer | Malefic |
| Vocals [Screams | Malefic |
| Invocations / Evocations] | Malefic |
| Mastered By | Nick Zampiello |
| Music By | Malefic |
| Lyrics By | Malefic |
| Cover | Ashley Bracamante |
| Layout | J. O'Mara |
Notes
- Recorded during 2004 and 2005.
- Released with assistance from Battle Kommand Records.
- BKR catalog# taken from label's website.
- Recorded during 2004 & 2005.
- Limited to 1000 copies:
- Black vinyl (Ltd. 500)
- Grey with black splatter (Ltd. 300)
- Clear with red splatter (Ltd. 100)
- Picture Disc (Ltd. 100) (THIS)
- Comes in gatefold cover with matte finish. Each record is housed in heavy stock, matte finish with high gloss spot varnish inner sleeve.
- Originaly released on CD in 2006 by Hydra Head Records (HH666-115) & Battle Kommand Records (BKR013), without track D3.
- Grey with black splatter (Ltd. 300) (THIS)
- Picture Disc (Ltd. 100)
- Pro-printed cassettes limited to 500 copies.
- Comes in a cardboard sleeve. No catalog number.
- Black vinyl (Ltd. 500) (THIS)
- Black vinyl test pressing, edition of 30 numbered copies.
- Comes with a thin paper insert with a black and white photo on one side and the title and edition information written by hand with silver marker on the other side.
- Clear with red splatter (Ltd. 100) (THIS)
Barcodes
- Barcode (Sticker): 7 98546 22842 1
- Matrix / Runout: CHP000027/B S2
- Mastering SID Code: IFPI LM07
- Mould SID Code: IFPI F916
- ASIN: B000GYHXTG
- Other: IFPI F916
- Matrix / Runout: PIRATE PRESS HYH-115-1A 69489E1/A
- Matrix / Runout: PIRATE PRESS HYH-115-1B 69489E2/A
- Matrix / Runout: PIRATE PRESS HYH-115-1C 69489E3/A
- Matrix / Runout: PIRATE PRESS HYH-115-1D 69489E4/A
- Matrix / Runout (A-side): PIRATES PRESS - HYH - 115 - 1 A 69489E1/A
- Matrix / Runout (B-side): PIRATES PRESS - HYH - 115 - 1 B 69489E2/A
- Matrix / Runout (C-side): PIRATES PRESS - HYH - 115 - 1 C 69489E3/A
- Barcode (D-side): PIRATES PRESS - HYH - 115 - 1 D 69489E4/A
- Barcode: 7 98546 22842 1
- Matrix / Runout: R02093459 G1 21 Sep 2010 HYH 115 5
About Xasthur
Xasthur was formed in the US in December 1995 by Malefic. A few rehearsal tapes were made and members were kicked. In 1999, after more were kicked out, Malefic found a person called Mike. They did a split MCD with Orosius. Mike handled drums and vocals while Malefic took care of guitar and bass, but due to lack of funding and only 20 minutes of recording it was not worthy of being distributed. After that incident Mike left.
In 2001 Xasthur became a one-man project.
On August 28th, 2009, Malefic announced that he would release albums on his own label called Disharmonic Variations, and Xasthur will never release split releases anymore.
On March 26, 2010, Malefic announced that "Portal of Sorrow" would be the final Xasthur release and that his next project would be outside the metal genre.
In 2015 Scott announced that the name Xasthur will be used for his new acoustic project.
Line-up:
Malefic (Scott Conner) - drums, guitars (6 & 12 string), bass, piano, keyboards, music, lyrics, voice
Former members:
Ritual (Mike Pardi) - drums, vocals (1999)
M.H. (Mark Hunter) - keyboards, additional vocals (2008-2009)
Marissa Nadler - backing vocals on Portal of Sorrow (2010)
Members
- Mark Hunter
- Scott Conner
- Mike Pardi
Summary by Ryan Cameron
Comments
2023-04-12
After recording a sling of terrific releases starting with its debut, Scott Conner's Xasthur settled on repetition on following efforts, including 2006's Subliminal Genocide. "The Prison of Mirrors" stuns right from the beginning with sustained, repeated F#-minor droning harmonies that bring to mind My Dying Bride and Make a Change. Kill Yourself at their best, thanks in no small part to the multi-tracked vocal chorused lines and arpeggio low-key dynamics around the ninth minute that reveal progressive micro-tonality, but the high-frequency, obstructed falsetto vocal shrieks don't sound as inspired."Trauma Will Always Linger" features a single, dilated section with open dissonant guitar arpeggios that goes on like Xasthur's usual modus operandi, "Arcane and Misanthropic Projection" features strangely lulling B-flat harmonies that don't sound aggressive at al despite the noisy arrangements, same goes for the even more minimal "Victim of Your Dreams", plagued also by badly programmed double-bass beats near its end. The title track is way more effective, with its dilated, dramatic progressions, while the presence of four instrumental interludes may also suggest some lack of ulterior focus in promoting its image as a Black Metal project, especially considering the closing one "Malice Hidden in Surrealism" exploits extreme microtonality by both lead guitars and bass, coming out barely listenable. Way less consistent than its previous ones despite the intriguing sound/production: there's a palpable sense of premature disbandment of the project, something which Conner did effectively years later.Highlights: "The Prison of Mirrors", "Trauma Will Always Linger", "Subliminal Genocide".
