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Xasthur

From Alfawiki
Xasthur
Company typeSolo musical project
IndustryMusic
Founded1995 in Alhambra, California, United States
FounderScott "Malefic" Conner
Headquarters
Alhambra
,
United States
ProductsBlack metal and acoustic neofolk music albums

Xasthur () represents the solo endeavor of American artist Scott "Malefic" Conner. Established in 1995, the project produced eight black metal albums by 2010, at which point Conner declared its conclusion. However, in 2015, he revived Xasthur to explore acoustic neofolk music, introducing this new direction with the 2016 release Subject to Change.

Etymology

The term "Xasthur" is derived from a fusion of "Hastur"—a demonic figure from a Necronomicon paperback—and "Xenaoth," a divine entity within Afro-Caribbean Santería traditions.

History

Originating in December 1995 in Alhambra, California, Xasthur was formed following Conner’s involvement with local death metal groups. Initial recordings were distributed as limited tapes featuring a fluctuating roster. Before Xasthur became solely Conner’s project, Mike Pardi ("Ritual") contributed drums and vocals on a split album with Orosius. Later releases included guest appearances by session musicians such as Khaija "Blood Moon" Ausar, Mark "M.H." Hunter, and Marissa Nadler.

Prior to releasing their first official full-length album in 2002, Xasthur's early works were self-published in restricted runs and subsequently reissued by Sweden’s Total Holocaust Records and other underground labels.

The debut full-length, Nocturnal Poisoning (recorded in 2001), was issued by Blood Fire Death in 2002 and later remastered by Southern Lord Records in 2005. Following albums were distributed through various labels including Bestial Onslaught Productions, Moribund Records, Profound Lore Records, Battle Kommand Records, Autopsy Kitchen Records, Hydra Head Records, Turanian Honour Productions, Avantgarde Music, and Disharmonic Variations.

Xasthur collaborated on multiple split releases alongside black metal bands such as Acid Enema, Angra Mainyu, Black Circle, Nachtmystium, Leviathan, Nortt, and Striborg. The project also took part in tribute compilations honoring artists like Burzum and Judas Iscariot and appeared on assorted compilations. Conner worked with drone metal group Sunn O))), Mord, Celestia, Gravesideservice, and contributed to the debut album of black metal supergroup Twilight.

On March 26, 2010, Conner announced that the eighth studio album, Portal of Sorrow, would mark Xasthur’s final release due to diminishing creative drive. He confirmed no plans for a reunion and introduced a new non-metal venture named Nocturnal Poisoning, which produced three albums between 2012 and 2014.

Xasthur’s sole music video was released on September 30, 2010, for the track "Walker of Dissonant Worlds" from To Violate the Oblivious.

Conner appeared in the 2012 Noisey documentary One Man Metal, alongside Leviathan’s Jef Whitehead and Striborg’s Russell Menzies; interviews were conducted in 2009.

On March 5, 2015, Conner announced via the official Nocturnal Poisoning Facebook page that he had reclaimed the Xasthur name. He criticized those exploiting the metal industry and revealed intentions to release a new Xasthur album in 2016 through Disharmonic Variations. This new phase emphasizes acoustic instrumentation blending elements of country, blues, folk, bluegrass, doomgrass, and singer/songwriter genres with dark ambient influences.

Xasthur's inaugural live performance was scheduled for June 19, 2015 at the Thirst for Light: Cascadian Summer Solstice II festival held in Pe Ell, Washington.

On September 4 of that year, the upcoming album was announced as Subject to Change, which was subsequently released on May 6, 2016 by Disharmonic Variations.

Influences

Conner acknowledged the influence of solo black metal acts such as Burzum and Graveland on his individualistic method: "Burzum mainly inspired me by showing that one person could handle everything alone—so why couldn't I?" While Xasthur's initial productions shared the lo-fi aesthetic and use of corpse paint, they diverged from typical black metal themes like paganism, Satanism, or anti-Christian blasphemy. Instead, the focus was placed on concepts including astral projection, darkness, feelings of despair, suicide, hate, and death.

Live

Although Conner had previously asserted that Xasthur would remain a studio-exclusive endeavor due to the challenges of reproducing its sound in a live setting, the project eventually performed its inaugural live show in June 2015. Conner also toured alongside Sunn O))) and appeared on stage with Nachtmystium.

Current

  • Scott "Malefic" Conner – vocals and all instruments (1995–2010, 2015–present)

Former

  • Mike "Ritual" Pardi – drums and vocals (1996–1999)
  • Robert Nesslin – vocals (2015). Contributed to Nocturnal Poisoning's A Misleading Reality, Doomgrass, and Xasthur's Subject to Change
  • Christopher Hernandez – guitar, vocals, harmonica, bass (2015–2021)
  • Rachel Roomian – acoustic bass (2016–2018)
  • Joe Larriva – guitar (2019–2021)

Former session musicians

  • Khaija "Blood Moon" Ausar – keyboards on Nortt/Xasthur and the album "Xasthur"
  • Mark "M.H." Hunter – provided vocals and ambient elements on Defective Epitaph and All Reflections Drained
  • Marissa Nadler – guest vocals on Portal of Sorrow
  • Ronald Armand Andruchuk – drums featured on Nocturnal Poisoning's Other Worlds of the Mind

Studio albums

Collaborative albums

  • The Hallucination Tunnels with Casket of Dreams (2021, Appalachian Noise Records)

EPs

  • Xasthur/Orosius split with Orosius (1999, self-released)
  • A Darkened Winter (2001, self-released)
  • Xasthur/Acid Enema split with Acid Enema (2002, self-released)
  • Suicide in Dark Serenity (2003, Bestial Onslaught Productions)
  • Xasthur/Angra Mainyu split with Angra Mainyu (2004, Total Holocaust Records)
  • Xasthur/Leviathan split with Leviathan (2004, Profound Lore Records/Battle Kommand Records)
  • Nachtmystium/Xasthur split with Nachtmystium (2004, Autopsy Kitchen Records)
  • Nortt/Xasthur split with Nortt (2004, Total Holocaust Records)
  • Xasthur EP (2006, Moribund Records)
  • Striborg/Xasthur split with Striborg (2007, Autopsy Kitchen Records)
  • Cryostasium/Xasthur split with Cryostasium (2007, Bestial Onslaught Productions)
  • A Living Hell split with Black Circle (2008, Turanian Honour Productions)
  • 2005 Demo (2010, Hydra Head Records)
  • Self Deficient/Upscale Ghetto split EP (2018, Disharmonic Variations)
  • Aestas Pretium MMXVIII EP (2018, Lupus Lounge)

Demos

  • Rehearsal '97 (1997, independently issued)
  • A Gate Through Bloodstained Mirrors (2001, Profane Productions)
  • 2002 Rehearsal (2002, independently issued)
  • Sigils Made of Flesh and Trees (2017, Appalachian Noise Records)

Compilations

  • Nightmares at Dawn (2012, Avantgarde Music)
  • 1997-1999 Rehearsals (2013, independently issued)
  • Vol.1 Splits 2002-2004 (2024, Lupus Lounge)
  • Vol.2 Splits & Bonus 2007-2009 (2024, Lupus Lounge)

Compilation appearances

  • Covers of "Chill of the Night" and "Der Det Skjulte Lever" (Ildjarn) featured on Gathered Under the Banner of Strength and Anger: A Homage to Ildjarn (2004, Pestilence Records)
  • "Erblicket die Töchter des Firmaments" (Burzum cover) included in The Tribute (2005, Ash Nazg/Perverted Taste Productions)
  • Rendition of "Maane's Natt" (Manes cover) on Destroyers from the Western Skies (As Night Devours the Sun) (2005, KillZone Records)
  • "Tyrant of Nightmares" featured on Reflections from the Abyss - Chapter I (2006, Kthulu Productions)
  • Cover of "The Cold Earth Slept Below..." (Judas Iscariot cover) on To the Triumph of Evil: A Tribute to Judas Iscariot (2006, ISO666 Releases)
  • Interpretation of "Palace of Frost" (Katatonia cover) on December Songs - A Tribute to Katatonia (2006, Northern Silence Productions)

As Nocturnal Poisoning

  • 2011 Demo EP (2012, independently issued)
  • Other Worlds of the Mind (2012, Disharmonic Variations)
  • A Misleading Reality (2013, Disharmonic Variations)
  • "Clarity Within Your Confusion" 7" single (2014, Children of the Night)
  • Doomgrass (2014, The End Records)

With Twilight

  • Twilight (2005, Southern Lord Records)

Guest appearances

  • Provided vocals, guitar, and keyboards on Sunn O)))'s album Black One (2005, Southern Lord Records)
  • Delivered vocals for "Coma Mirror" on Sunn O))) and Earth's collaborative release Angel Coma (2006, Southern Lord Records)
  • Played bass and keyboards on Mord's album Imperium Magnum Infernalis (2006, Non Compos Mentis)
  • Contributed vocals and keyboards to Celestia's Frigidiis Apotheosia : Abstinencia Genesiis (2008, Paragon Records/Apparitia Recordings)
  • Performed bass guitar on Gravesideservice's Masters in Lunacy (2011, Church of the Immaculate Deception)
  • Played bass guitar for Gravesideservice's self-released album Fog (2013)
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