***Fan Page. Malefic does NOT run this page.***
Xasthur was created in December 1995, in Alhambra, California. (U.S.), after Conner had played with several local death metal groups in Southern California. Initially, the band began rehearsing and recording in a home studio with an unstable line-up. A 10-track tape of these early rehearsals was circulated on the trade scene. While the original of that tape is now destroyed, some tracks appear on re-releases of later albums.For the self-released split album with Orosius, Malefic was joined on drums and vocals by a friend from the band Draconis, who used the stage-name "Ritual" (first name Mike, last name unknown). Subsequently, Xasthur became Malefic's solo project, although Khaija "Blood Moon" Ausar (of Dacon and Crimson Moon) appeared as session musician on A Curse for the Lifeless and Xasthur. Before releasing its first official full-length album in 2002, recordings were distributed in limited editions, which were later re-released by the Swedish Total Holocaust Records and other small underground labels.The first album Nocturnal Poisoning (recorded April-September 2001) was jointly released by independent record labels Blood Fire Death and Red Stream in 2002. Southern Lord Records re-released a remastered double-LP version in 2005. In the next years, Xasthur's full-length albums were released through labels such as Displeased Records, Moribund Cult, Total Holocaust Records, Battle Kommand Records and Hydra Head Records. Apart from demo and EP recordings, Xasthur has released several split albums with other black metal acts such as Acid Enema, Nachtmystium, Angra Mainyu, Leviathan, and Nortt. Xasthur has contributed to tribute albums to Ildjarn, Burzum and Judas Iscariot, and appeared on various compilation albums. Additionally, Malefic has collaborated among others with the drone doom metal project Sunn O))) and the black metal "supergroup" Twilight.
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Although similar in terms of low-fi production and the wearing of corpse paint, musically and lyrically Xasthur's focus is not on paganism, Satanism or anti-Christian blasphemy – as is common in the genre – but rather on astral projection, darkness, despair, suicide, hate, and death.
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Malefic has toured with Sunn O))) and has joined Nachtmystium on stage, but stated in an interview for Pitchfork Media that he "will always keep Xasthur a band that will not play live."
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Other works:
Rehearsal '97 - 10 Tracks (unknown tracklist)
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Upcoming releases:
Xasthur/Black Circle (Swe) 7" EP [Turanian Honour Productions]
"Doomed By Howling Winds/Sermon In The Name Of Death" (reissue) [Battle Kommand Records]
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Origin of the name: In several interviews Malefic clearly states that it is a composite of Xastur from the Necronomicon paperback and Xenaoth, a higher celestial spirit. An original idea for the name was Xasthuriath, but was then shortened to Xasthur on the release of the now destroyed rehearsal tape in 1997.
Xasthur Merchandise
Interviews
Spirit of Metal
Sadness Is Delicious
Heathen Harvest
Anus
Maelstrom Magazine
Infernal Fields
Metal Crypt
