Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law... and dat we gonna do, mane!
July 11, 2016
February 28, 2016
January 24, 2016
MMXV : Year Of The Goat Metal
SUBMIT TO THE GOAT
Goat Semen - Holocausto
Archgoat - Profanator Of The 1st Commandment
Goatspell - Esoterrorism
Goat Torment - Rising Dominion
Goatblood - Eve Pisses On Adam
Black Goat Of The Woods - Terror Famine
Wargoat - Intolerance
Goatflesh - Nuclear Aftermath Morbid Chant
The return of darkness...
"When you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you". (F. Nietzsche)
Azelisassath - Chains Of The Fearless
Caveman Cult - Sacred Burial Desecration
I I - Omnivorous Void
Sangus - Genocidio
Uškumgallu - Visionless
January 14, 2016
Interview with XASTHUR (12/14/2016)
I caught up with Scott Conner (a.k.a. Malefic) to talk about the recent resurrection of XASTHUR, future projects, influences and other stuff. Scott is an artist that I've been following for a long time now, if you aren't familiar with his music I strongly recommend you check it out. Cheers to Scott for this very nice exchange. Read on...
7:10:7 - Hello Scott, thanks for taking the time to answer this interview. First of all, how are you doing? To many of us poor humans it seems that 2015 was a terrible, depressing year, any thoughts on this?
Scott Conner - Hello, thank you. Yes, I agree, even though some new, better and different things happened in 2015, it was personally the most tiring, difficult and worst year that was filled with a lot of losses. I know we all say every year was the worst one though, when's the last time most people had a decent year, was it before 2008?
You announced the return of Xasthur some 6 months ago, what have you been up to since then and have you recorded any new music? You also added other musicians to the line-up, is Xasthur now a "real" band?
Yes sir, the music needed to change, but I returned to the name that I might as well have kept all long. I've been working on, writing and recording a new record "subject to change" for over a year now and in a lot of different places. Yes, Chris and Robert, the musicians I'm working with, have been part of the change, they've got some talents; they have a great idea and understanding of what kind of music is being played now. There are so many times when I realize that they get it, and then some, that in itself is impressive because most people don't. Yes, it'll have to be a real band, it doesn't matter if it consists of two, four or seven people. There is a lot more musically to do and to remember now, so I need to have some help for a change.
You also played a live show at the Thirst For Light festival which to my knowledge was the first Xasthur concert, how was the whole experience? Was that a one time thing or will you start playing live on a regular basis?
That was the first xasthur show, thirst for light. We enjoyed it very much. The people there who put on the festival actually wanted us there for what it is and where the music is at now. We got along great with everyone, there were a lot of people looking for something new or something else in their lives and when it came to music as well. I plan on having xasthur play shows more often, there were a couple shows after the Thirst for Light fest, but we don't want to over do it by playing too often. We'll go where we're wanted, if the music is wanted, we'll do it.
It seems you decided to drop black metal altogether and that Xasthur will play only in acoustic form from now on, a continuation of the style you played in your "doomgrass" project Nocturnal Poisoning. What drove you to make such a risky move, considering Xasthur is a quite renowned name in black metal? Is this change in style definitive, or do you think that eventually you'll come back to black metal at some point?
I could change my mind, find new ideas that'll probably contradict what I'm supposed to be doing or I could discover something new I thought I wouldn't do, but one thing I'm sure of, you have no idea how bored to death I am with listening to (black) metal and how pointless or meaningless I find it. So no, I won't be coming back to it. I just don't think of it as a very good medium for expressing anything, for reality, for thinking or for questioning anything. I don't think anyone can or will make their own mark in that one kind of music, it's not possible. It's been exhausted by me and by so many others, at least I stopped though. It was a risky move and I still feel the affects of it, I was always struggling with trying to make something new and different until I discovered a way to no longer struggle would be playing some other kind of music in another kind of way. Other music, using other tools to make something new is a way of keeping things different and new plus keeping the quality up. I had to be honest, if I'm better at making another kind of music besides metal, then I'm going to do it rather than making something sloppy and uninspired... even if that means losing a lot of listeners. Yeah, I'm making real songs lately and not just a couple parts that barley fit together, that's why I took the risk. The switch to acoustic is about doing MORE, saying more and giving more than I used to. If I wanted to do less, I would've gone the ambient software route.
Can you share a few words on the next Xasthur album? What can we expect as far as music, lyrical themes, concept, etc? Do you think your new music will appeal to fans of your previous albums?
I think the new xasthur album will be more offensive, more technical and extreme than the last couple even. No, I'm not talking about metal, but it should appeal to people who used to listen to the older xasthur anyway. This is 'nice', pleasant, fucked up music, it's cruel and confrontational, harmonic and yet disharmonic. It's about parts of life and ourselves that we don't want to think about but taking a look at it until we make major changes. It's about slavery, freedom and poverty. Take a look at your bad situation and surroundings, if you become fed up then you might do something about it, then it all becomes a positive influence out of the negative. It's about you, me, someone else you know or no longer want to know, it's about sacrificing everything to be free. It's about who's been lying to you. It's about the truth, both in the world and in our heads, that in itself makes it all taboo. It's about painting a picture of what we see, inside ourselves, others and around us, it can be ugly, but its real. You know, the things that always make me an asshole. I refuse to believe I'm the only one noticing whatever I write about. I want to write about stories and experiences I've seen, not some ghost story. Ok that's enough and more than a few words I've shared. It's called subject to change, I'll leave it at that, I shouldn't have to interpret it all so much, but because of internet attention spans, I do.
In the early days of Xasthur you were influenced by artists like Burzum, Manes, Ildjarn and Mutiilation. Do you still listen to those artists and how have your influences evolved over time? Feel free to share your current favorite bands/albums in any given genre.
No I don't listen to any of that anymore, yeah I remember when I used to like that stuff, why I did not know. Most of the time when 'smells like teen spirit' is on the radio, people change the station, that's how I feel about black metal now. I don't want to sound like any influences. Everyone is under the influence and not influenced enough by what's in their minds. I want to relate to something more than just a cool logo, vampires, snow etc.
As a person and as a musician, are you still as negative and reclusive as you used to be? Do you think that embracing negativity and pessimism can be too much to handle at some point?
That can be too much to handle and also unrealistic, it didn't take me too far or where I wanted to be. Not everyone is an enemy or a piece of shit and some people can relate to each other, some choose to and others choose not to. I have been fortunate to have met some people I can be less reclusive with over the last couple years, so it's a change. Musically and personally, I'm looking for changes that are worth changing for and for the better. Music is what I've used to create my experiences, time to make them better ones than before by looking elsewhere or somewhere new. I'll be negative when I have to be... I don't always have to be. It's not something I've ever embraced, it's a reaction.
Thank your for your time Scott, I'm very stoked to hear new music from you. Good luck for future endeavors... Any last words to end this interview?
These were great questions, you are in the here and now and that's incredible. Thank you.
Xasthur @ facebook (official)
Scott Conner - Hello, thank you. Yes, I agree, even though some new, better and different things happened in 2015, it was personally the most tiring, difficult and worst year that was filled with a lot of losses. I know we all say every year was the worst one though, when's the last time most people had a decent year, was it before 2008?
You announced the return of Xasthur some 6 months ago, what have you been up to since then and have you recorded any new music? You also added other musicians to the line-up, is Xasthur now a "real" band?
Yes sir, the music needed to change, but I returned to the name that I might as well have kept all long. I've been working on, writing and recording a new record "subject to change" for over a year now and in a lot of different places. Yes, Chris and Robert, the musicians I'm working with, have been part of the change, they've got some talents; they have a great idea and understanding of what kind of music is being played now. There are so many times when I realize that they get it, and then some, that in itself is impressive because most people don't. Yes, it'll have to be a real band, it doesn't matter if it consists of two, four or seven people. There is a lot more musically to do and to remember now, so I need to have some help for a change.
You also played a live show at the Thirst For Light festival which to my knowledge was the first Xasthur concert, how was the whole experience? Was that a one time thing or will you start playing live on a regular basis?
That was the first xasthur show, thirst for light. We enjoyed it very much. The people there who put on the festival actually wanted us there for what it is and where the music is at now. We got along great with everyone, there were a lot of people looking for something new or something else in their lives and when it came to music as well. I plan on having xasthur play shows more often, there were a couple shows after the Thirst for Light fest, but we don't want to over do it by playing too often. We'll go where we're wanted, if the music is wanted, we'll do it.
It seems you decided to drop black metal altogether and that Xasthur will play only in acoustic form from now on, a continuation of the style you played in your "doomgrass" project Nocturnal Poisoning. What drove you to make such a risky move, considering Xasthur is a quite renowned name in black metal? Is this change in style definitive, or do you think that eventually you'll come back to black metal at some point?
I could change my mind, find new ideas that'll probably contradict what I'm supposed to be doing or I could discover something new I thought I wouldn't do, but one thing I'm sure of, you have no idea how bored to death I am with listening to (black) metal and how pointless or meaningless I find it. So no, I won't be coming back to it. I just don't think of it as a very good medium for expressing anything, for reality, for thinking or for questioning anything. I don't think anyone can or will make their own mark in that one kind of music, it's not possible. It's been exhausted by me and by so many others, at least I stopped though. It was a risky move and I still feel the affects of it, I was always struggling with trying to make something new and different until I discovered a way to no longer struggle would be playing some other kind of music in another kind of way. Other music, using other tools to make something new is a way of keeping things different and new plus keeping the quality up. I had to be honest, if I'm better at making another kind of music besides metal, then I'm going to do it rather than making something sloppy and uninspired... even if that means losing a lot of listeners. Yeah, I'm making real songs lately and not just a couple parts that barley fit together, that's why I took the risk. The switch to acoustic is about doing MORE, saying more and giving more than I used to. If I wanted to do less, I would've gone the ambient software route.
Can you share a few words on the next Xasthur album? What can we expect as far as music, lyrical themes, concept, etc? Do you think your new music will appeal to fans of your previous albums?
I think the new xasthur album will be more offensive, more technical and extreme than the last couple even. No, I'm not talking about metal, but it should appeal to people who used to listen to the older xasthur anyway. This is 'nice', pleasant, fucked up music, it's cruel and confrontational, harmonic and yet disharmonic. It's about parts of life and ourselves that we don't want to think about but taking a look at it until we make major changes. It's about slavery, freedom and poverty. Take a look at your bad situation and surroundings, if you become fed up then you might do something about it, then it all becomes a positive influence out of the negative. It's about you, me, someone else you know or no longer want to know, it's about sacrificing everything to be free. It's about who's been lying to you. It's about the truth, both in the world and in our heads, that in itself makes it all taboo. It's about painting a picture of what we see, inside ourselves, others and around us, it can be ugly, but its real. You know, the things that always make me an asshole. I refuse to believe I'm the only one noticing whatever I write about. I want to write about stories and experiences I've seen, not some ghost story. Ok that's enough and more than a few words I've shared. It's called subject to change, I'll leave it at that, I shouldn't have to interpret it all so much, but because of internet attention spans, I do.
In the early days of Xasthur you were influenced by artists like Burzum, Manes, Ildjarn and Mutiilation. Do you still listen to those artists and how have your influences evolved over time? Feel free to share your current favorite bands/albums in any given genre.
No I don't listen to any of that anymore, yeah I remember when I used to like that stuff, why I did not know. Most of the time when 'smells like teen spirit' is on the radio, people change the station, that's how I feel about black metal now. I don't want to sound like any influences. Everyone is under the influence and not influenced enough by what's in their minds. I want to relate to something more than just a cool logo, vampires, snow etc.
As a person and as a musician, are you still as negative and reclusive as you used to be? Do you think that embracing negativity and pessimism can be too much to handle at some point?
That can be too much to handle and also unrealistic, it didn't take me too far or where I wanted to be. Not everyone is an enemy or a piece of shit and some people can relate to each other, some choose to and others choose not to. I have been fortunate to have met some people I can be less reclusive with over the last couple years, so it's a change. Musically and personally, I'm looking for changes that are worth changing for and for the better. Music is what I've used to create my experiences, time to make them better ones than before by looking elsewhere or somewhere new. I'll be negative when I have to be... I don't always have to be. It's not something I've ever embraced, it's a reaction.
Thank your for your time Scott, I'm very stoked to hear new music from you. Good luck for future endeavors... Any last words to end this interview?
These were great questions, you are in the here and now and that's incredible. Thank you.
Xasthur @ facebook (official)
January 10, 2016
Kim Carnes - "Draw of the Cards" (1981)
Boy, I've seen lots of odd shit in my life but this music video is on a whole new level of weirdness and what-the-fuckness. Alright the song itself sucks donkey dick, but this may be one of the most genuinely freaky music videos ever made. Directed by Russell Mulcahy, mostly known for the first two Highlander films and his music video work with Duran Duran.
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