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Biography
Infobox musical artist | name = Xasthur| image = Xasmalefic.gif| caption = Malefic of Xasthur| image_size =| landscape = yes| background = group_or_band| origin = Alhambra, California|Alhambra , California , United States | genre = Black metal , dark ambient | years_active = 1995–2010| label = Hydra Head Records Displeased Records Southern Lord Records Battle Kommand Records | associated_acts = Twilight (band)|Twilight Sunn O))) Celestia (band)|Celestia Mord| website = http://xasthur.net Official Xasthur Website| current_members = Malefic| past_members = Ritual Blood Moon Ausar Xasthur IPAc-en|z|æ|s|t|?r was a California n one-man black metal Band (music)|band formed in 1995 by Scott Conner , who goes by the pseudonym "Malefic". Although similar in terms of Low fidelity|low-fi production and the wearing of corpse paint , musically and lyrically Xasthur's focus is usually not on paganism , Satanism or anti- Christian blasphemy – as is common in the genre – but rather on astral projection , darkness , despair (emotion)|despair , suicide , hate , and death .
Malefic has toured with Sunn O))) and has joined Nachtmystium on stage,Some video clips of these performances are available on YouTube. but stated in an interview for Pitchfork Media that he "will always keep Xasthur a band that will not play live".Cite web| title=Column: Show No Mercy: Interview - Malefic | work= Pitchfork Media | url= http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/38463/Show_No_Mercy | accessdate=2007-01-14
Etymology
The name "Xasthur" is a combination of " Hastur " and "Xenaoth". Malefic explains that he found the former name in a Necronomicon paperback and believes it refers to "a demoness who kills people in their sleep". The latter name refers to a deity|celestial deity he read about in a book on the Afro-Caribbean religion Santería .Cite web| title=Xasthur Interview | work=Maelstrom ezine| url= http://www.maelstrom.nu/ezine/interview_iss11_130.php? sid=c53a342965be3c20f1b4cfb2313167ba& section=5 | accessdate=2007-07-17
History
Xasthur was created in December 1995, in Alhambra, California|Alhambra , California|Calif. ( United States|U.S. ), after Conner had played with several local death metal groups in Southern California. Cite web| title=Biography on Xasthur's Website | url= http://xasthur.mercurous.net/xx.html | accessdate=2007-07-17 Cite web| title=Interview: Xasthur | work= American Nihilist Underground Society | url= http://anus.com/metal/about/interviews/xasthur | accessdate=2007-07-17 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 Drum kit|drums and vocals by a friend from the band Draconis, who used the stage-name "Ritual" (first name Mike, last name Pardi). Subsequently, Xasthur became Malefic's solo (music)|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 Sweden|Swedish Total Holocaust Records and other small Underground music|underground Record label|labels .
The first album Nocturnal Poisoning (recorded April–September 2001) was jointly released by independent record label s 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 Orosius, Acid Enema, Nachtmystium , Striborg , Angra Mainyu, Leviathan (band)|Leviathan , and Nortt . Xasthur has contributed to tribute albums to Ildjarn , Burzum and Judas Iscariot (band)|Judas Iscariot , and appeared on various compilation albums. Additionally, Malefic has collaborated among others with the drone metal project Sunn O))) and the black metal " Supergroup (music)|supergroup " Twilight (band)|Twilight and Mord (with Lugubre members).
On March 26, 2010, Malefic announced that he was wholesaling Xasthur's eighth studio album, Portal of Sorrow . He also announced that this would be the last album under the Xasthur moniker, as he stated that he was dissolving the Xasthur musical project. Malefic cited a lack of motivation, among other aspects, for him ending Xasthur; he also stated that there will not be a reunion of this band. Malefic remarked that another musical project was in the works, this one not being a metal project. http://xasthurnews.blogspot.com/2010/03/out-now-and-ending-now.html Out Now and Ending Now xasthurnews.blogspot.com. 2010-03-26. Retrieved on 2010-03-28.
Malefic released the first, and only, music video under the Xasthur name, for the song "Walker of Dissonant Worlds" from the To Violate the Oblivious album on September 30, 2010. http://xasthurnews.blogspot.com/2010/09/official-xasthur-video-first-and-last.html
Influences
Malefic has noted Burzum as an inspiration for his one-man approach: "the main way that Burzum inspired me (contrary to popular belief) was that he could do it all on his own-- why couldn't I? "; as well as Graveland .
Members
Last line-up
Malefic (Scott Conner) & ndash; vocals, lyrics, rhythm and lead guitar, bass guitar, drums, keyboards, synthesizers, cello
Past members
Mike "Ritual" Pardi & ndash; Drum kit|drums and Singing|vocals on the Xasthur/Orosius split
Khaija "Blood Moon" Ausar & ndash; Session Keyboard synthesizer|Keyboards on "A Curse for the Lifeless" (split with Nortt ) and on "Xasthur"
M.H. (Mark Hunter) & ndash; Vocals and Ambience (session musician on Defective Epitaph and All Reflections Drained )
A Living Hell (2008) (split release with Black Circle )
2005 Demo (2010)
Singles
Xasthur & Nachtmystium (2004) (split release)
Xasthur & Striborg (2007) (split release)
Xasthur & Cryostasium (2007) (split release)
Xasthur & Black Circle (2008) (split release)
Compilations
Nightmares at Dawn (2012)
Other appearances
Unreferenced section|date=May 2010
"Chill of the Night" and "Der Det Skjulte Lever" – Gathered Under the Banner: A Tribute to Ildjarn (2004)
"Erblicket die Töchter des Firmaments" (Burzum cover) – Burzum : The Tribute (2005)
"Maanens Natt" (Manes cover) – Destroyers from the Western Skies (2005)
Twilight - Twilight (band)|Twilight (2005)
"Tyrant of Nightmares" – Reflections from the Abyss Chapter I (2005)
Voices on Sunn O))) 's Black One (2005)
"The Cold Earth Slept Below" (Judas Iscariot cover) – ''To the Triumph of Evil (Witnesses to the Bringer of Life's Decay): A Tribute to Judas Iscariot (band)|Judas Iscariot (2006)
Bass and keyboards on Mord's Imperium Magnum Infernalis (2006)
http://www.metal-archives.com/band.php? id=4936 Xasthur at Encyclopaedia Metallum
Xasthur Category:Black metal musical groups from California Category:People from the San Gabriel Valley Category:Musical groups established in 1995 Category:Southern Lord Records artists Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2010
