Some guys have all the luck. XASTHUR founder Scott Conner sure ain’t one of them. The always open wound of his life suppurates in a constant flow of sonic blood into and out of his latest album “Disharmonic Variations”. The thirteen bitter, painful, dirt-stained, and sometimes even hopeful tracks sure ain’t pretty “Goldberg Variations” either. Rather the title “Disharmonic Variations” serves as both the program and the message.
Music is not just what Scott does. He does not lead a picture book life. There is only music. Conner does not write and record just eight songs a year. He makes music 24/7 on his own time and in his own way. Scott does it analogue, in the hard old-fashioned way, with his gear and instruments piled up in the room where he stays at the time.
In this musical flow of consciousness, this diary of an artist, all considerations of style are a luxury that Scott does not have. His current form of expression on “Disharmonic Variations” tends towards the acidic taste of American dark folk with one detour into ambient sound. There is no guarantee for the direction that XASTHUR will take next. Whatever happens depends on what Scott feels.
XASTHUR were originally conceived by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Scott Conner in the year 1995. Although started in the sunny state of California, USA, the project started out in the vein of bleak black metal of the Nordic second wave. Over the course of ten albums and a host of split-singles, EPs, and occasional demos, XASTHUR‘s individual, particularly depressive style became highly regarded within the extreme genre.
In 2010, Scott announced the end of XASTHUR and returned with an acoustic dark folk project under the banner of NOCTURNAL POISONING. In 2015, the American artist circled back to the name XASTHUR, but insisted that his black metal days were over.
On the previous release “Inevitably Dark” (2023), XASTHUR have partly lifted the self-imposed ban on black metal, simply because Conner felt like it and therefore did it. In the latest development, he even announced live shows. There is simply no way of knowing what will happen next.
With “Disharmonic Variations”, XASTHUR deliver their next ‘take it or leave it’ recording. To Scott Conner it does not matter what other people think about his music. Curse him, praise him – he still only does what he wills and that remains his true artistic achievement.
Release date: July 5, 2024
Style: Dark American Folk
Label: Lupus Lounge
Review impact date: June 10, 2024
Line-up
Scott Conner – 12 and 6-string guitars, bass, keyboards, drum machine
Recorded live on a Tascam DP-03 by Scott Conner
Artwork by Scott Conner
Layout by Łukasz Jaszak
Link
www.instagram.com/xasthur_official1
Shop
http://lnk.spkr.media/xasthur-disharmonic
Available formats
“Disharmonic Variations” is available as 36-page hardcover CD artbook incl. two bonus tracks, and as black vinyl LP.
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