Xasthur-A Gate of Bloodstained Mirrors
Hydra Head
January 29, 2008

During one of my many listens to this album, I came to the realization that black metal is the only genre of music that can get away with a crappy as can be recording. Through further contemplation, I mindfully discovered that a bad recording actually benefits the sounds of the genre, and this rerelease of Xasthur's 2001 demos prove that. The music sounds like it was recorded deep in Satan's asshole, and I can barely distinguish the vocals (of which there aren't many) from the guitar, but any other production value would take so much away from the music that it wouldn't be nearly as enjoyable.

Being older demos and the first of Xasthur's recordings, the songwriting isn't as strong as his later work, but this is still an enjoyable disc to listen to, when in the right mood (black metal as a genre is something that isn't for every occasion). There is an unhidden anger in the fuzzy, basement sounding guitars that drive up the listener's energy level. Xasthur is also very good at setting atmosphere, and a good example of this is the last two minutes of "Suicide In Dark Serenity," which sounds just evil.

There are moments that drag, going on much longer than they need to, but the fuzz that rules the recording keeps those moments from getting boring, which is something I never thought I would find myself writing. I'm a bigger fan of his previous recordings, but this is still an admirable listen, an album that shows fans where he first came from.

Written by: RF
BACK