_ _______ _ ...:... _ _______ _ ___ / .:::::::::::. \ ___ | / .. (:::::::::::::) .. \ | | . .:::::.`:::::::::::'.:::::. . | | .::.. `:::.::':::`::.:::' ..::. | _ _______ | .::' ::::':::::`:::: `::. | _______ _ \\ | | :: `' ::':`:: `' :: | | // \ | | `:. .::' . `::. .:' | | / . | | .::::::..::::' ... `::::..::::::. | | . | | `:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::' | | .... | | `:' `::::: :: :: :::::' `:' | | .... | ' | : `. ': :: :: :: :: :` .' : | ` | |.....: . .......: :: :: :: :: : ...... . : ....| . ...................: : :: :: :: :: : : ................. . _____________:_____________ _____________:_____________ _ ___\` __ /_\` _______/_\` __ _/_\` /___ _ // __ / (/ ___/ (/ _ (/ /_______/\ _ _ /_________ ___________ ______/\ _ ______________/\__/_ _ \\\\\_________\__/\_________\__/\_____/\_____/\____________/f3!/// - -\-\-----------\__/----------\__/-------\_____/---------------/-/- - - -------------------: : :. ..:: :: . :------------------ - : : :......: :: :` ': :: : .....: : : ___ _ | | : ` ' : | | _ ___ _\---------- : | -------- : B E R C : -------- | : ----------/_ /_\ . : . ..:.. ..:.. . : . /_\ /// . . : : . . \\\ /: :\ /:: Artist :: Xasthur ::\ :: Album :: To Violate the Oblivious :: :: Year :: 2020 :: :: __ _ _ __ :: -:--\\-----------------------------------------------------------------//--:- :: \ / :: :: . Genre :: Black Metal Source :: CDDA . :: :: Label :: Obskure Chaos Distro R.date :: 04.10.2021 :: _::__ Cat.nr. :: CHAOS074 Size :: 135,0 MB __::_ ::// \\:: ::/---------------------------------------------------------------------\:: :: :: /: Encoder :: LAME 3.100 -V0 :\ ..: Bitrate :: avg. 271kbps : . . Quality :: 44,1kHz/Joint-Stereo . . . Website :: __ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __ .\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////. +/ -\------- | | ----\ tracklist /---- | | -------/- \+ /: . : : . :\ /:: ::\ :: 01. Intro 02:00 :: :: 02. Xastur Within 06:11 :: :: 03. Dreams Blacker than Death 05:34 :: :: 04. Screaming at Forgotten Fears 08:17 :: :: 05. Consumed by a Dark Paranoia 03:32 :: :: 06. Marked by Shadows 07:10 :: :: 07. Apparitional Void of Failure 04:36 :: :: 08. A Gate Through Bloodstained Mirrors 12:03 :: :: 09. Walker of Dissonant Worlds 05:53 :: :: 10. Reflecting Hateful Energy (Bonus) 05:53 :: :: 11. At The Pagan Samhain (Graveland Cover) 08:10 :: :: ------- :: .. >> 69:19 min .. __ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __ .\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////. +/ -\------- | | ----\ release notes /---- | | -------/- \+ /: . : : . :\ /:: ::\ :: :: :: Certainly one of the most relevant Depressive Black Metal :: :: artists Malefic (Scott Coner) brought another dense and :: :: deep work with "To Violate the Oblivious", another work by :: :: Xasthur, an authentic and striking band for Black Metal :: :: lovers, however an unknown to many, both in the sound and :: :: in the depth of his music and poetry. :: :: :: :: The peculiar characteristics of Xasthur are there, the :: :: dissonant guitar arrangements under several layers that :: :: form a chaotic and sinister orchestra, the synthesizers :: :: that embody fear, sadness, hatred and a fourth feeling that :: :: I consider more interpretive from the listener, a feeling :: :: that in mine perspective brings a solemnity that sometimes :: :: becomes grandiosity, another important aspect is Malefic's :: :: vocals, powerful, heartbreaking and despairing as always. :: :: :: :: The downside is the programmed drums, which despite not :: :: being so noticeable most of the time, it still sounds :: :: artificial, if Xasthur had an acoustic drum job it would :: :: make a lot of difference and certainly the band would be on :: :: another level, it's still understandable the background of :: :: a one man band. :: :: :: :: A cohesive album that is easily listened to completely :: :: without skipping tracks, but would dispense with the :: :: instrumentals "Consumed by a Dark Paranoia" and "Walker of :: :: Dissonant Worlds" featuring "Xastur Within", "Screaming at :: :: Forgotten Fears" and "Apparitional Void of Failure ". The :: :: other songs maintain the quality of this record, but the :: :: three mentioned deserve to be highlighted, "Xasthur Within" :: :: already has a show as the name says, you go through a :: :: portal and walk through the desolation, you find yourself :: :: lost and introspective in the trance of "Screaming at :: :: Forgotten Fears" as well as in "Apparitional Void of :: :: Failure", it is also worth mentioning the re-recording of :: :: "A Gate Through Bloodstained Mirrors" which presents us :: :: with this more polished version of this important song. :: :: :: :: To Violate the Oblivious is a consistent work that brings :: :: everything that Xasthur represents in a polished way, it :: :: would be great if this album were bigger and had versions :: :: of other outstanding songs like "Doomed By Howling Winds", :: :: "A Walk Beyond Utter Blackness", " Nocturnal Poisoning", :: :: "Tyrant of Nightmares", are masterpieces and certainly :: :: "Xastur Within", "Screaming at Forgotten Fears" and :: :: "Apparitional Void of Failure" will add to this list. :: :: :: :: . _ _ . :: \: :. \\ ___________ . ___________ // .: :/ __\____ :: ____ ___\ _ / BERC : 2021 \ _ /___ ____ :: ____/__ \\\f3! :: \\\ __ _/_________i_________\ /___/ /// :: cRO/// \ :: :\-\___________\_ ___ / _ _/___________/-/: :: / :: | . . _ _ _/ __/ . \_ _ _ . . | :: : :::::::: | | \\\\\/ _______\____|\ \///// | | :::::::: : :: | | -\-\/____/-------------\____\/-/- | | :: :: | | \ :|: / | | :: : : | . ` ::: ' . | : : . . | : ::: : | . . | :::....:::....::: | : ::::::::::::::::: : . :::''``:::''``::: . : ::: : . ::: . .:. :