Xasthur ‎– Subliminal Genocide

This is the best songwriting that Xasthur has done in his entire discography, considering that alot of it revolves around atmospheric doom-drone with some melody shifts here and there. In fact, I'd say this is his best release unless you like the no-fi touch that his debut album had 'Nocturnal Poisoning'. 'Trauma Will Always Linger', 'Arcane and Misanthropic Projection', 'Through a Trance of Despondency' and 'Loss and Inner Distortion' are some of the highlights on the record and goddamn they are good. 'Prison of Mirrors' and 'Subliminal Genocide' are classic black metal tracks which some fine production that sounds like a recording from Hell.

The thing about this record is that it doesn't carry on forever and rather gets in your face with some creepy and often depressing lyricism with the shade of melodic riffs. The drumming on this record is a weak point, but it is compensated with the atmosphere and it is one of Scott's most moody releases. It doesn't sound like overcompressed, heavily distorted, banshee screams mixed in with muddy nails on a chalkboard but rather has a distinct style that paints a great composition.

Malefic's voice is quite powerful and doesn't rain in the background but rather adds some feeling to the LP that makes you think you just experienced being tortured and molested in a cell on Guantánamo Bay to death then brought back in the afterlife of the ninth circle of Dante's Inferno. With all metaphors and idioms aside, I can say this is a terribly frightening record that produces some pretty dreadful thoughts.

8/10

I've been in search for this cd for a very long time, if anyone has it and wish to sell it let me know, if you have a Mint or Near Mint copy I would pay up to £18!

I have the grey/black splatter variant. I bought a new, sealed copy and there is only one printed inner sleeve, the c/d disc came in a clear sleeve with a small insert that included lyrics to Prison of Mirrors. Does that sound right?