Xasthur – Defective Epitaph
Consistent and prolific as ever, very few things change in the world of Xasthur. In most cases, I can respect that, but this project has become painfully predictable and unimaginative. Perhaps Malefic’s most potent and viable music is long behind him, but I will say, the material he continues to unearth has that chilling vibe ushered in by just plain wrong sounding riffs. It is this musical oddity that keeps me interested in what Xasthur is doing through a spin or 2 of said album, but there hasn’t been any lasting power for a long time. It doesn’t help that this band has spawned countless 1 man upstart BM cultists all too eager to rip-off Xasthur’s whole aesthetic. And really…. Malefic is just as much to blame with so many releases in such a short period of time, many featuring what sounds like the same riffage, just re-arranged. “Defective Epitaph” really is no different that all the albums before it other than acoustic drums and the use of a cello on occasion. That miserable feeling is exactly the same as it was on “A Gate Through Bloodstained Mirrors”, which once again proves that Xasthur is a musical vision stuck in perpetual arrested development. I can appreciate the underground static murkiness of the production, but it’s really time for a change. Be it a slight broadening of the style, or more of a vibrant sound production… either suggestion could inspire a much needed breath of fresh air in Xasthur’s abysmal dimension. –Marty
HYDRA HEAD RECORDS
Worm Gear 
Well said. This albums was a let down. Especially after reading (very rare!) interviews where Malefic spoke about wanting to push the boundaries with Defective Epitaph
I think he manages to push certain boundaries but it’s all still inside his own style. What I look for with each new Xasthur release is a concentration of the misery, kind of a winnowing process…his underlying aesthetic doesn’t change too much.