Nightmares at Dawn

What is there to say about this project? Xasthur is perhaps the most well-recognized USBM project next to Leviathan, and on this compilation, Malefic (or perhaps he prefer Scott Conner?) has assembled a powerful "Goodbye" voyage to fans and non-fans alike. Many of the tracks have been featured before, but on this disc, they are presented with some greater gusto; and it's obvious that Malefic has designed that this record should play as a more "proper" farewell album than his previous album, "Portal of Sorrow."

Perhaps the most surprising element on this record is the bass guitar, which, deviating from normal Xasthur records, is very much more focused and prominent; the skillful mathematics in which Malefic employs the instrument introduces what otherwise would play as your basic non-substanstiated Xasthur record and brings it to a certain immanence that was not previously found on the earlier material. This is largely a good thing, and Malefic's dexterity as a bass-player is easily recognized from the moment the record is put to spin.

Otherwise, it's your typical Xasthur, with some backing vocals from Marissa Nadler to bring the record into a more crystalline apparency; highlights include "Portal of Hatred," "Degenerate Uprising," and what I only imagine is the fifth/sixth attempt at Prison of Mirrors.

The drums are much more focused on this record than on Malefic's "Defective Epitaph," and though obviously not the most agile drummer, he is no Judas Iscariot to the craft, and he is able to carry a beat, and a tempo, and on mostly all of these tracks, barring perhaps a select few, there are some rather interesting moments in the percussive industry: e.g., "Merciless Reflection," "Human Flotsam," and etc., which showcase Malefic's ability as an able performance artist on the skins. (The latter actually highlights some almost bluesy elements which will later feature into Conner's newer project, "Nocturnal Poisoning.")

Overall, this is not a terrible compilation CD; and fans of Xasthur oughtn't disregard it as just another toss-up in the DSBM discog that Malefic has grown famous for.