Schlaflos

Instrumental black metal Demo from Germany, or should I say...Nebula Black Metal.
Very broad in its sound, open and vast like the soundtrack to an aliencraft floating aimlessly through the galaxy, not knowing where to look or turn to next. This is simple and quite straightforward, but it is classy in the sense that it pulls of the whole "atmospheric" vibe all these other bands claim to have, yet fail to actually produce, no bullshit acoustic homosexual wicca intros between songs here, just someones "thoughts" made music. saying that the last track is an acoustic song but, there's more to it than just trying to sound pretty and thoughtful for the random female/faggot listener.
Worth a good old listen.
Download here

"What is in there?"

By the time Supuration's "The Cube" was released (1993) one could arguably affirm that Death Metal had reached a crossroads. The relative success of genre defining classics such as Entombed's "Left hand path", Morbid Angel's "altars of madness", Carcass's "Necroticism-Descanting the insalubrious",Death's "Leprosy",Deicide's "st" and so forth paved way for countless copycat bands to jump on the DM bandwagon causing the genre to get over saturated by all these cheap (mis)interpretations of what others had already achieved before.Coincindentally or not this coincided with many older bands broadening their horizons by adding all sorts of elements to what was perceived as the Death metal sound they helped forge years earlier.Pestilence,Death,Morbid Angel are just 3 examples of bands which began dabbling with other forms like Jazz,Industrial,Classical music and so forth...Supuration's "The Cube" was created in this environment yet for various reasons(country of origin,labels,too visceral for the pseudo-sophisticated metal fan/too intricate for the Cannibal kids blah blah blah) it was condemned to obscurity... an intertwining amalgam of Psychedelia,Voivod-isms,new wave/post punk gravitating towards a Death metal core is what Supuration opt to sound like on this 40 minute journey into the afterlife.

INDULGE

THINWIMP PERSEKUTOR

That's fukking right. Xul has a superhero, and his name is the THINWIMP PERSEKUTÖR.

SO BEGINS THE XUL CARTEL

Narkoun hereby heralds the Xul Cartel ...

... coming soon to a household/shopping center/playground near you.

Vorkreist - Sickness Sovereign

French elite, Blacklodge, Neo Inferno 262 members.
Download Here

Treha Sektori

.........
Download Here

Trial period

So...I guess it's time to devote some posts to some of the more popular releases out this year, as most of you gimps seem to be afraid of the Xulinfluence among our more common posts here at Xul, namely too much for you to handle type albums.

Now fukk off.

Sopor Aeternus & The Ensemble of Shadows

Music as art, and art as music... When the artists themselves go through a transformation in order to present the picture and imagery for the living art they create. Such is the odd tale of one Anna Varney Cantodea of the amazing Sopor Aeternus & The Ensemble of Shadows.
An evolved form of goth that moved into wonderfully arranged and almost cinematic structures of chamber works adopted to goth sensibilities and rock sounds. One can draw some parallels to an act like Devil Doll at times. This makes for an amazing atmosphere of elegance... Of a form of music that few can even begin to approach. Subtlety, beauty and the joy of isolation and depression. The power of creating a world of your own to play in, in your own dwelling. To make your own party, your own theme, your own life and eventually, your own funeral. Watching the flowers you pick die in the vase and enjoying their decomposition.
This is oddly upbeat music at times, considering the subject matter of depression that is such a basis for so much of the project. A conquering of ones fears while still living in their shell is a good idea to what the mind of Anna is all about. All with a lovely mix of sarcasm, cynicism and broken romanticism. Surely one of the most unique projects you'll ever come across, and one highly recommended, as all Xul Lessons are. 2003's The Vampyre sucking at its own vein is an excellent place to start, as is 2004's Flowers in Formaldehyde, or even the Dead Lovers Sarabande albums. But remember... this is a project to enjoy the full discography of, and so Xul presents it for you.

NO ONE IS THERE

Heltir

Chapter 3 in Xul's exploration into the works of the late great Rozz Williams. Here we have one of his later projects in the form of Heltir. One of his more difficult projects for sure. As it was essentially an industrialized beat poetry for the nihilistic. Something akin to sitting in a jazz club that was invaded by a goths that knew how to groove, daddy-o. This is his sound of San Francisco... City life and a vibrant filth permeating through the cracks of enlightened civilization. The beauty of hookers walking the streets, junkies begging on the corners so they can run to the park to score another bag. Drunks slashing each other with bottles. The chemically imbalanced screaming at the world as they wander through another night of madness... All while some pseudo-sophisticated uptight morons gobble down their fusion cuisine, sip their wine and think how it's sad that everyone can't live equally. Very experimental, especially when compared to his prior works. More industrial and ambient in nature than the goth laced works of his past. The underneath current is still carrying on with his drug infused concepts... Oh it shows, it shows, and we listen, and appreciate. Some people are just born to burn out quickly...

THE GREAT KING

Horseback-The Invisible Mountain

Horseback.

Whats to say about Horseback? Laid back stoner? Mellow sludge? Contemplative doom? Post whatever the fuck? Whatever you call them you are in for a treat. Intense vibes and laid back melodies conceal a sinister voice speaking to the downtrodden masses. No build ups are present, preferring one constant hypnotic speed. An album perfect for your favorite nightcap, be it heroin or marijuana, mushrooms or lotus.

Traverse the stars

Blacklodge - T/ME

Blacklodge, the name synonymous with the future of black metal. Industrialized chaos and hallucinogen trips to Planet Satan. Oh yes oh yes how Xul adores you.. What we have here is their newest effort and a sister album to Abigor's own new fantastic piece to Digital Satan.
If you're familiar with their prior works (both can be found here on Xul) then you know what to expect. Quality cyber black metal of the first rate. For sure one of the leading bands of the genre now and a band rapidly on the ascent. Attach razors to those glowsticks now, folks... Because this dance can be lethal. Syringes are also truly a medium to enjoy. This just keeps getting better and better. Now at their third and critical album, where will they turn next? Now isn't the time to ponder though, as it is time to enjoy this Quality T/ME... and oh how it is T/ME well spent.

SULPHURIC ACEDIA

Sacramentary Abolishment

Pre Axis of Advance band, more or less, as they just changed drummers. Definitely in that same mold only a bit less technical thinking and a bit more dead on furious with their delivery. If you're familiar with AoA then you should know what to expect. And shame on you if you don't know them.
Really, this is some chaotic and hate filled stuff for sure. An apocalyptic approach to blackened death metal, the drums are machine gun level blasting, the guitars are a treble laced whirlwind and the vocals drip with venom. Definitely check them and Axis of Advance out. SA achieve a warlike sound in their material that most of the supposed "war metal" bands could only dream of hitting. Far more imaginative in their music as well.

WHORE OF THE EARTH

R. U. DEAD?

An old and long deformed German band that was the continuation of a Poison (ger) member.
Basically some killer old death thrash with that old German spirit of beer soaked anger running through it. Definitely a King of the Sidewalk type of album. If the retrothrash kids had looked back to stuff like this instead, maybe the genre wouldn't have been looked upon as such a joke.

HORRID TOMORROW

Shadow Project

The second installment of the works of Rozz Williams here at Xul, this time we focus on Shadow Project. One of the more accessible works due to his mixing pretty much the bulk of the established rock world at the time and throwing in everything, including the kitchen sink. It was basically an outlet for himself and fellow scene queen Eva O., who he later went on to marry. Definitely goth / death rock in its heart, it also mixed in some metal, punk, 70's glam, sleaze rock... and for good measure, a final acoustic album. Just like with Christian Death, Rozz presents an interesting but difficult world to peer into... Drug laced for sure (like everything the man does, you'd swear he was a walking opium pod), you get the idea of what is coming, grooving out to the music and then realizing that this is welcoming death for you. Friends that drugged you when you came over and are secretly enjoying the final conversations of your life as the poison begins to sink in... And you wasted it all talking about the weather. They always did tell you to be more interesting. At least those final twitches of your rapidly fading consciousness provided some sadistic entertainment. And really, isn't that all we ask for?
Start with the self titled or Dreams of the Dying. Then enjoy From The Heart (acoustic) and the live album (from 93!) .



I WISH I WAS A COFFIN

Sacrilegium

Poland's black metal tradition has a rich history now... Full of bands that have formed, evolved, peaked, collapsed, disappeared or gone on to legendary status. But back in those old days there were still many stories to tell from the new bands. Behemoth were worshiping Emperor and still playing black metal. Graveland hadn't made a second career out of plagiarizing Bathory's Hammerheart yet.. Christ Agony hadn't gone goth and back again. Lux Occulta existed, period. And Pagan Records had the monopoly on the young scene. In that time Sacrilegium came and made an interesting mark. They shot out of a cannon with one of the most lethal demos to ever come out of Polish black metal in Sleeptime, then progressively got more evolved in their songwriting with the full length Wicher. Either growing bored or just too good for their own shoes, they blew it on their later demos and eventually just faded into obscurity. Definitely rooted in second wave black metal, something was different here though. They had a clear vision of what they wanted to do, and did it... Then did too much. But still, the good stuff is a proud legacy to leave behind. Xul offers you three releases from this band. The amazing Sleeptime demo, The Wicher lp, and their split with fellow Polish band North. Definitely go for Sleeptime first.

EMPTY SIDE OF SOUL

Abigor - Time is the sulphur in the veins of the saint

Abigor's newest effort... Just like with the material from Fractal Possession PK has concentrated on doing whatever the hell he wants with the project, taking it in odd twists and disjointed turns. Long gone are the classic days of this band and in fitting fashion of Xul, he killed the pagan nonsense in favor of the cold textures of industrial influenced material to give heed to the coming age of plasteel. Abigor in general has been developing in an interesting way since the God awful Satanized, which eventually saw the temporary end to the long running project. I believe this can probably be looked at as PK reaching for more than he was capable of at the time. Wanting to add industrial texture and layering to an already layered style and sound without yet having the understanding of how to apply it. Once he took time away to learn what he needed, he returned with a vengeance and coldness that really revitalized the Abigor sound.
A 2 track album, it's definitely going to take some involved listening to fully wrap your head around it, as it's all over the place... and we mean that in a good way. Good to hear a new voice from one of Xul's all time favorites.

VISUALIZE FORTRESS HELL

Kyla

Lifelover's mainman on another of his projects... Kyla being a solo effort and definitely spawned from the Filosofem school of DSBM. The key here is that he manages to capture a guitar tone that carries the material well and keeps it catchy. All other instruments are used to keep that guitar menacing. Howling and indecipherable vocals and it loads the bases with all of your basics. This is his lone lp "Glory of Negativity". Worth a shot to you that love ugly guitar tones and DSBM in general.


BEYOND NOTHING

The Beast of The Apocalypse - A Voice From The Four Horns of The Golden Altar

Horrible stuff from this new Dutch outfit.

The Dutch are producing some terror soaked shit these days, and this is certainly worth listening to.

Beherit inspired riffing with some fantastic synth work either floating over the walls of sound in the background, or standing alone by itself, dominating the track with a tragic sense of doom, often heard going through the mind of a woman as she notices her date has stopped smiling and is taking off his belt whilst trying to talk to her about his love of snuff.

Darkness is King.

Abruptum

At the time of death metal's stagnancy and black metal's rise in the early 90s there were those that wanted to break down the structure of what extreme metal had become and go completely off the wall in sound. Abruptum was one band that was the result of this. Coming across as improv musicians so wasted on heroin that they could hardly play... their focus instead shifted to creating an unsettling atmosphere. One of horror, tension, dread... a black basement with you chained to a wall, watching the slow and deliberate torture of your cell mates. Begging only that your death will be more gentle and quicker than the tormented screams and howls of the victims that come before you. A tongue removed here, a kneecap pried off there.. All the while with some madman staring and keeping a rhythmic pace that matters only to them at the time.
They summed it up best themselves "The Audial Essence of Pure Black Evil". This is a collection of their earlier works and albums. Just try and keep your sanity during this, Just Fukking Try.

EARLY EVIL GENIUS

Godless Rising

"WE ARE THE REAL VITAL REMAINS!" proclaim Godless Rising, and for a time it might have been true, as they featured members from that most sacred early era.
What they are is a fine example of American death metal done right. Taking that spirit and groove of early VR and pushing it forward into a modern sense. Brutal without the stupidity of Suffocation nerds. This is one hell of a monster here in these 2 albums. Addictive as hell if you worship your death metal in the old ways... Xul approves.

ANCIENT GRAVE LANDS

Narkoun Stasis Awakening

ATTN: All Xulim and Xulborg models.
Due to expansion of Xuliverse exploration efforts we have deemed it necessary at this time to awaken Xulim Narkoun_Xul from cryo chamber stasis. Transmissions will be received as sent from exploratory campaigns. Xul's will be done. ALL HAIL XUL!

---End Of Line---

Caves

The stuff nightmares are often said to sound like, only worse.

This is probably a Xul exclusive, the demos are limited to 73 and 94 copies(the five track being the 94)Fukk it, who cares about the order of things, these are just demos.

I doubt these are available on any other blogs, so this could well be a WOX exclusive, if not go shit yourself.

I'm sure the main man behind this wouldn't have sold these to me if he knew I was going to post his work within 3 hours of obtaining them, fukk him, he's just a pawn in Xul's game.

Musically, this is Atmospheric Black Metal, or Ambient Black Metal, which ever one you think suits best. Xul just thinks this is exactly the type of obscure shit you need to hear, even if it's just a case of being able to boast on your melodeath forum bashing mission.

TEN THOUSAND STOOD BEFORE HIM AND TEN THOUSAND FELL.

Cold Empty Universe

This is Xul.
Probably one for the addict, the mentalist and the whore puncher.
Musically, you won't find many others if any like this. Uncanny is the word. Like the X-Men without the subliminal anti-racism message.

HOOKERTHRILL

Coming soon

New Abigor and Blacklodge albums awaiting plunder, 18th of Jan.
Avsky - Scorn 26th of Jan.

Sancta Poenas - Artificiell Gnosis

For those of you that feel guilty about downloading, don't, this is offered free of charge by the band itself.

Worth hearing, truly unique stuff here, this will certainly get the juices of your half dead brain flowing, and possibly, make you smile as images of dead hookers flash before your eyes.
Drugs would go well with this, hell even being drunk will aid you.
Look at that cover, that's not the typical design for a non-fukked up mind.

Eat Drugs

Trist

Aran of Lunar Aurora.

Ambient/Black Metal. Mostly Ambient and not bad at that. Also an artist, Aran has created all this projects covers as well as the logo(Not to mention alot of the Lunar Aurora covers, as well as some bands over the last few years like Horna and TotalSelfHatred).

Now the music, you'll either really enjoy and "get" or you won't, so those who don't fukk off and go make a chairty donation, you feeble twat.

Start with Hin-Fort which is a double disc album, Hin featuring a single song of over 70's minutes, which includes uninspiried hypnotic Black Metal guitars, and Fort is the ambient side of things.

Move onto Willenskraft next which is the 2009 album and is more of a complete work in the sense that the whole album is a mix of the two styles.

Will Power

Valkyrja - Contamination

Another new album for 2010, Swedens Valkryja, this is the first album of theirs I've heard, and I'm getting along alright with it so far, so I thought it might as well get a post, as I'm sure some of you are ready to hear what this year has to offer us so far.

Oceans of Dust

Astral Silence - Astral Journey

After a split late last year, we finally have the final product in this years first 2010 album for W-O-X.
If you enjoyed the tracks on the split, enjoy Darkspace and related space-age projects out there, then there's very little you should dislike about this.
Vast atmospheres with hints of dread and doom lurking with menace this is a good way to start the new year. Nebula Black Metal is back!

The Event Horizon

Nordreich - Auf heimischen Pfaden

Now how surprising is this..a Pagan Black Metal album on Xul.

Well before you click the red box containing an X, hang on a second.

This is actually pretty good.

Not being plagued with acoustics and clean vocals, this boasts some snazzy enjoyable riffs, ok, there is an element of a "pagan" atmosphere, but think to yourself more Cimmerian Hillmen and not so much "skinny hippy eating flowers and stroking ducks".

Say no to Haiti.

Xul works in wonderful and mysterious ways

DO NOT SUPPORT THESE ANIMALS, THERE WAS NO EARTHQUAKE, IT WAS SIMPLY A MACHINE SENT BACK FROM THE FUTURE. NO SYMPATHY! NO DONATIONS! XUL!

LET THESE ANIMALS DIE, LET THEM BURN AND SUFFER, DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY.

THIS WAS XUL'S WILL!

Heidenreich

A side project of good old Abigor's that would oddly be a foreshadowing of things to come for the band. Basically a sketchpad of PK's ideas that mixed industrial elements into some Abigor riffs. One can definitely see this as his experimental child for the time. They released an mcd and a cd and then he folded it to focus on Abigor and later Hellbound. Not too bad, if a bit of a disjointed approach to cyber bm.

GRIM AND BITTER HEART

Alastis

Switzerland's Castor and Pollux were Samael and their lesser known sibling Alastis. Similar in their approach, only Samael was the evil twin. The worship of the black mass and all things unholy until they found Laibach and blasted off into space. Alastis were left behind, the lonely, depressed and hopeless romantic that never got the attention of their more famous sibling.
Alastis focused more on a doomy and atmospheric form of dark metal that was surprisingly quite catchy and at times uplifting. They were masters of the subtle art of building their songs. Not in any new or creative ways, but in ways that just stuck with you. As much as we come back to Samael as a reference point, it's really quite easy to see that Alastis was Samael if they had continued to play in a metal style and focused on a more doomy and goth influenced approach. A relaxing listen not meant to make you focus on acts of domestic terrorism, Alastis is indeed a moody sort of beast to get you through your more downtrodden moments of life. They managed to mark out a 5 album career (including 3 on century media) and then called it a day... Not a bad legacy to leave behind.
Personally Revenge is the place to start at their most polished best, but ...And Death Smiled and The Other SIde are also excellent albums to begin with. Then absorb the other two as needed.



LIKE A DREAM

Choronzon

One of the most schizophrenic movements of cyber black metal ever created. The entire purpose of Choronzon is to exist to serve that demonic current the project is named for and I'll be fukked if it's not only pulled off, but voiced by Choronzon itself. An absolute mindfukk of a project and sound here, layers swirling all over the place over chaos chaos chaos chaos FUKKING HELL! Yeah, it's that good. Words fail it... Listening you are driven to violence, possessed by Choronzon, doing the deeds of Choronzon and running out the door to quickly murder any passersby that even dare add their voice to the noise coming out of your speakers.
Literally, this will drive you to do some acts of fun. Breaking into your neighbors to violate the anus of that crying baby never felt so good as when Choronzon was blasting as your fukktrakk.
This is the sonic equivalent of burning your candle at both ends... the energy is fantastic, but you know that you are dying all that much faster... Not only essential, but XUL absolutely orders you to listen. Panic Pandemic to begin with and then flush out the rest of your system. Pray to whatever God or void you wish, Xul has found a sibling spirit, and its name is Choronzon.

AESTHETIC SHOCK TACTICS

Fields of the Nephilim

Masters of the rock oriented world of goth, Fields of the Nephilim were at the top of the heap stylistically in the 80s. Taking a Pink Floyd influence, dabbling with Iron Maiden and old Western music, adding it to their 4AD palette in the process, then washing it it all down with some occultism themed material... all wrapped up in goths gone spaghetti western appearances. That difficult to attain but perfect blend of both sound and look in order to create that mystical aura to a band. They had it for sure. Very psychedelic in their own ways, this is one of those bands that is usually easy for metal fans to cross over into as their first forays into real gothic music. Capturing you with that spirit of other worldly dream state they sweep you away in their currents. One moment you're in the Old West, the next you're on the astral plane contemplating how you will ever get home again. The next driving down the highway without a care in the world as you feel death surrounding you on all angles with a welcome blanket of fuzzed out opiate warmth. Truly powerful stuff to absorb here and definitely not a band that can even begin to be scratched with just a casual surface listen. The band themselves eventually dissolved with vocalist Carl McCoy forming a more Ministry influenced outfit simply known as "The Nefilim", who released one lp (Zoon) included here for the sake of including it... Plus it's just one dark album.
You're going to want to start here with Revelations, then once that is a bit digested work your way towards Dawnrazor and Elizium and The Nephilim. Enjoy, as this is one of the finest examples of 80s goth that ever existed.

TAKE THE DREAM