 |
| Portal of Sorrow | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 26, 2010 | |||
| Genre | Black metal, dark ambient | |||
| Length | 55:13 | |||
| Label | Hydra Head | |||
| Xasthur chronology | ||||
| ||||
Portal of Sorrow is the eighth studio album by American black metal act Xasthur. It would be Xasthur's last album of the black metal genre, as the next album Subject to Change features a more acoustic folk sound.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Portal of Sorrow" | 4:09 |
| 2. | "Broken Glass Christening" | 3:50 |
| 3. | "Shrine of Failure" | 4:27 |
| 4. | "Stream of Subconsciousness" | 7:51 |
| 5. | "Karma/Death" | 4:20 |
| 6. | "Horizon of Plastic Caskets" | 3:49 |
| 7. | "Mesmerized by Misery" | 2:52 |
| 8. | "This Abyss Holds the Mirror" | 7:31 |
| 9. | "Mourning Tomorrow" | 2:07 |
| 10. | "Miscarriage of the Soul" | 3:26 |
| 11. | "Obeyer's of Their Own Deaths" | 2:31 |
| 12. | "Released from This Earth" | 4:27 |
| 13. | "The Darkest Light" | 4:37 |
| 14. | "Hiver de Glace" | 1:56 |
Doom metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other heavy metal genres. Both the music and the lyrics intend to evoke a sense of despair, dread, and impending doom. The genre is strongly influenced by the early work of Black Sabbath, who formed a prototype for doom metal. During the first half of the 1980s, a number of bands such as Witchfinder General from England, American bands Pentagram, Saint Vitus, the Obsessed, Trouble, and Cirith Ungol, and Swedish band Candlemass defined doom metal as a distinct genre.
Southern Lord is an American heavy metal record label that was founded in 1998 by Greg Anderson. It specialized in experimental metal: particularly doom metal, stoner rock, and drone metal. The label later expanded its line-up to include artists from black metal, hardcore punk and crust punk bands.
Celestia was a French black metal band from Avignon, France, formed in 1995 by Noktu. Noktu was the only consistent member of the band. Celestia disbanded in 2015.
Black One is the fifth album by Sunn O))). It is a combination of both experimental and traditional Sunn O))), utilizing many guest musicians, including black metal musicians Malefic and Wrest from Xasthur and Leviathan, respectively. The band supposedly also went so far as to lock the claustrophobic Malefic in a casket to record the vocals on "Báthory Erzsébet".
Leviathan is an American black metal solo project that started in 1998 by Jef Whitehead under the pseudonym Wrest. On all Leviathan albums, Wrest records all instruments and performs vocals on his own. Despite having early problems with the release of the fourth album Massive Conspiracy Against All Life, it was released March 24, 2008 in Europe and on March 25, 2008 in North America. Additionally, Wrest has collaborated with the band Sunn O))), and he was an active member of the U.S. black metal supergroup Twilight from its formation until it disbanded in 2014. He has stated in interviews that he has been playing drums longer than any other instrument and that the drums are his instrument of choice. Wrest also played and recorded all instruments as well as vocals in his other project, Lurker of Chalice, which had two demos and one full-length album in 2005 released before it was dissolved. Whitehead also writes all the lyrics for Leviathan but has noted, "I don't consider myself a poet, by any means."
Nortt is an extreme metal musical project formed in 1995 by a Danish musician who goes by an eponymous pseudonym and describes his music as "Pure Depressive Black Funeral Doom Metal". In terms of lyrics and imagery he is akin to other black metal acts, while the sound of his music is closer to doom metal.
Xasthur is the project of American musician Scott "Malefic" Conner. Conner formed Xasthur in 1995 and released eight studio albums of black metal by 2010, when he announced the end of the project. However, he revived it in 2015 to focus on acoustic neofolk music, releasing a ninth album, Subject to Change, in 2016.
Subliminal Genocide is a 2006 album by the American one-man black metal act Xasthur. It was reviewed as being "more spiteful than...previous albums".
Vampires of Black Imperial Blood is the debut album by French black metal group Mütiilation. The album is noted for being the first release in the Les Légions Noires movement, it was also the first full-length CD publication from Drakkar Productions, a French record label freshly established in 1994 by fellow musician Noktu.
To Violate the Oblivious is a 2004 album by the American one-man black metal act Xasthur. After the original release on Swedish Total Holocaust Records, a re-mastered US pressing was released on Moribund Records in 2005. The same year, a limited double-vinyl edition was released on German label Perverted Taste. The name of this album is misspelt on Spotify as "To Violate the Obvious".
Telepathic with the Deceased is the third album by American black metal artist Xasthur. It was released on August 17, 2004, on Moribund Records.
Striborg is a black metal / ambient project of Australian musician Russell Menzies. The project first began in 1994 under the name Kathaaria and during this time the stage name "Vvelkaarn" was used. The name Kathaaria was adapted from a Darkthrone song titled "Kathaarian Life Code".
Twilight is an American black metal supergroup formed in 2005 and originally commissioned by the Swedish underground label Total Holocaust Records. Members of the band are all a part of well known projects within the black metal genre or otherwise including Xasthur, Leviathan, Krieg, Isis, Nachtmystium and Sonic Youth.
Defective Epitaph is a 2007 album by the American one-man black metal act Xasthur. This is the first recording on which Malefic played acoustic drums, although some tracks still make use of a drum machine. Like previous Xasthur albums, the lyrics were not released to the public. It was described by one reviewer as Xasthur's most accessible release to date. The Japanese edition released on Daymare Recordings features a bonus disc containing 5 unreleased tracks.
Nocturnal Poisoning is the debut album by the American black metal band Xasthur, released in 2002. The CD version of the album is limited to 2,000 copies.
The Funeral of Being is a second album by the American black metal band Xasthur released in 2003.
A Gate Through Bloodstained Mirrors is a 2001 demo by the American black metal one-man-band Xasthur. Reviews of that release, first published by Profane Productions as a limited CD-R edition of 150 copies, proved to be positive, comparing the material to old Graveland and Burzum. With the increasing cult status of Xasthur, the demo was reissued by Total Holocaust Records, featuring a different mix and track list. This edition was also published as a double-12" vinyl release by Debemur Morti Productions (2004) and finally by Hydra Head Records. The record is rumored to have influenced at least one suicide.
Impiety is a Singaporean black metal band, formed in early 1990 by Shyaithan (vocals/guitar/bass) and drummer Necro-Angelfornicator. They are notable for being one of the first metal, extreme metal bands to emerge from Singapore.
All Reflections Drained is the seventh studio album by American black metal act Xasthur. It is available in an A5 Digipack with a Bonus Disc of songs "Experimenting in between the chapters" and as a limited edition cassette that includes pins and a patch.
Wind's Poem is the fourth full-length album by Mount Eerie, released on July 14, 2009. Several of the tracks are inspired by black metal, and showcases Phil Elverum's "relatively newfound affinity for Xasthur and other lynchpins of the unholy genre."
