Valter’s explorations of Bataille, black metal, surrealism, sacredness and filth continue apace. I recommend these to Ben especially, and to all who are interested in the “dream time” of Scandinavian black metal.

Incidentally, some sites are now reporting a release date of September 25 for Xasthur’s next release, “Defective Epitaph”. This site contains the following intriguing mini-blurb:

Symphonic and scowling, steeped in contempt and white-hot hate, this record is the crumbling tombstone resting atop black metal’s misshapen head, the last will and testament for the affliction that keeps on afflicting. Leave blasphemy, Satanism, and false agony to all those other humanist hacks; Xasthur is the noose at the end of your rope.

“The affliction that keeps on afflicting” - this I think is at the heart of post-‘95 black metal, a compulsive return to the unhallowed ground of the Scandinavian implosion. But - “Defective Epitaph” - how de Manian is that?