Xasthur is a solo musical project created by American musician Scott "Malefic" Conner. Originally formed in 1995, the project became known for its bleak, lo‑fi black metal output. After releasing eight black‑metal studio albums, Conner announced the project's end in 2010, only to revive Xasthur in 2015 with a focus on acoustic neofolk music.
Scott Conner founded Xasthur in December 1995 as a one‑person black metal endeavor. Over the next fifteen years he produced eight full‑length black metal albums, establishing a reputation for raw production and depressive atmospheres. In 2010 Conner declared the project concluded, citing personal reasons. Five years later, in 2015, he resurrected Xasthur under the same name but shifted to acoustic neofolk, releasing the debut of this new direction, *Subject to Change*, in 2016.
During its first phase (1995‑2010), Xasthur's style was characterized by lo‑fi black metal, featuring tremolo‑picked guitars, harsh vocals, and an emphasis on isolation and despair. No specific influences are documented in the supplied sources. Since 2015 the project has embraced acoustic neofolk, employing clean vocals, acoustic guitars, and folk‑inspired arrangements, marking a stark stylistic departure from its earlier work.
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Xasthur has always been a solo project; no additional members are recorded in the provided sources.
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Xasthur is regarded as an influential act within the depressive black metal sub‑genre, noted for its stark production and solitary approach. The project's 2015 genre shift to acoustic neofolk demonstrates Conner's willingness to explore contrasting musical territories, though the impact of this later phase remains less documented. No further official releases beyond 2016 are mentioned in the supplied sources.