A new album from Xasthur: Open to Misinterpretation

Nine tracks, 33 minutes 36 seconds. Xasthur's new album, Open to Misinterpretation, came out on 2 October 2026 on Prophecy Productions (the running times come from Metal Kingdom's listing; the label's page has no track list). There is only one name behind Xasthur: Scott Conner. Conner wrote and recorded this album himself as well, start to finish. The first single is "Put You Out of Your Misery".

On to the prices. In the label's own store the black vinyl goes for 23.99 euros, the digisleeve CD (a cardboard sleeve package) for 9.98 euros. There is a digital version of the album too. The same store also sells an album T-shirt and a hoodie, priced between 13 and 38 euros.

According to the press text, the album builds on the previous record, Inevitably Dark. The bass sits further forward and is played more technically, the guitars use different tunings, and the programmed drums have been reworked as well. The production is cleaner, but it tries to hold on to the feel of a live recording. The title comes from Conner accepting that his work will be misunderstood. He did not make his music easy listening to get around that. The project came out of depressive black metal, and some sources today file it under dark folk.

As of the end of October, no review has been published. Then again, for an album this short, the listener can just as well pass judgment on their own.