Myrddraal - Promo 2001

Myrddraal - Promo 2001
1) Moonhunter
2) Strings of Inquietude
3) Muspellheim

Yandex / Mediafire

Black metal from Australia today, a 2001 promo by Myrddraal contributed to me a little while ago. This recording was made after the debut album "Blood on the Mountain" and in very limited amount, ten copies or so, given to labels and to demostrate their capabilities to Denny Blake (StarGazer) in order to enlist him to play drums for the next album. Quite rare thing for a while, though not anymore as it's also included on the "Surrounded by Unlight" compilation released by Abysmal Sounds this year. See below for a flyer. I don't usually post items that have been re-released but this may be counted as an exception, or promotion or whatever you wish to call it.

To the content. If you are familiar with the band's first album you'll remember it lay somewhere between the ferocity their landmates were often known for and melodic, even epic passages. These three songs continue where they left off on the album, they're quite long, totalling almost 24 minutes and start off with an intro that reminds me of the outro on the album, samples and noises giving way to acoustics. The sound is murkier and darker, partially probably due the drums (machine I believe as they were recruiting a drummer) being pushed into the background and bass taking more room. "Moonhunter" features several acoustic breaks as well as an almost operatic slightly bizarre part which still barely manages to work. Plenty of going on for its eleven minute duration. Second track is shorter and more intense, especially with the dual voices utilized and nice, cracklingly crispy guitars. The vocal parts remind me a bit of Diamatregon which is a good thing in my book. Third track "Muspellheim" starts catchy and is again a long one at almost nine minutes. It maintains a sense of urgency intermingled with certain melodicism reminding me of old Gorgoroth/"Transilvanian Hunger"-Darkthrone before bursting into a clean vocals section that's almost (later day) Therion and then resuming like nothing happened. Pretty cool stunt! I think I really need to take a listen to the compilation after this promo and then the second album which I honestly have completely forgotten how it sounds like. You can start with this and follow my lead if you wish.