Mystruin

Mystruin - För Intet
Lamech Records, 2013
Genre: Black Metal

1. Människosläktets Förfall
2. Dysterhetens Gastar
3. Left to Be Devoured by the Night













This is the second demo from Mystruin and I have not heard the first.  I've looked around for it, but I honestly give up trying to find it.  The only reason I decided to give this band a shot is because Lamech Records put it out and since I was placing an order with them, I figured I would try out this newer band they found.  This comes on cassette format only with a professionally pressed booklet and dubbed black tape.  I was a little disappointed in the booklet since it is basically only a single panel.  The booklet design for LvxCælis was far superior.

Mystruin is actually a pretty interesting band.  They blend that usual vicious Swedish style of Black Metal with the more plodding haunting parts of the same region.  While they may not have managed to bring anything new to the forefront for the listener, what they do bring us is a very well composed demo with fairly interesting elements.  A lot of the "interesting" I'm referring to is grounded in the presentation of the slower riffs.  They're not exactly like the other bands in Mystruin's region, so it does have a different feel, even if it is still along the haunting lines in the genre.  The vocals really add to this element.  Ghast doesn't just stick with traditional Black Metal vocals, but there are some haunting howls and spoken word type sections.  Since these elements are doused in heavy layers of reverb it gives a real terrifying experience to their composition.  The only track that doesn't have that sort of blending is "Dysterhetens Gastar," which is a more traditional vicious and intense styled Black Metal delivery.

The production is basically what you'd expect from a modern demo.  However, I feel like this is more of a rehearsal recording than anything that was recorded with the instruments performed separately.  I'm not sure if that is the case, but it certainly comes across that way.  It feels like some elements are further away in the mix than others, while some are a lot closer.  In this instance it feels like the distance is due to physical location rather than a mixing issue.

I think I'm a little on the fence with this project.  I'm not sure if I'm ready to give my full endorsement, but if you're heart is stuck in a world of raw demo quality material Mystruin certainly is doing things well in this form.  I think my hesitation is mostly due to wanting to hear what this band can present in the studio.  I think this band has some fairly interesting ideas amidst their very traditional form of Black Metal and I would like to see what this band could put together for a future full length at this point.  If they can translate these ideas to the studio correctly we could have a very compelling experience on our hands.  Now that they've caught Lamech's eye perhaps that will be imminent.