PORTRAIT — Portrait (review)

PORTRAIT — Portrait album cover Album · 2008 · Heavy Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Portrait" is the self-titled debut full-length studio album by Swedish heavy metal act Portrait. The album was released through Iron Kodex Records in April 2008. The original release was on CD, but the album has subsequently been released on cassette tape and vinyl too.

The music on the album is traditional heavy metal with a high pitched lead vocalist in front. Quite frankly this is one of the most blatant Mercyful Fate ripp-offs I´ve ever heard. Similar artists like Germany´s Attic and India´s Albatross, who are also strongly influenced by Mercyful Fate/King Diamond are not even close to the clone status of Portrait. The music features the right occult atmosphere (and songtitles like "Bow Unto the Devil" and "Beware the Demons"), the organic playing, the raw and unpolished sound production, raw and harmonic/melodic riffing, and of course an almost perfect impersonation of King Diamond in the vocal department.

This one is in other words an ocean divider. Some people will probably be completely turned off because of the clone factor, while others will find it somewhat charming. One thing is certain and that is that Portrait do one hell of a good job on this album. Clone factor or not, they are still a very well playing band with some pretty good songwriting skills. If you ask me the sound production leaves a bit to be desired, but if you like them raw and unpolished this one applies. There´s great energy in the music and tracks like "Hell" and "The Adversary" are also relatively hook laden. While the tracks are generally well written it is in the "hooks" department that the band can still improve their songwriting though.

Overall "Portrait" is a pretty good album, and while I can´t help recommend the band that they work on a more personal style in the future, I still find this album quite enjoyable as it is. A 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is deserved.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Fossil Gardens Black Metal
HAIL SPIRIT NOIR
Buy this album from MMA partners
Из Чего Я Состою Crust Punk
MARIE GUELLA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Surowica / Slavenkust Hardcore Punk
SLAVENKUST
Buy this album from MMA partners
Surowica / Slavenkust Crust Punk
SUROWICA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Nie Wydarzy Się Crust Punk
SUROWICA
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

HAIL SPIRIT NOIR - The Temple Of Curved Space (Official Track Stream)
HAIL SPIRIT NOIR
adg211288· 61 minutes ago
In Sulfur - The Gate (OFFICIAL VIDEO) 2022
IN SULFUR
Bosh66· 22 hours ago
In Sulfur - Parasite (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)
IN SULFUR
Bosh66· 22 hours ago
In Sulfur - Abysmal Grave (OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO)
IN SULFUR
Bosh66· 22 hours ago
In Sulfur - Windchaser(OFFICIAL VIDEO)
IN SULFUR
Bosh66· 22 hours ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed