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.
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