PORTRAIT · Portrait | PICTURE LP

Limited Picture Disc, diecut cover, incl.poster and lyric sheet

Background information about 'Portrait'

Portrait deliver the kind of heavy metal that feels like it was pulled straight out of a candle-lit basement in 1984, and their self-titled debut is an absolute masterclass in the genre's classic spirit. This is not an album that tries to reinvent the wheel - it simply makes the wheel spin faster, darker and with far more conviction than almost anything else released in its era.

From the very first crushing notes of "Hell," you know exactly what you're in for: razor-sharp riffs, galloping drums and a vocalist who sounds like he was born to howl over twin-guitar harmonies. The production is raw in all the right ways, giving each track a menacing, almost occult atmosphere that perfectly suits the lyrical themes of demons, fallen angels and ancient evil. Tracks like "A Ghastly Silence" and "Village Of The Fallen Angel" showcase the band's gift for writing hooks that burrow into your skull and refuse to leave, while the epic closing "The Adversary" stretches out into a nine-minute descent into darkness that proves this band is far more than a simple nostalgia act.

What makes this record so special is the sheer sincerity behind it. Portrait clearly worship the masters - Mercyful Fate, early King Diamond and the darker corners of the NWOBHM tradition - but they channel that devotion into something that feels urgent and alive, not like a museum piece. Every solo, every tempo change and every theatrical vocal line lands with total conviction.

For fans of:
Mercyful Fate, King Diamond, In Solitude, RAM, Attic

Track listing

A1. Hell
A2. A Ghastly Silence
A3. Village Of The Fallen Angel
A4. Consecration
B5. A Thousand Nightmares
B6. Bow Unto The Devil
B7. Beware The Demons
B8. The Adversary

Manufacturer: High Roller Records, Bertolt-Brecht-Str. 1a, 08412 Werdau, Germany, Contact: www.hrrecords.de