Portrait

The_Elite · Post by **The_Elite** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 5:45 pm

mordred wrote:I also heard the whole album and it slays from start to finish. 2011 is turning into a monster of a year. I was happy already with the new albums from Darkest Era and Doomsword, but they are eclipsed by albums that are coming out now or in the next couple of months.

40 Watt Sun - The Inside Room
Portrait - Crimen Laesae Majestatis Divinae
Primordial - Redemption at the Puritan's Hand
While Heaven Wept - Fear of Infinity
Hell - Human Remains

Having heard all of those except the WHW I can say for me personally the new In Solitude is better than all of them, and they are all pretty brilliant.

mordred · Post by **mordred** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 5:56 pm

The_Elite wrote:
mordred wrote:I also heard the whole album and it slays from start to finish. 2011 is turning into a monster of a year. I was happy already with the new albums from Darkest Era and Doomsword, but they are eclipsed by albums that are coming out now or in the next couple of months.

40 Watt Sun - The Inside Room
Portrait - Crimen Laesae Majestatis Divinae
Primordial - Redemption at the Puritan's Hand
While Heaven Wept - Fear of Infinity
Hell - Human Remains
Having heard all of those except the WHW I can say for me personally the new In Solitude is better than all of them, and they are all pretty brilliant.

If you say so... Haven't heard that one but I found the debut to be quite unspectacular.

Stormspell · Post by **Stormspell** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 10:58 pm

I expected much more from Darkest Era. Looking forward to Portrait, In Solitude, Temple of Blood, Wishdoom

The best album, at least from what I've heard so far: Midnight Priest

mordred · Post by **mordred** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:23 pm

stormspell wrote:The best album, at least from what I've heard so far: Midnight Priest

You releasing this? The last one was killer. Best Stormspell release ever in my opinion!

Bane · Post by **Bane** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:23 pm

Out of curiosity, are people content with an online stream (or download) being their first "listen" of a new album? I just can't do it, at least not for bands that I hold dear. Fair enough, some of you may be involved in media, or publications, or have been given promotional copies to review, but surely some of the magic is lost?? I've had a chance to listen to most of the 2011 albums mentioned thus far in their entirety but have refused to do so until I hold the finished package in my hands. I'm not looking for a pat on the back, I'm just curious to know why everyone is in such a rush these days?

Stormspell · Post by **Stormspell** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 12:23 am

Yeah the band is working on it. I've got the audio masters and it is a massive grower with every listen. Vinyl will be released by The Forge. We'll do the cd pressing.

Väänänen · Post by **Väänänen** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 8:40 am

Bane wrote:Out of curiosity, are people content with an online stream (or download) being their first "listen" of a new album? I just can't do it, at least not for bands that I hold dear. Fair enough, some of you may be involved in media, or publications, or have been given promotional copies to review, but surely some of the magic is lost?? I've had a chance to listen to most of the 2011 albums mentioned thus far in their entirety but have refused to do so until I hold the finished package in my hands. I'm not looking for a pat on the back, I'm just curious to know why everyone is in such a rush these days?

For me it pretty much boils down to a lack of alternatives. I still buy both CD's and (a couple of times a year) vinyls, but I have two kids with a very energy draining condition that does that I very, very rarely have the possibility OR energy to listen to music any other time than when I'm working (as an editor for a mag - hence all the downloaded promos) or when I'm driving my car.

I really miss being able to sit down on the couch after visiting a record fair and looking through and listening to our purchases together with my wife while having something nice to drink. But life is about priorities.

GJ · Post by GJ » Fri Mar 11, 2011 10:50 am

Bane wrote:Out of curiosity, are people content with an online stream (or download) being their first "listen" of a new album? [...] I'm just curious to know why everyone is in such a rush these days?

I agree with you, I'd rather await the full package. Though sometimes I'd stumble over stuff and just can't keep from klicking the play button (happened recently to me with both Pentagram and Doomsword). But that sure sort of ruins the overall atmosphere of the virginal spin of the actual album (full package not dl).

I fully understand your "problem" Väänänen. I'm pretty much in the same situation, even though yet it hasn't stopped me from buying new stuff all the time. The pile of unplayed records grows...

Bane · Post by **Bane** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 12:21 pm

Väänänen, I totally understand. I know there are a lot of people who won't have the opportunity to sit down spend an evening or two listening through a new, for many reasons.

If a band posts up one track of their new album online, I often find it difficult to keep myself from playing it. There are a few exceptions, albums I don't want to hear a solitary note of until I have the full package, but for the most part listening to one song won't ruin my first listen of a new album (after all, it's impossible to make your mind up after hearing a single song). I've heard one Primordial track, one Doomsword, one 40 Watt Sun, one Pentagram, one Portrait etc etc but I couldn't bring myself to listen to the albums in their entirety. It doesn't help when albums are leaked to YouTube and my bastard friends bombard my Facebook with the videos :(

The_Elite · Post by **The_Elite** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 1:01 pm

Bane wrote:Out of curiosity, are people content with an online stream (or download) being their first "listen" of a new album? I just can't do it, at least not for bands that I hold dear. Fair enough, some of you may be involved in media, or publications, or have been given promotional copies to review, but surely some of the magic is lost?? I've had a chance to listen to most of the 2011 albums mentioned thus far in their entirety but have refused to do so until I hold the finished package in my hands. I'm not looking for a pat on the back, I'm just curious to know why everyone is in such a rush these days?

I work within the music 'business' for my sins, so I don't really count getting sent advances/ masters or having the opportunity to hear them as anything other than a perk of the job.
At the same time I agree with you Bane. For other stuff, I restrain myself completely- for example the Negative Plane I did not hear until I got the cd- weeks after everyone was posting the youtube links over facebook.

Dark Stranger · Post by **Dark Stranger** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 1:27 pm

stormspell wrote:I expected much more from Darkest Era. Looking forward to Portrait, In Solitude, Temple of Blood, Wishdoom

The best album, at least from what I've heard so far: Midnight Priest

What did you not like about the Darkest Era?

St. Erben · Post by **St. Erben** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 3:06 pm

For those of you passing by the southern areas of Sweden, a release party for the new album will be held in Kristianstad on May 6th (Friday).
You are all very welcome!
Primitive accomodations can be arranged ;)

www.portraitband.se

Lindell · Post by **Lindell** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 2:02 pm

And also, another song from the new album can be heard here:
http://www.metalblade.com/portrait/

Marken · Post by **Marken** » Tue May 24, 2011 10:14 am

Great album, and much better than the debut. Infinite Descension and Darkness Forever are favorites so far.

The_Elite · Post by **The_Elite** » Tue May 24, 2011 1:36 pm

Great album for sure!!! Love the old Metal Blade axe logo on the cd!