It’s sure been a great year to be a Mercyful Fate/King Diamond fan. Not so much because one or the other may or may not (probably the latter) release new music this year, but because the bands who have filled their void in the interim have come out with new music. It was just this past April that we reviewed Attic’s latest album, Return of the Witchfinder, which really scratched that devilish Don’t Break the Oath itch. Today, we head over to Sweden, where our pals in Portrait have dropped their much anticipated follow up to 2021’s At One with None, The Host.
Now whereas Attic remains a Mercyful Fate/King Diamond worship act through and through, Portrait have managed to incorporate more influences into their sound, which was very prevalent theme of their last album. Sure, the Melissa-esque maneuvers that put them on the map remained, but managed to coexist amongst flashes of prime Maiden and early US power metal. These tropes are explored even further on The Host, which clocking in at just under 75 minutes, is undeniably the band’s most ambitious album to date.
Those who long for the no frills Fate worship of Portrait’s past will be more than satisfied by occult metal romps like “The Sacrament”, “Oneiric Visions”, and “Dweller of the Threshold”. The Maiden influence rears its regal English head on cuts like “One Last Kiss” and “Voice of the Outsider”, both boasting a pomp, almost ballad-like quality to them. Perhaps most notable on this album is the increased aggression throughout. Whether it be neck-snapping speed metal blitzes like “The Blood Covenant” and “Treachery”, or unexpected melo black forays like “Sound the Horn” and “Sword of Reason (The Steel of Revenge)”, Portrait manages to deliver some devastating blows amidst enjoyable nuggets of ’80s metal nostalgia.
The only downside of The Host is its aforementioned runtime, which really starts to set in during the album’s second half. There’s nothing overly offensive about cuts like “Feel the Urn” and “The Men of Renown”, but nothing overly distinct either. I especially found myself struggling with the closing 11+ minute suite, “The Passions of Sophia”. Being a prog guy, I love my over the top epics as much as the next guy. However, in the case of “Passions”, I found myself unfulfilled and tired. The punishing “Sword of Reason”, which preceded it, would’ve been a far more fitting closer.
Grandiose missteps aside, The Host is another compelling entry into the Portrait canon. Would it be even stronger and flow better with 20-30 minutes shaved off? Sure, but said “filler” doesn’t deter the mood or intent of the album as a whole. Even so, Portrait’s “filler” is still more compelling than most NWOTHM bands primary material, so when you look at it from that perspective, my complaint in this matter is rather insignificant. If nothing else, The Host has left the door open to a variety of avenues Portrait could take for album #7. I selfishly hope they further explore the melo black/speed route, as they execute it so well on here. Indeed, “The Steel of Revenge” is sharp!
7 out of 10
Label: Metal Blade Records
Genre: Heavy Metal
For fans of: Mercyful Fate, Iron Maiden, Attic