Portal (the death metal band, now with actual riffs!)

[DiezelMonster]

Chris!

Hials! I hope that Ironbird is serving you well! I really miss it but it is with it's true owner now!

I can't wait for the new disc! and I hope to hell I get to witness the band live someday soon!

Cheers!

C

 

[Cynic]

I lol'd.

 

[TheMasterplan]

Damn, was that one of those Steph model 7's from ESP? Shit looked gigantic.

 

[Pauly]

Damn, was that one of those Steph model 8's from ESP? Shit looked gigantic.

Fixed. Yeah the neck looks enormous on the ESPs, not sure what the width is compared to the other production 8's out there but they sure look wide.

 

[TheMasterplan]

Fixed. Yeah the neck looks enormous on the ESPs, not sure what the width is compared to the other production 8's out there but they sure look wide.

Oh wow. Yeah that makes sense. I've only ever played the RG2228 and though it looks "appropriate" for an 8 I didn't have a whole lot of trouble playing it. I wonder if it's as big as it looks or some kind of visual effect from the lighting/size of the guy playing it. It looks very nice - I'd like to try it actually.

 

[gunshow86de]

I'm not sure that I heard an actual riff.

 

[Pauly]

There are riffs in there, but it's more about all the instruments creating textures which combine to create an overall sound, a feeling. There are a few moments on Seepia where they do play something resembling traditional riffs and it sort of works against them because it detracts from the vibe by sounding familiar and normal. With the songs on Outre they cut that out and as a result it sounds far weirder and suits their vision better. I like listening to challenging stuff though!

 

[Stealthdjentstic]

I love these guys! There vocalist has such a unique growl

 

[x178x]

GAH!

I posted about this band last year and no-one gave a phuk!!!!

Amazing band, so many layers to get into, musically, visually, conceptually, fantastic stuuf, I love them.

Yeah... I've been an extremely dedicated fan of these guys for quite a few years now. I posted about them about exactly 2 years ago, and for the most part nobody gave a fuck.

I've always been baffled by the rate that people seem to not give a fuck about these guys. I've tried to show them to so many people, all of which haven't been the slightest bit interested and have resumed listening to their empty and synthetic Technical Death Metal favorites. Not to mention everywhere I look online these guys seem to simply be met with "Oh, like the game lololololololololololol!!!" or "Oh, it's not Origin? You've lost my interest." and the occasional "it's pretty cool".

Personally, these guys are my favorite band. They're the most innovative, grim and unique band I've found in my years of carefully sifting through bullshit in the Extreme Metal scene, and they're more than a breath of fresh air in the midst of these armies of worthless synthetic production-ridden "Hey! Look at us! Look at how technical we are!!" Death Metal clones that have spawned over the years. These guys are proof that this once wonderful genre is not completely dead.

Do me a favor and pick up a copy of Seepia. Listen to it carefully on headphones, read the lyrics and repeat several times, and then do it more. The more you listen to this album the more you realize what's going on, and the more the music starts to piece together and sound absolutely amazing.

Seriously, every single riff on this album is so creative, grim, HEAVY, and unbelievably technical (but with substance to back it up!). The drums are chaotic and unique and aid the atmosphere of the album perfectly. The vocals are so evil and the lyrics are extremely well-written and hands down the grimmest I've read (seriously, read them on metal-archives, you won't regret it). And to top it off, the production is grim, gritty, and REAL. If you like organic and somewhat under-produced quality (which you probably don't), ominous tremolo-picked riffs, grimly-howled vocals and rasps and an overall chaotic head-spinning kind of atmosphere, PLEASE get this album.

Anyway, there's my rant on my favorite band. Swarth is going to slay.

 

[Pauly]

My sentiments exactly. I was listening to Gateways by Morbid Angel the other day and it struck me it's been a while since I've felt really involved in a death metal album and really wanted to sit down and give it my full attention. Portal make me want to do that.

 

[BlindingLight7]

What the fuck did i just watch?

 

[Eschaton]

Long time since I posted (forgot I had an account actually...) but here's my tuppence worth...

I'd seriously recommend that anyone who wants to hear how an 8-string guitar sounds when it's not just playing a one string Mesuggah type riff buy two albums in the next six months - "Swarth" by Portal, and the new Ihsahn when it comes out in February. Simple as. "Swarth" is a f*ckin' class album, takes a long time to get into it if you're not already a Portal fan, but believe me, the essence and feeling is worth the effort. It's not going to be to everyones taste but then some albums just need to be listened to A LOT before the intent of the artist kicks in.
<p>
Incidently, this might have already been raised as a topic but I'm lazy and can't be bothered searching for it - but I'm seriously thinking of going for an Ibanez 8-string. Trouble is I already use guage 0.70 for a B string on my Schecter - does anyone here own an 8-string Ibanez, and if so what is the thickest guage you'd recommend putting on it?
<p>
I already own a 7321 and I'm petrified of putting anything higher than a 0.65 for the B on it as I fear the neck will impale my cranium. Any ideas?
<p>
Illogium, maybe you'll know? What guages are you and Aphotic using?

 

[Illogium]

74, 62, 52, 42, 30, 17, 13, 10

Aphotic uses different.
Less flop with thicker gauge.

 

[BlindingLight7]

74, 62, 52, 42, 30, 17, 13, 10

Aphotic uses different.
Less flop with thicker gauge.

Just gotta ask, how do you guys write this stuff? It sounds like madness!

 

[Obscura]

My band Altars played with them in Adelaide a few months back. Good gig.

 

[elrrek]

Just gotta ask, how do you guys write this stuff? It sounds like madness!

They saw Nylarlathotep while hunting albino penguins in R'lyeh, thus explaining the madness.

 

[Scar Symmetry]

did Mushroomhead and the villains from Power Rangers have babies?

I'm sorry, but I'm yet to see a comment thus far that beats this

 

[DDDorian]

^^I'm sorry but I've yet to see anything lamer than someone quoting their own comment as the best in any given thread

Just gotta ask, how do you guys write this stuff? It sounds like madness!

Honestly? Lock yourself in a room with some Morbid Angel, Immolation and Beherit and ignore the recommendations of a good 99% of this board The Faceless this aint.

 

[Scar Symmetry]

Maybe I'm the only one who finds me funny

 

[DDDorian]

You just got pipped by "RING RING GLUMURPHONEL" is all