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

[JJ Rodriguez]

Whoa, you think Suffocation killed death metal? I think we have very different views on music

 

[DDDorian]

Don't get me wrong, Pierced From Within is a great album, I just don't like that every death metal band since has decided to record their own crappy version of it They're a bit like Meshuggah in that sense - that whole sound has been run into the ground to the point that I just can't appreciate it like I used to.

 

[JJ Rodriguez]

I was about to say, Pierced from Within is a death metal classic I wouldn't say they killed it though, people will always be assholes and copy previous people. How many breecore bands are out there now? I remember when the occasional use of a pig squeel was actually kind of cool in death metal

 

[DDDorian]

Personally I blame Unique Leader Records I'm all bree'd out thanks to those lads.

Anyway, for those of you who don't get the Portal thing, a recommendation: Stargazer! Another Aussie band, they sound kinda like a cross between Atheist, Nocturnus and Absu - old-school technical death metal with a black metal edge. The main guys from the band actually played on Portal's Outre album and have a funeral doom band called Mournful Congregation that aint half bad either. Check it

 

[JJ Rodriguez]

I dig Stargazer, have a couple albums by them.

 

[Randy]

Also, I see we're going to get a chance to enjoy these guys stateside:

MARYLAND DEATHFEST - AMERICA'S BIGGEST METAL PARTY OF THE YEAR

I wish I lived closer to Maryland.

 

[DrakkarTyrannis]

Also, I see we're going to get a chance to enjoy these guys stateside:

MARYLAND DEATHFEST - AMERICA'S BIGGEST METAL PARTY OF THE YEAR

I wish I lived closer to Maryland.

Hell I live in Maryland and somehow miss the DF every year. This year I have to go..my bassist is threatening to end my life if I don't.

 

[Variant]

Don't get me wrong, Pierced From Within is a great album, I just don't like that every death metal band since has decided to record their own crappy version of it They're a bit like Meshuggah in that sense - that whole sound has been run into the ground to the point that I just can't appreciate it like I used to.

Really? Suffo? Really? I'd be more inclined to blame someone like Cattle Decapitation who really got things into a "grind-rinse-repeat" format... and moreso Job For A Cowboy for "coring" all up with their tween-death pants and whatnot... but even then, it's kinda like blaming Nirvana for all the shit alt. bands that cloned them after MTV forced us to feltch them out of their corporate asses by playing 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' ten thousand times a week. I'm pretty sure that's not what they were going for.

 

[-mouse-]

weird band... I like though. Never seen something quite like this...

 

[Eschaton]

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

Aphotic uses different.
Less flop with thicker gauge.

Cheers Illogium!

Unfortunately, I know I'd do and waste them so... too thin for me man!

Honestly though, one CD to buy this year is definitely "Swarth", people that might have commented on here "oh, it's not tight blah blah" miss the point. It's an example of feel over technique for sure. The technique is there, but it's not the feckin' point - it's meant to be SICK, twisted fuckin' music - and they do it well. Honestly, get the CD, it'll repulse or convert.

"Blood Oath" is pwned so badly by "Swarth", and this from a long time Suffocation fan. "Effigy..." and "Pierced..." are different things altogether. That's history!

 

[x178x]

Cheers Illogium!

Unfortunately, I know I'd do and waste them so... too thin for me man!

Honestly though, one CD to buy this year is definitely "Swarth", people that might have commented on here "oh, it's not tight blah blah" miss the point. It's an example of feel over technique for sure. The technique is there, but it's not the feckin' point - it's meant to be SICK, twisted fuckin' music - and they do it well. Honestly, get the CD, it'll repulse or convert.

"Blood Oath" is pwned so badly by "Swarth", and this from a long time Suffocation fan. "Effigy..." and "Pierced..." are different things altogether. That's history!

Although the technique isn't the focus, it's fucking RIDICULOUS. It's by far the most complicated riffing I've ever heard, considering they play it exactly the same live. It's completely impossible to imitate, and fucking slays all the other Tech Death bullshit.

 

[All_¥our_Bass]

^
This bands music feels more like some schoenbergian or stravinskian terror than a metal band of any sort.

 

[Obscura]

^
This bands music feels more like some schoenbergian or stravinskian terror than a metal band of any sort.

Too true.

 

[Scar Symmetry]

OK so, point me in the direct of where to start with these guys.

 

[elrrek]

1. http://www.myspace.com/the-portal
2. If step 1 pleases you, go here: Profound Lore Records - Home
3. Buy stuff.

"Seepia" is more chaotic than "Outre", "Swarth" is meant to be in between the two.

 

[DDDorian]

Everything they've done is pretty similar, just listen to the shit already linked in this thread and either like it or don't

 

[x178x]

Everything they've done is pretty similar, just listen to the shit already linked in this thread and either like it or don't

I disagree, Seepia and Outre differ greatly. Swarth and Outre are pretty similar, but I like Swarth a lot more. If you can manage to get your hands on The Sweyy EP, that album has 2 incredible songs on it (which are on Swarth, but they're different renditions of the songs).

I would recommend Seepia as a start, but anything is wonderful.

And of course, Swarth is fucking incredible.

 

[JJ Rodriguez]

I downloaded a few tunes from Swarth. Definitely more listenable in better quality, but nothing fantastic.

 

[x178x]

I downloaded a few tunes from Swarth. Definitely more listenable in better quality, but nothing fantastic.

Which ones did you get? And how many times have you listened?

 

[JJ Rodriguez]

I'm listening to the whole album, from start to finish. I'm on Writhen right now. Swarth was a flop, Larvae was cool, reminded me of Leviathan or some other ambient sounding black metal, the rest really hasn't stood out at all. At best, it's really hit or miss.