Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Portal - Outre (2007, Profound Lore)

I'm very particular about Death Metal. So much, in fact, that I don't like most of what I hear. The Australian outfit Portal, however, Excites me. This is Avant Garde material, undefined by borders or classification. If I wasn't so desensitized by years of listening to deranged music, they might even disturb me.

Down-tuned guitars scrape and riff along like instruments of torture. The buried bass undulates a gloomy path. Deep gutteral growling vocals conjure pain and evil together with and a brand of intricate but experimental drumming that I find hypnotic. Much of it calls to mind early Immolation and Morbid Angel performed with an undeniable musical prowess and a keen insight into true darkness. A distinguishing factor is the open-mindedness to incorporate elements of other styles such as Suicidal Black or Funeral Doom. Genre-bending with a more extreme approach.

In the very divided world of Australian metal underground, everyone hails Portal.

Get It Here

Or: Outre - Portal

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