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Portal - Swarth

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 October 15 2009 at 09:36:40 AM



I know a portal to connote an imposing entrance. I also know it to be first and foremost a thing, something with tactile qualities, something I can rest against or piss on after I’ve filled my bladder with Ovaltine. Australia’s Portal is neither, although I have already emptied my bladder of its Ovaltine on the promo copy I received of the band’s latest experiment, Swarth. 

Portal has been shedding weight since its debut, Seepia; reconfiguring its unified and claustrophobic sound into something neither unified nor claustrophobic. Follow-up, Outre, besides featuring some of the most unflattering production I’ve heard, showcased a band quite adept and tearing its take on composition apart even as it sought to perform said composition, which makes Portal probably the only band who makes music where the adjective, “deconstructive,” is not only applicable, but overly warranted. This is the sound of Death Metal roughly dissected and turned into Jazz sport –  never a good thing unless you're a 17-year-old with disposable income who likes to buy music that goes well with an entire day spent doing bingers and watching Eraserhead with the sound turned down. When I was 17, I listened to Live Undead and drank Pabst (wasn't remotely cool then) until I threw up. 

Death Metal that works at unworking Rudolph Grey while some guy pounds out unrelated “Metal” sounding fills over growled vox will go only as far as its audience is willing to let it. The world is rife with tolerant folks. But I’m not one of ‘em. I’m nearly positive it would be cool to see this band play live. The guys with the dusty suits. The dude with the clock head. The pointy hat thing, etc. Sure, OK. But it’s fun to watch chickens fight, too. 

[Stewart Voegtlin] 

Portal
Swarth
Profound Lore
2009
type: reviews    keywords: death metal, deconstructive, eraserhead, chickens,   

Comments (6)

  • 2 comments
    almilluh
    2:12 PM on Oct 15, 2009 // reply »
    fuck yeah! portal is australian for shit, jaco pastorius leads and all.
  • 2 comments
    Stephan
    3:00 PM on Oct 15, 2009 // reply »
    It IS cool seeing them live. The clock head is a wondrous thing.
  • 8 comments
    PFL
    4:22 PM on Oct 15, 2009 // reply »
    Ah, the reasons why I love ya Stewart...
  • 7 comments
    HSJ
    5:31 AM on Oct 28, 2009 // reply »
    Ahhh yes...from buzz band to "highly overrated" in 2 albums time. That's about the norm.

  • 35 comments
    Miskatonic
    3:46 PM on Oct 29, 2009 // reply »
    Ovaltine? That's about the nerdiest drink you coulda filled your bladder with. Shoulda emptied your bladder full of Pabst on that disk. Woulda been a much stronger statement...
  • 371 comments
    VOEGTLIN
    6:53 AM on Oct 30, 2009 // reply »
    I'm a super nerd if you haven't already figured that out...
 

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