PORTRAIT - SWEDEN

Portrait - 2008 - Iron Kodex
Crimen Laesae Majestatis Divinae – 2011 – Metal Blade
Crossroads – 2014 – Metal Blade
Burn The World – 2017 – Metal Blade
At One With None – 2021 – Metal Blade
The Host - 2024 - Metal Blade

Portrait image
  
 
Members
Vocals
Helvetets Port>>Phillip Svennefelt>>Helvetets Port, Trap – Unchained, Overdrive>>PER KARLSSON [PER LENGSTEDT]>>Overdrive

Guitar
X-Bow, Helvetets Port>>CHRISTIAN LINDELL – Eidomantum, Lukemborg>>Richard Lagergren>>Source, Ram – Ulvnatt, Decapitation, Oak, Hands Of Orlac, Helvetets Port, Midnight Stranger>>David Olofsson>>Oak, Hands Of Orlac, Helvetets Port, Midnight Stranger - KARL GUSTAFSSON

Bass
Disaffection, X-Bow, Devil Lee Rot, Autopsy Torment>>D. Slaughter [David Stranderud]>>Devil Lee Rot, Autopsy Torment, Trap, Assassin's Blade, Instigator - Erik Jansson – Lukemborg, Eidomantum>>Joel Pälvärinne>>Vampire – Hypnosia, Funeral>>Mikael ‘Cab’ Castervall>>Dreadful Fate – The Goddamned, Oppression, Perish, The Ancients Rebirth, Nidhöggr, Astrophyte>>FREDRIK PETERSSON>>Nidhöggr, Astrophyte

Drum
ANDERS PERSSON




History & Biography
Active since the year of some people’s lord 2005, Portrait is a black/heavy metal band which lied with its first demo, 2006’s Welcome To My Funeral. That may have been the cue for more music and releases, but was also the beginning of endless line-up changes almost, but not quite, matching the number of Kiss farewell tours. The demo line-up was singer Phillip Svennefelt, guitarists Christian Lindell and David Stranderud (the latter later on bass for a year), bassist Richard Lagergren and drummer Anders Persson.

The band appeared on the New Age Of Iron Vol. 1 - Teutonic-Swedish Alliance compilation before issuing a self-titled debut on Iron Kodex Records (previously New Iron Age) in 2008. Richard Lagergren was on guitar since 2008 and D. Slaughter on bass here. The group played at Heavy Metal Maniacs festival in 2008. Next came a single called The Murder Of All Things Righteous in 2010. Per Karlsson was on vocals and Erik Jansson on bass. Niklas Svensson was on vocals in 2011 and 2012. Here was when the band switched to Metal Blade Records. Its first release for the American label was Crimen Laesae Majestatis Divinae. Joel Pälvärinne was on bass. The group played at Muskelrock in 2011 and Candlemass’ Messiah Marcolin joined them on stage to perform the Mercyful Fate song Black Funeral. Guitarist Richard left in 2012. He had a band called Source.

The band contributed an EP, called We Were Not Alone, to Sweden Rock magazine in 2014. This featured the rare Judas Priest song Mother Sun, which later became a Japanese bonus track. Crossroads, which was recorded at three different studios, was the band’s second album for Metal Blade. Per ‘Karlsson’ Lengstedt was singing, Mikael Castervall played bass and David Olofsson was on guitar. Olofsson was on guitar between 2012 and 2017, but had joined on bass in 2011 before yielding to Castervall. Portrait and Bölzer opened for Primordial for in Europe in 2014. Ram and Portrait released a split covering one another in late 2014. Incidentally, former guitarist Richard played live for Ram in 2018. Christian Lindell was responsible for all guitar and bass on Burn The World and, as such, the album was recorded as a trio. Bassist Cab had left in 2016 as he was busy with home and work. Guitarist David Olofsson had left to start 2017 as he was uninterested. Fredrik Petersson was heard on At One With None. The band recruited a second guitarist called Karl Gustafsson in 2021. Guitarist Robin Holmberg had stayed only between 2017 and 2019. Robin had, at least, introduced Fredrik to the act.

A mini-tour of four shows in Germany and Belgium was cancelled in March 2022 when one club felt public health guidelines against COVID hinder attendance. The bands cancelled the entire run as a result. The band was booked to play Headbangers Open Air and Eindhoven festival in 2022, while opening for Satan. The Host was announced for June 2024. It was a concept album taking place in the Swedish empire during the 17th century. There were a couple of videos and the band was booked for Wacken. The album release concerts were in the German cities of Dusseldorf and Hamburg.


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