REVIEW:PORTRAYAL OF GUILT-WE ARE ALWAYS ALONE

 

2021

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This is ad nauseum sentiment at this point, but had 2020 not turned out to be the absolute shitshow that it did, it would have undoubtfully been a huge year for Portrayal Of Guilt. One of the absolute best and brightest acts in the extreme music scene right now, the band kept a relentless touring schedule until they literally couldn't anymore because of lockdown, building hype and turning heads on a steady stream of releases including their excellent first full length "Let Pain Be Your Guide" in 2018 and follow up EP "Suffering Is A Gift" in 2019, not to mention several excellent split releases with bands as varied as Street Sects, Slow Fire Pistol and Soft Kill. One thing about the band's releases that struck me was they seemed to evolve rapidly every step of the way, consistently bending the multiple extreme music genres they implore and pushing their craft to the next level. I am happy to say that their stunning new full length "We Are Always Alone" is yet another exceptional step up for the band, and marks their most compelling effort to date.

For those unfamiliar with the band, Portrayal Of Guilt are a scathing metallic hardcore/screamo band that deploy a blend of several extreme genres in their sound to great effect. You can hear shades of everything from black metal, powerviolence and doom metal in the band's sound, and it builds to a sense of despair and darkness that many of their contemporaries could only dream of achieving. In their early stages PoG toured with major influences and legendary screamo bands Pg.99 and Majority Rule, and their material hinted at carrying the torch for some of the genre's greatest bands while also pushing toward their own unique sound, and they've certainly achieved that on this new record. This is not only the darkest and heaviest material the band has put out to date, but it's also some of the most pitch black material I've ever heard from a screamo band in general. Guest vocalists from both of the aforementioned bands appear on the album's songs as well, further cementing their legacy being carried forward to a new generation. But it's perhaps even more impressive that this album finds the band pressing forward with their own unique sound and take on the beloved genre, breaking the boundaries that separate punk and metal entirely and combining them to devastating effect.

It might only be mid January, but I'm ready to go ahead and call that "We Are Always Alone" will absolutely be one of the very best heavy records that comes out in 2021. It's the culmination of years of hard work on the band's end and a continued evolution of their now signature sound. Fans of punk, metal, and screamo should drop everything they're doing now assuming they're unaware, watch the video posted above, and get acquainted with what very well may become one of your new favorite bands. Here's hoping late 2021 will lead to the band being able to tour again and bring these incredible songs to audiences across the world.

Purchase "We Are Always Alone" Via Closed Casket Activities Here