A ballistic sophomore record from Portrayal of Guilt.
This 2021, Texas black metal outfit Portrayal of Guilt has released a gut-punch with We Are Always Alone. For their sophomore record, ‘We Are Always Alone’, they have doubled down on swift performances and heightened manic presentation on this album. The devilish screams, the chugging guitar riffs, and blast beats, and the isolating, despondent lyricism do fit well as the melodies and textures hit hard for the entire 26 minutes. There could’ve been more tightening up on some of the quicker rhythms as they do get a bit more messy and unkept unlike the other tracks, and the lyrical department could have been a bit more interesting even if it does work well when the melodies stand out for the most of the record.
This was under my heavy rotation as it was difficult whether this clicked or not, but it absolutely clicked as the band puts out a merciless, desolate record that will keep you going back to it.
Favorite Tracks: Anesthetized, It’s Already Over, Garden of Despair, My Immolation, They Want Us All To Suffer, Masochistic Oath, We Are Always Alone Least Favorite Track: The Second Coming