Portrait

Given how dominant Mercyful Fate was in the 80's (and how most every other 80's band has hordes of imitators), it's a bit surprising there aren't more bands that take their cue from King Diamond's clan. Enter Sweden's Portrait, formed in 2004 and with a string of albums to their credit over the last decade and a half. The style, particularly on the earlier efforts such as 2011's Crimen Laesae Majestatis Divinae, is undeniably Fate-focused -- the vocals alone would be enough to bring out such comparisons, as Per Lengstedt does a more than passable King imitation and in particular isn't afraid to soar into the higher-pitch realms that King did so well back in the day. The guitars, too, have that distinctive Denner/Shermann tone, and while the riffs stop short of plagiarism, that can't be coincidental. Sure, things are a bit more modern overall, this isn't total retro worship, but there's no denying where Portrait's primary influence comes from. Predictably, as the band has matured, the Fate comparisons are starting to fade (though Lengstedt still pulls off those falsettos), and Portrait is now pursuing a more traditional metal style.

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Discography

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