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- November 11, 2021
Metal band, Portrayal of Guilt, has just released their cuttingly hardcore single “Sadist.” The track features intense vocals from Jenna Rose of Anatomy as it’s a standout in the band’s newest album CHRISTF***** which dropped last Friday. The album was produced by Ben Greenberg and is a showcase of the band’s ability to trap listeners in an alternate dimension of horrifying depth.
The Texan band was formed in 2017 by guitarist/vocalist Matt King, bassist Blake Given and drummer James Beveridge. Since their conception, the band has infiltrated the world of hardcore screamo with music that takes one to the darkest depths of their being. CHRISTF***** is their second album released this year as it follows their highly-acclaimed record WE ARE ALWAYS ALONE, which was released in January. When the band plunged into the dark world of this new album and the mentality around it, King notes,
“We think of it partially in the sense of scoring a horror movie. We wanted to create an atmosphere of anxiety and fear.”
“Sadist” is a track that holds you captive with its punching instrumentation. Trapped in a cage of hard ambiance as the heavy vocals hauntingly chase you deeper into its dark depths. The screamed lyrics of “I couldn’t bear it/I couldn’t bear reality” scratch their way into your skin as you’re sucked into the nightmare. There are waves to the track, with moments of suffocation and others where a gasp of relief is rewarded. While it provides plenty of hard-hitting and head-banging opportunities, there is an accessibility to it. Moments to recoup and breathe before being dragged back into the sludge.
Portrayal of Guilt is unrelenting as they take this hellscape journey on the road, touring for the first time since the pandemic. See the full list of dates for their run here. And if reality is feeling a little too unbearable, stream “Sadist” for an intoxicatingly sadistic trip.
