The Swedish metallic force known as Portrait have returned with their sixth full length album and there’s been a slightly divided set of expectations from the heavy metal faithful due to it being touted by the band as a concept album. Some concept albums can be overwrought and tedious, while others can become a band’s defining opus. Portrait have serious talent and while they started out as slight Mercyful Fate worship, they have recently pushed through to forge their own path in the scene. Is this latest album a defining masterwork, or melodramatic drudgery? The only standard I have for concept albums is that they are fun to listen to, and the best songs from them should be able to stand alone. Let’s give it a listen and find out where The Host lies…

1. Hoc Est Corpus Meum is an atmospheric intro that mixes some gothic-sounding piano with synths, taking us to the true opener…

2. The Blood Covenant goes out fast and furious right from the gate. Vocalist Per Lengstedt shows off his interesting range, going from a medium sort of growl to piercing highs that help earn this band their frequent comparisons to innovators of old. This song manages to go to a lot of different places in the span of four minutes. It’s a strong start.

3. The Sacrament starts off with a very strong double guitar riff that is promptly pierced by wailing screams. This one is a fun callback to old-school horror-tinged metal of the ’80s. Some great guitar soloing ties this one together.

4. Oneiric Visions proceeds to get the action going with some percussion before the riffage kicks in. The guitar centerpiece for this track is a nice gallop that keeps things moving along nicely. The vocals are absolutely calling forth King Diamond‘s banshee-like cries to create an atmosphere of haunting dread. The drums have a very ominous and welcome presence throughout.

5. One Last Kiss lulls the listener in with softer guitars before giving way to the closest thing this album has to a power ballad. It’s sort of like a ballad-meets-midtempo-stomper. This is a medium headbanger and some virtuosic guitar playing brings it together seamlessly. It’s a dark piece packed with a surprising amount of emotion.

6. Treachery gets things back on the metallic rails with speedier riffing this time around. Things are definitely taking a turn towards the dramatic and luckily it works. The sparing use of blast beats is a nice touch. The song slows down for a bit to give things a chance to breathe before wrapping things up the way they began.

7. Sound the Horn gallops into action before giving way to a faster and much more chaotic piece. The structure here might remind someone of black metal at certain points. The lo-fi, almost broken sound of the vocal elements here are a welcome change of pace to add some variety. The soloing is also just as chaotic and cacophonous as the rest of the track. This one definitely stands out from the pack!

8. Dweller of the Threshold meets us at the halfway point of the album and things show no sign of letting up! This track is fast as well but tones things down a tad from what just came before. The wailing vocals are the building block of this particular song. Strong riffing is icing on the cake.

9. Die in My Heart is more melodic as it opens up with ’80s-style riffing. The vocals are much more sinister this time around with a darker, more ominous feel as they reach a lower register that rumbles under the higher notes. Some tasteful organ is used to great effect and all the elements help this track not feel too similar to the previous one, which I was worried about during the first minute.

10. Voice of the Outsider kicks things off with a slower percussion pattern that leads into a more doom-sounding piece. It’s a very welcome change of pace that then gives way to a more melodic soundscape when things pick up. The more conservative, measured playing on this one breaks things up nicely.

11. From the Urn beckons us back to the world of King Diamond‘s solo material, which is more story-focused and operatic than the band he sprang forth from. The melodies are sinister in that fun way you would hope for. There’s a slower acoustic passage that dials things back for a little while to tell the band’s tale before returning to the gothic melodrama.

12. The Men of Renown returns to a crunchier guitar riff punctuated by some tasty leads. This is a more dynamic track with some nice tempo changes to keep things moving but the formula is starting to wear a bit thin at this point. The playing is excellent, and the melodies are there, yet I am starting to feel a bit burned out.

13. Sword of Reason (The Steel of Revenge) is the penultimate track and wastes no time to get things moving. The vocals are very strong hammer home the desired tone of the album at this point. The song does feel like it is taking you to an ending of sorts. That brings us to the final track…

14. The Passions of Sophia is a towering monolith sitting at 11-and-a-half minutes long as the album’s epic closer. A clean guitar passage paves the way for the vocals to kick in and deliver the needed passages to bring an end to the story Portrait is penning with The Host. The main riff that drives the song is good once it gets going, but it sounds a bit expected. The chorus feels derivative of recent Iron Maiden albums, where they just repeat the name of the song over and over but everything else works very well. Even the bass is given a nice chance to shine here. It’s a good closer to this monument of an album.

Wrapping Up:

Portrait have done a great job of presenting an album that is played well, written well, and is sonically consistent with the band’s current identity. There’s only one thing that keeps it from ascending to a higher level and reaching the upper echelons among the great albums I’ve heard this year: The Host is just too long. By the end of the album, I felt worn out and ready for it to be over. I feel that a few of these tracks could be cut and you’d have a much stronger contender for an album of the year. If you are a hardcore fan of the band and absolutely love everything they do, then this album is going to rock your world, and you will be quite happy. If you’re a more casual fan who checks in on the band occasionally, it might be too much to listen to in one sitting. If you are on the fence, the entire album is available to listen to on official channels to help you decide. It’s absolutely worth a shot if you are interested. Portrait has always been a great band, and I look forward to what they will come up with next.

THENWOTHM SCORE: 7/10