Portrait

One of numerous Swedish bands seeking to revisit the pre-commercial strains of early-'80s heavy metal, Kristianstad's Portrait were born of a particularly strong passion for the works of Denmark's Mercyful Fate -- one of the most eccentric and unique bands in heavy metal history -- and their legendary lead singer King Diamond. In fact, the group's moniker derives from the latter's first post-Mercyful Fate solo album, Fatal Portrait, and so did the music heard on Portrait's earliest demos and eponymous 2008 debut album, highlighted by the piercing falsettos employed by singer P...