“Nothing left to say! Bring on the full length!†(75/100)
www.lordsofmetal.com:
“You easily come to the conclusion that this is a pure and honest CD. We label this as “very well done†(80/100)
www.metalfan.nl:
“Hails to Portall, can’t wait for the full-lenght!†(73/100)
www.aardschok.com:
“It doesn’t happen very often that a band comes up with a new way to mix the old and trusted ingredientsâ€.
www.festivalinfo.nl:
“The Metalbash started a little fire that could become very dangerous if Portall continues this wayâ€.
www.musketeerofdeath.nl:
"Definitely one of the surprises of last months. Can only say one thing: please more of this!!!
www.metal-rules.com:
"Portall has started their own world domination well, and I gotta believe IN THE ABSENCE OF LIGHT is just the beginning for them..." (3,5/5)
Live Reviews www.lordsofmetal.nl:
“An excellent band to start the Aaltjesrock Festivalâ€.
www.metalfan.nl:
“Portall is the new Dutch promise! And confirms this statement at the indoor stageâ€. (Stonehenge Festival 2006)
www.zwaremetalen.com:
“The surprise of the day was definitely Portall!†What a great live band this is!†I was headbanging and moshing as if I knew the band for years!†(Stonehenge Festival 2006)
www.zwaremetalen.com:
“I noticed that the band made quite an impression to the people surrounding meâ€. There were not many people that could constrain their neck muscles.†(Occultfest 2006)
www.clubklunen.be:
“ Portall came, saw and thrashed everything!! What an agression from these young Dutch thrashers. They unleashed their biting Death/Thrash metal very loud and tight to the audience. Furious drums, heavy riffs and a singer who grunted everything together. It’s unquestionable that these guys can play some heavy stuff. That their talented is very obvious and with a little luck they could become huge! Let’s hope so! Awesome!!†(Meetjesland Metalfest Belgium 2006)
Biography
Portall started in February 2003. Rutger, Jeroen and Jeffrey already played together in a studio in Zwolle. When their second guitarist decided to quit, they approached Peter Haverkamp to join the band. After the first rehearsal it was clear that Portalls primair music taste was a lot more different from the style the three guys used to play. They decided to throw away the old material and started writing new songs, which would become a lot heavier and intense. In April 2003 the first demo was recorded and the first shows followed in the months after. Because there was a lot of material a second demo was recorded in October, but according to the band members both demo's weren't representative for what Portall sounded and felt like.
In 2003 and 2004 Portall won several band competitions which resulted in more gigs.
In May 2005 they won the Metalbattle, a metalband competition, which gave them the opportunity to record their first EP titled "In the Absence of Light". Portall stayed for a short week in the Harrow Studio, where bands such as Asphyx and Occult (nowadays Legion of the Damned) had been recording their material. The 5 track counting EP was well received by metalheads and media and gave Portall a bigger reputation.
In December 2005 Portall reached the finals of Aardschoks Metalbash. Portalls straight forward trash metal worked out pretty well, cause they ended second place, 1 point less than the winner.
Portall is working hard to spread their message. In 2006 they were on the road a lot and moved their metal mayhem abroad. Portall is currently writing lots of new material and is focusing on bringing out a debut album in 2008 under the "Under Her Black Wings" label. Portall will be busy to spread their name throughout the metal world as always and be on stage as much as they can. Nowadays when the attention is more pointed to softer music, its hard to arrange gigs when you're a metalband. But from the beginning of metal 'till now, its a hard and heavy fact that metal is still alive among lots of people and its clear that it is here to stay!! And Portall exists to support that fact.