In 1994, BraveWords & Bloody Knuckles magazine was born and here we stand 30 years later celebrating the past 12 months of music on our anniversary! What an incredible ride it has been and it's far from over! And during the past three decades, we've literally seen/heard thousands of releases and this is the time of the season when we crown the finest! The BraveWords scribes have spoken, so join us each day this month as we count down to the BravePick of 2024!

Remember, everybody has an opinion and it’s time for ours! Stay tuned at the end of December for BraveWords' writers’ individual Top 20s (new studio albums ONLY), Top 5 Brave Embarrassments (a fan favorite!), What/Who Needs To Stop In 2024? and Metal Predictions For 2025. 

BravePicks 2024

20) PORTRAIT - The Host (Metal Blade)

 

Portrait painted another masterpiece in 2024 – this time with the simple title The Host. Their sixth full-length was a first for the Swedes – a fully realized concept album described as “an occult tale of sword and sorcery” by guitarist Christian Lindell. It’s a tale of revenge with the searing King Diamond / Mercyful Fate influenced heavy metal, but Portrait are so much more than that – this time utilizing more of an extreme influence in their sound, creating a mammoth, razor sharp metal massacre.

The Host is prime Swedish heavy metal as The Host begins the top 20.

Scribe Nick Balazs rated The Host a 9.0 and wrote the album “cements Portrait as one of the best the scene has to offer.” An excerpt of his review:

Legstedt puts on a phenomenal vocal performance showcasing theatricality with a screeching falsetto and a biting lower voice showcasing the roller coaster of events. He’s not a KD clone by any means; he has a distinct, recognizable voice. Portrait musically crushes blending traditional heavy metal with doses of power, extreme, and thrash. It’s taking that template served by King Diamond / MF and extending it further.

Portrait utilizes those influences to maximum potential by combining those elements seamlessly with thoughtful transitions and thoughtful use of extremity and melody. “Treachery” executes this flawlessly with swirling mayhem that builds into a huge, airy, melodic solo. “One Last Kiss” is a full on power ballad with Judas Priest-like sustained notes in the louder parts, “Die In My Heart” has a slight commercial edge with its urgent, catchy vocals, “Sword Of Reason (The Steel Of Revenge)” is a chaotic assault of thrash, and “Sound The Horn” has black metal seeped into the trad metal blueprint. This is a sample of the strongly constructed diverse set of tracks.

From the haunting keyboard intro to the longest song in the band’s catalogue to close with “The Passions Of Sophia”, The Host has more urgency and unrest than 2021’s At One With None and it works in the Swedes favor. “Oneiric Visions” is one their best with the trance like state of the chorus and “The Men Of Renown” has a motivated, triumphant power metal feel in the vocals.

BravePicks 2024 Top 30

20) PORTRAIT - The Host 
21) ROTTING CHRIST - Pro Xristou (Season Of Mist)
22)SAXON - Hell, Fire And Damnation (Silver Lining)
23) ULCERATE - Cutting The Throat Of God (Debemur Morti Productions)
24) POWERWOLF - Wake Up The Wicked (Napalm)
25) ENSIFERUM - Winter Storm (Metal Blade)
26) OPETH - The Last Will And Testament (Reigning Phoenix Music)
27) DARK TRANQUILLITY - Endtime Signals (Century Media)
28) MORGUL BLADE - Heavy Metal Wraiths (No Remorse)
29) THE DEAD DAISIES - Light 'Em Up (Independent)
30) MÖRK GRYNING - Fasornas Tid (Season Of Mist)