PORTRAYAL OF GUILT and SLOW FIRE PISTOL are two of the most compelling up and coming bands in aggressive music and today they’ve announced a brand new split, out now via Run For Cover Records. The release offers a snapshot of the shared spirit between two groups with an artful approach to making primal music–both defined by their ability to deftly mine the depths of hardcore’s many sub-genres while avoiding nostalgia, and push the boundaries of all things loud and heavy.
Hailing from Austin, Texas, Portrayal of Guilt contribute the split’s a-side, “The End of Man Will Bring Peace to This Earth” a crushing cut that encompasses the band’s many influences on one track. The song showcases Portrayal of Guilt’s extreme spin on elements of screamo, hardcore, noise, and more, along with vocalist/guitarist Matt King’s bleak lyricism. On the b-side, Atlanta, Georgia’s Slow Fire Pistol (featuring members of Foundation) explore a more melodic but no less visceral side of hardcore with “Heart of Discernment.” After a pummeling minute of punk speed and cutting riffs the song unexpectedly shifts into a nearly five minute build up, with dynamic and tempos shifts to match the lyric’s pained lament for empathy.
King discussed the split, saying:
“We had the pleasure of having Slow Fire Pistol on a few of our tour dates a couple of years ago and have kept in touch about doing a split ever since. We’re happy to finally get this out and are appreciative to be working with Run For Cover. ‘The End of Man Will Bring Peace to This Earth’ sets the tone for our second full-length coming later this year (on Closed Casket Activities). I think it speaks for itself.”
Slow Fire Pistol drummer, Blake Hall, adds:
“All of us in Slow Fire Pistol have been fans of POG’s music and of them as people. This idea for a split with them was something we were all excited about, and we’re very proud of how the finished product is turning out. We’re also very thankful to the team at Run For Cover for making this happen. There’s a contrast between each band’s song that allows them both to stand out and be something very unique, while also complimenting each other in a way that makes perfect sense to us. We hope ‘Heart of Discernment’ resonates with listeners in a way that causes them to examine how we as individuals can afford to have a little more empathy for people who aren’t just like us.”
Portrayal of Guilt will be touring throughout the Winter and Spring, starting with a run of US shows in March (including dates with Slow Fire Pistol), followed by a lengthy UK and EU tour in April. See full itinerary below.
MAR 6 – Houston, TX @ Red Dwarf*
MAR 7 – Baton Rouge, LA @ The Woodshop*
MAR 8 – Orlando, FL @ Will’s Pub+
MAR 9 – Tampa , FL @ Blue Note+
MAR 10 – Miami, FL @ Churchill’s
MAR 11 – Gainesville, FL @ The Atlantic •
MAR 12 – Jacksonville, FL @ Rain Dogs •
MAR 13 – Columbia, SC @ New Brookland Tavern †
MAR 14 – Atlanta, GA @ The Bakery †
MAR 15 – Birmingham, AL @ Seasick Records †
MAR 16 – Hattiesburg, MS @ Sin Den
MAR 17 – New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa
MAR 18 – Dallas, TX @ Three Links
APR 3 – Helsinki, FI @ Cactus
APR 4 – Tampere, FI @ Kenneli D.I.Y.
APR 5 – Berlin, DE @ An Der Autobahn
APR 6 – Weimar, DE @ Gerber 3
APR 7 – Leipzig, DE @ Felsenkeller
APR 8 – Stuttgart, DE @ Club Zentral
APR 9 – Paris, FR @ l’ESS’pace
APR 10 – Nottingham, UK @ Stuck On A Name Studios
APR 11 – Sheffield, UK @ Network
APR 12 – Bristol, UK @ Rough Trade
APR 13 – London, UK @ The Black Heart
APR 14 – TBC
APR 15 – TBC
APR 16 – Hasselt, BE @ WERF
APR 17 – Bochum, DE @ Die Trompete
APR 18 – Darmstadt, DE @ Oettinger Villa
APR 19 – Tilburg, NL @ Roadburn Festival* with Chat Pile
+ with Horsewhip
† with Slow Fire Pistol
• with PeZ
Slow Fire Pistol tour dates:
MAR 13 – Columbia, SC @ New Brookland Tavern †
MAR 14 – Atlanta, GA @ The Bakery †
MAR 15 – Birmingham, AL @ Seasick Records †† with Portrayal of Guilt
About Portrayal of Guilt and Slow Fire Pistol:
Portrayal of Guilt and Slow Fire Pistol are two of heavy music’s most compelling up and coming bands, with the defining sounds of both groups rooted in their unique abilities to deftly mine the depths of hardcore’s many subgenres, and draw influence while avoiding nostalgia. While relatively new, the two bands have already built impressive catalogs, and now they’re teaming up for the release of a blistering new split EP from Run For Cover.
Formed in 2017 and based in Austin, Texas, Portrayal of Guilt (guitarist/vocalist Matt King, drummer James Beveridge, and bassist Alex Stanfield) have quickly gained attention for their punishing sound that pulls from many corners of aggressive music. The band’s critically acclaimed 2018 full-length, Let Pain Be Your Guide, puts an extreme spin on elements of screamo, hardcore, noise, and more, while showcasing King’s bleak lyrisicm. Portrayal of Guilt’s contribution to the split EP, “The End of Man Will Bring Peace to This Earth,” provides a glimpse of what’s to come as their crushing sonics continue to evolve.
Atlanta, Georgia’s Slow Fire Pistol began shortly before Portrayal of Guilt, with its members (guitarist/vocalist Hank Pratt, guitarist Ben Jordan, bassist Connor McFall, and drummer Blake Hall) also sharing roots in hardcore and an appreciation of first wave screamo. Those influences coalesced into songs that incorporate both visceral aggression and stunning moments of melody. The band honed their sound across a series of EPs, culminating with 2019’s harrowing Love Riddled With Conditions, and now their split offering, “Heart of Discernment.” After a pummeling minute of punk speed and cutting riffs the song unexpectedly shifts into a nearly five minute build up, with dynamic and tempos shifts blossoming to match Pratt’s pained lament for empathy.
The Portrayal of Guilt and Slow Fire Pistol split EP is more than just a collaboration between friends with mutual influences, it’s a snapshot of the shared spirit between these two groups and their common instinct to push the boundaries of loud, heavy, aggressive music. It’s an artful approach to primal sounds, and a promising look at what’s to come from both bands.
