The Album Reader Reviews:

	Title: A Predator's Portrait Artist: Soilwork Label: Nuclear Blast Release Date: 2/19/01	There are currently 8 Reader Reviews of this album. Average Rating: 4.37 Go to Judgment Committee Reviews of this Album
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Submitted by Omen (12/18/01):
Soilwork kicks ass. They can thrash out and still play incredible solos, which is a dying art in the metal world. The clean singing does take a while to get used to but I feel it adds to the color of the band. Overall this album is just flat out awesome.

Submitted by Predator (8/24/01):
Fnabi, I can tell that you are just envious that you cannot play like these Swedes. There is something called "evolution" and, apparently, your life is in that process. I don't agree that Chainheart was their masterpiece. Sure, it is their breakthrough album, but APP is WAY much better than that. It all comes down to tactics. Do you prefer to be cut down with a chainsaw or be surgically dissected nerve by nerve? Guess which one has a more lasting effect.

Submitted by Mac (5/14/01):
Abyss got it WRONG! This album kicks ass and the clean vocals work great. I don't know what he was listening to, but get a clue! The melodies, the hard riffs, catchy lyrics-- they all work perfectly. Get this album, second only to Blackwater Park!

Submitted by Eric Thompson (4/24/01):
Having been a major fan of their last release, Chainheart Machine, I was convinced this new release would really catapault the band's career. Combining such diverse influences as Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Symphony X, Deftones, Freak Kitchen, Slayer and At The Gates, Chainheart featured a unique ferocity, originality and unpretentiousness, coupled with amazing pyrotechnic dual guitar wizardry and an uncanny flair for melody. For my money, Chainheart blew away anything else coming out of Sweden, including Arch Enemy's much heralded Burning Bridges album and The Haunted's debut album (who were being hyped by many reviewers as the new Slayer). Even Rob Halford is a big fan!
As for my estimation, yes, Predator's Portrait, the band's third full-length release, will definitely win a new and bigger audience for this young, rowdy gang of Swedes. However, for previous Soilwork fans, Portrait may present a bit of a curve ball. While the technical dual guitar harmonies and brilliant lead soloing are still in tact, as is the general balls-to-the-wall heaviness of the band, much, but not all, of the violence and slash-and-burn riffing has disappeared, giving way to a more progressive and even more melodic sound. In fact, eight of the ten tracks include vocalist Bjorn Strid's new melodic (and quite effective) vocal approach. Combined with his still ever present hardcore-styled vocals, which are simply among the best in the scene, this makes for an album of remarkable contrast when compared to the unrelenting bombast of Chainheart Machine. And for this reason, I think there may be some sceptics at first.
Neverthelesss, after hearing tracks like "Like the Average Stalker" and "The Analyst," it is evident that Soilwork create some insanely contagious metal music and are on their way to bigger and better notoriety. If you're not a fan of the more melodic death metal efforts of bands like Arch Enemy and In Flames, don't waste your time. Instead, I'd recommend Chainheart Machine, which features the more in-yer-face approach of At the Gates and Slayer. But for any fan of super-melodic death metal, you'll definitely want this. Watch out for them.

Submitted by rottingcorpse (3/16/01):
When I first picked up Predator, my expectations were quite high. Chainheart is one of the best albums I have heard in quite a long time. From beginning to end, that CD kicks. I am pretty new to Soilwork. After hearing a bit of Chainheart for the first time, I was hooked. I went and picked it up as well as Steelbath and listened religiously to them. So needless to say, I set myself up for a big downfall. My first run through the CD made me wanting to listen to Chainheart again, which I thought meant I wasn't going to wear out Predator. I listened a few times and then a few times more, then a few times more and now it never leaves the CD player. This album is tremendous. The musical ability of this band amazes me. It got everything you need in a metal CD. Riffs, grinds, growls, clean vocals (yes, that is becoming very important nowadays, to know that the singer can actually sing "clean"), etc. Soilwork is either setting up themselves up to be the Kings of the metal scene. Don't take it from me, sample this CD and it won't take more than 20 seconds to know you need to own this...

Submitted by fnabi (3/5/01):
If any of the reviews were correct it was Mr. Abyss's review... this album is disappointing and the clean vocals make this album 'SUCK'. The songs really don't go anywhere and they're kinda hard rock not metal. Solos are not memorable and did I mention the clean vocals suck.
These guys are sort of third grade Swedish metal and, let's face it, Fredick Nordstrom is turning out to be a pretty boring producer.

Submitted by SergeantD (2/25/01):
Can you say "best metal album of 2001"? This is a more polished Soilwork with the addition of clean vocals. Yes, this clean vocals thing is getting quite trendy, but hell, it sounds so damn good. They maintain the thick, catchy groove riffs that were present on The Chainheart Machine. A Predator's Portrait will surely draw comparisons to In Flames' Clayman mainly due to the catchy, clean choruses throughout this album but Soilwork puts their own signature on it. I have listened to this album many times now and cannot find a bad song. The lyrics are both smart and catchy. If you are tired of hearing the melodic Swedish death metal, then you will look for things to pick on about this album. If you cannot get enough of this stuff, like me, you will play this over and over with great satisfaction. A Predator's Portarait delivers fine metal with utter brilliance.

Submitted by john (2/25/01):
This is definitely a very good release by one of the very best Swedish bands out there, but I have to say the clean vocals don't work at all. This album also does not top their last album The Chainheart Machine, which is a masterpiece. That said this album is still a great album and highly recommended to any fan of Swedish metal or any metal. Go out and get it!

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