Town Portal - Vacuum Horror 2011 + interview

Town Portal play instrumental rock that crosses borders of genres. Tapping on experience from earlier endeavors in genres like death metal, shoegaze and math rock, the three members bring components of it all into a melting pot, creating a unique niche of original melodies and harmonies, fixated on a skeleton of complex and playful rhythm structures.


Under the dogma of forsaking vocals and other superfluous effects, the band throw themselves into a search of new meaningful ways to compose tones over time, with a heavy and dry precision. After a European tour in 2010 and a minor row of Danish shows, they released their debut EP entitled Vacuum Horror in late 2011. The EP was followed up by another European tour in the beginning of 2012. In Denmark the EP was praised in several large- and small scale magazines, and the opening track Rosini is currently in rotation on national Danish radio, DR P6. A surprising outcome for an instrumental band, with its roots heavily planted in the DIY scenes ethics and methods. At the moment they’re preparing the recording of their debut album set to be released later this year.

Interview with town portal below.

*what do you do for living?
We’re all studying at the moment. A future teacher, a future librarian and a future landscape architect.

*what is your source of inspiration?
There are many. Most influential is probably all the odd, quirky and amazing stuff that you can encounter in this universe, whether it’s ridiculous conspiracy theories, cryptozoology or occultism. Things that add a little adventure to a world, that at first glance appears to be a little ordinary. Musically we tap on many different inspirations, ranging from The Forms to Meshuggah, and tons of stuff in between.

*”Vacuum Horror” was self-recorded. Would you do it again with your next release?
Actually we’re about to start recording our first full-length. This time we’re taking it up a notch, having the drums recorded by our friend Jakob Reichert Nielsen.

He previously worked with a lot of our favorite Danish bands (Lack, Rising, Obstacles, Trust, etc.), who all sound really good, and we are quite confident that adding him to the process, will ensure a big improvement exactly where it’s needed (in regards to Vacuum Horror): the drum sound.

(During last summer we spent our time recording a 6-track EP entitled Vacuum Horror.
It was recorded by ourselves and mixed/mastered by the mighty Carl Amburn (Russian Circles, Self-Evident, Riddle Of Steel etc.)
We self-released this EP as a CC-licensed digital-only release, and it’s available for free (donations are welcome) at www.townportal.bandcamp.com)

*currently on tour. for how long and where to expect to see you?
Well, in fact we finished the tour, and are now back home in Copenhagen. We toured for three weeks with our friends in Obstacles, playing 18 shows in Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia, Austria and Czech Republique.

I think everyone in the travel party felt that it was the best tour they ever did, and we’re really eager to get back out there again soon.

*what band do you wish you had most seen?
Hmm, I don’t know. Not sure we all would agree, but maybe Faraquet.

town portal & archiv hate

bandcamp: town portal | support at bandcamp