PASSION

First of all, robotic heavy rhythms changing substantially the band's sound. Drummer Scott Higham is apparently a big Portnoy's fan, but his abilities just don't meet the chemistry within Pendragon to my tastes. In this context, his omnipresent rolls give me a feeling of exaggeration, rhythms lack real creativity, in spite of how skilled drummer he is. Nick Barrett tries to reach metal territory again, and seems to me that his attempts doing metal riffing sound clichéd and mediocre. Dragged flat vocal melodies along with Barrett's constantly dizzy, sometimes angry voice combined with fast drumming around don't leave a good impression either. It only creates strangely nervous and depressive feeling. There are only likeable melodies in the piece called This Green and Pleasant Land which are quite overused though.

Using of samples is very extensive, many of them sort of unpleasant. On the other hand, Clive Nolan is again very sporadic element. His signature playing isn't present. Passion is very guitar-oriented album. Nick Barrett despite he's a nice person, his songwriting is a bunch of random, pre-packaged, overproduced ideas put together. There are some brighter places, but to me, flooded by music which sounds fabricated, no matter which field Barrett and company are trying to explore.

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