PASSION

Each Pendragon release has gotten progressively better. With Pure taking the Pendragon sound into unchartered territories I was really looking forward to their next release and eagerly counted down the days once the release date was announced. Sadly after multiple listens I can sum Passion up with just one word "forgettable".

It's not that it's bad after all, it's not. But frankly it's like the early albums - it meanders on without much variation with that classic Pendragon sound. Fans of those earlier albums will probably wet themselves, and perhaps that's why so many love it, but I much prefer the later 2 albums. To me this album really lacks any focus or entertainment value best suited for background music.

I'm struggling to understand what it is about Passion that has captured my fellow reviewers attention. Perhaps it will come to me over time, but after multiple listens I find the album really quite boring lacking any real highs or lows. I couldn't even name a track let alone a favorite track.

For now I'll have to stick with The Masquerade Overture, Believe and Pure and hope for a return to form in the next album. For fans of early works such as Window of Life, Not of This World and yes, The Masquerade Overture I think you'll love this album, although Masquerade is better in my humble opinion.