PASSAGE is a two-man doom metal band hailing from Canada. Their debut album is a hearty dose of some of the best doom metal music that I’ve heard in quite some time. Truly creative guitar playing - reminds me a bit of old Katatonia, but Passage adds a bit of synth in there, too, further enhancing the dark sound. But while the music itself pulled me in to wallow in its misery, the singing was quite a turn-off. Some parts, more frequently than I would like, he raises his voice too forcefully, and the music suffers for it. He sounds overly dramatic, and just not solid enough. I probably would’ve liked this album much more had the vocals been all harsh; I think that would’ve given this CD a more depressing and despondent feeling. Also, the lyrics did not particularly appeal to me - they seemed too cliché.

But the music is fantastic - each song drives forward like a great, crushing juggernaut, dripping with sadness and desolation. The first song, Perfect World, the catchiest, most radio-friendly tune, really stands out and is easily one of the best on the album. And track three, A Death In Autumn, is darker and more somber, probably my favorite song on the album; I love the heavy guitar-work on it, reminding me a bit of a My Dying Bride song. And the synth interlude at about the 2:52 mark really brings the doom atmosphere to new depths. Other highlights include the fourth track; It’s Gone Too Far, which opens with a soft female voice that compliments the music well. And The Burden delivers a soft acoustic melody that really shines throughout the song. The final track, Coma, also reminds me a bit of My Dying Bride - it is a long, barren track that really pulls the listener into the most sobering form of despair.

Overall, I am so disappointed with the singing because I want to love this album. The music is that good. I hope that the vocalist works on his style more, or tries a different way of getting his voice across. He just sounds too mundane, like a second-rate clone of Anathema. Despite that, I am curious to see how the next album is - these guys definitely have talent. The music is already there, it’s just the singing that needs work.