With Passion

Although With Passion’s technical, prog-shaded metalcore will likely draw unfavourable comparisons to Between the Buried and Me, in some ways they are a more powerful and structurally intriguing unit. Unfortunately hampered by a thin, overly squashed production and mix, the group tear through their jaw-droppingly complex material with a zeal sorely missing in recent efforts from similar outfits like Glass Casket and My Bitter End. A next to no mosh influence and zero clean vocals help the band overcome the sameness of much of the genre and allows for a more genuine, diverse approach in songwriting that avoids almost any of the trappings that so often derail bands of their ilk. While not all that catchy or memorable, there is something to be said for a record that offers something different on every spin and consistently throws enough shifts in direction and timing at the listener to remain intriguing after nearly an hour. There are more than enough groups dropping hooks and radio-friendly choruses in their songs like so many stale breadcrumbs, With Passion provide an alternative.