DARK PASSAGE
“THE LEGACY OF BLOOD”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

8/10

Dark Passage are a heavy metal band from Italy formed in 2012 releasing the ‘Sounds From The Passage’ E.P. in 2015, and their debut album ‘The Legacy Of Blood’ in 2020.

At first glance, the debut full length offering from the Italian metallers, looks very attractive with an incredible sixteen songs on offer across a one hour play time. On closer inspection of the track listing for the conceptual album, only eight of the songs are “proper songs”, the other eight are shorter, instrumental and/or spoken word passages, acting as intro’s for each of the “proper songs”. These kinda break up the head of steam the album picks up as each “proper song” gets going, hooking you in with infectiousness and memorability. The concept of the album is “set in medieval Scotland during the first independence war, telling the story of the war to gain the Scottish throne”. And it’s the storytelling nature that Dark Passage have got spot on, the album sounding like a late night sit down around a camp fire with a few beers…so let the story begin…

…with my review only reviewing the eight “proper songs” on offer. Am sorry if this is gonna upset a few people, including the band, but it’s these songs that make the album and not the sub two minute intro’s to each one – although without them, the story wouldn’t make much sense… So, that said, let’s move on with the opening song, the heavily guitar led ‘Heavens Bent’. A huge power metal feel strikes you fair and square in the middle of your forehead as ‘Heavens Bent’ gets underway, galloping at pace with a huge melodic feel. It’s heavy, it’s hard, and it’s an infectious opening salvo. ‘When I Killed The King’ takes on a slightly darker feel, almost menacing as it roars into life and races on at full tilt. A definite head banging moment on the album, ‘When I Killed The King’ is a perfect mix of power metal and the classic sound of traditional heavy metal. Heavy hitting and raucous, ‘Lie’ thunders in and adopts a mid paced foot stomp as it swaggers past. The opening of the title song ‘The Legacy Of Blood’ resembles “black album” era Metallica balladry – before swinging into melodic metal territory, thumping its way across the land, gathering speed with every stride.

‘An Outcast’s Choice’ lowers the tone to a menacing mid tempo march. A shuddering stomp, ‘An Outcast’s Tale’ suddenly shows a clean pair of heels and races off at high pace, galloping furiously like the “foot on the monitor” anthem it is. Dropping all pace, ‘Crown Prince’ drops into dark and menacing territory, before exploding into life and rocketing on. ‘Crown Prince’ constantly switches between fast and furious, and slow and heavy. At over seven minutes in length ‘Charade Of Souls’ is by far and away the longest song on offer, adopting an Iron Maiden style epic feel as it creeps into life. Fairly cinematic in its delivery, ‘Charade Of Souls’ holds your attention from start to finish. Bringing the album to a close is ‘Words Of Wisdom’, the most mellow and “soft” of all the songs on the album – and rather than sung, it’s delivered as any story told round a camp fire would. Although the albums rhythm is broken up as I said earlier, Dark Passage do a great job in creating a great atmosphere when telling the story. And if you listen loud with the lights off, the experience will be even greater.

Overall, a cracking mix of power metal and traditional heavy metal, Dark Passage tell a good story very well.

TRACKLIST

The Father And The Son
Heavens Bent
To Cleanse With Blood
When I Killed The King
Hatching Lies
Lies
Legacy To Stand
The Legacy Of Blood
A Roll Of Dice
An Outcast’s Choice
Royal Breed
Crown Prince
Son Of War
Charade Of Souls
The Last Defeat
Words Of Wisdom

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