Technically I'd have to say that the second effort by Betrayal is a better album than their first, but on a level of pure enjoyment I simply can't bring myself to say that.
Listening to the album the guitar work is better, the drums are amazingly better, and bass is better, the vocals change up from the fast spoken style they started to full singing now. Yet Renaissance By Death gets more spins in my CD player than The Passing.
The only negative I have to say on this one is they kind of copied themselves in track 2 "The Usurper" they again tell the story of a young boy this time who gets wrapped up in his own world of pride, hate, and drugs, and ends up killing another kid and going to jail. This style of "Story" song was cool the first time around, but just felt too much like they were trying to copy "Escaping The Altar" even if the lyrics were completely different.
This is surely an album all thrash fans want to get their hands on. Good stuff here. Find it if you can.
9/10
Other Staff Member Ratings
Grindboy: 6/10
Other coverage for this album
Dead Zine 2003Reviewed by undeadAfter listening to Betrayal's first album, Renaissance By Death, the first thing that came to my mind when listening to The Passing was that these guys matured in production and in music skill. Gone is the tin can drumming, in is the beefy guitars, and the bass is even audible. However, what Betrayal gained in production, they left behind the very thing that made Renaissance so good for me. What…The Lighthouse February 1994Reviewed by Michael KleinThe Passing is the latest offering from the thrash/speed metal band Betrayal. This is a challenging format for a band of Christians to carry out successfully. Combining screaming guitars, pounding drums, and harsh yelling vocals in a manner that glorifies God is not easily accomplished. Yet, in this release, I feel Betrayal does it quite well. Technically, the guitar work is amazing in its…Heaven's Metal #43Reviewed by Doug Van PeltBetrayal has improved quite a bit since its debut--"RENAISSANCE BY DEATH"--last year. This album finds 'em matured in the songwriting and current in today's scene. Most of the tunes are heavy-duty doses of intensity--a la The Crucified. It's almost a regular all-star jam, since there's several guest vocalists here. One tune sounds uncannily like Precious Death--musically and vocally. This comes…Similar sounding releases
1992DeliveranceStay of Execution
1988Vengeance RisingHuman Sacrifice
1993DetritusIf But For One
1993PossessionThe Unnameable Suffering
1997Screams of ChaosGenetic War
1998NecromanicideHate RegimeMore from Betrayal
2001The Passing Of Time
1999Leaving Nevermore
2002In Remembrance Of Me
Reviling Darkness
1991Renaissance by Death
