Rough Edge: Lacuna Coil CD Reviews

LACUNA COIL

"Karmacode" (Century Media; 2006)

Reviewed by Snidermann

What happened when I heard "Karmacode," my first entire Lacuna Coil CD? I'll tell you: I was completely spellbound.

"Karmacode" is nothing short of astonishing. It's purely superior musical storytelling in every aspect. In my opinion, Lacuna Coil is right up there with The Alan Parsons Project and Pink Floyd when it comes to getting a story across to the listener. I know that's high praise and I do not deliver it lightly. I feel very strongly about this band; they are simply that good.

Lacuna Coil have certainly earned their place on the Ozzfest main stage. They just plain cook! Damn it! Now I have to go out and dig up all the past Lacuna Coil releases. Oh, well. That comes with the territory and it'll be fun exploring the band's past.

For more information, check out http://www.lacunacoil.it.

"Comalies" (Century Media; 2002)

Reviewed by Jeff Rogers

"Comalies" is Lacuna Coil's best commercial effort to date. The tag-team vocals are still here and they work is such unison that aggression meets harmony to fill a void in music that most bands couldn't muster. Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro have an almost operatic way of delivering the vocal goods. I could definitely see an evenly mixed guy/girl crowd at their show. The Goth element is still present but not overindulgent.

This disc has all the elements that make it worth several spins; it didn't leave my car for two weeks! Each song is polished but not so slick that it sounds manufactured by a mindless producer and each song offers a new musical journey. There are thirteen tracks and a bonus video track, "The Making Of Comalies," for those who want a little more Coil in their lives. The video is only six minutes long, but it's a freebie so that's okay.

From the first song to the last, you'll be into "Comalies." The band's love for guitars and drums is never absent. The guitar is driving when it needs to be and mixes well with the vocals. Track 6, "Aeon" is an intermission song that made me think my CD player was skipping. It wasn't; it's just part of the song, and part of the mystique of Lacuna Coil. It has an underwater guitar sound with Cristina singing a haunting melody. Track 7, "Tight Rope" has the machine gun bass drum going. Track 12, "Angel's Punishment" has some growling vocals by Andrea but Cristina smoothes them out -- sort of a beast and beauty duet.

Those who favor female vocals will want to be buried with this release. The best track is offered is at the end: "Comalies" is sung in French and English and doesn't sound like any other track on the disc. I had to pull the insert to follow along. They say French is the language of love; well, for the time Cristina sings, I agree.

"Comalies" is an excellent disc and you owe it to yourself to find it and share it with your friends. If they don't like it, check their pulse.

Lacuna Coil: Cristina Scabbia - female vocals; Andrea Ferro - male vocals; Cristiano Migliore - guitar; Marco Coti Zelati - bass and all keyboards; Cristiano Mozzati - drums.

For more information, check out http://www.lacunacoil.it.

"In A Reverie" (Century Media; 1999)

Reviewed by Christopher J. Kelter

Italy's Lacuna Coil finally offer their first full length disc with "In A Reverie" (although the disc was released in Europe in February 1999, it was unavailable in the US until June 1999). The mid-paced progressive hard rock style of Lacuna Coil is unlike anything I've heard from an American band; although the music is clearly situated in the hard rock genre it is clear that heavy metal influences have made the band what it is today. Lacuna Coil's unique style has touches of goth, pop, progressive metal, and doom. The band's secret weapon is that they utilize two vocalists; the male voice of Andrea Ferro and the female voice of the superbly unique talent of Cristina Scabbia create a majestic sound. The two vocalists combine their skills in various ways to give the dark and somber music a dramatic element found nowhere else in music today. Quite simply, Lacuna Coil confirms my most recent observations that many European bands have a lot to offer to the listening public of the United States.

The nine tracks make the disc compact with no wasted superfluous filler. Each track is a solid reminder that melodic metal can be about tension, drama, and showmanship.

"Circle" is dark and somber while wondering what can be done to resolve past actions. "Stately Lover" is a great song about misunderstood obsession. "Honeymoon Suite" plays a bit of role reversal as Andrea strongly dictates that his lover "get out of my life" while Cristina sings "won't you take me back" with longing and desperation - this is as good as it gets for dramatic interplay in today's music. "My Wings" gives a good example of the duo-vocalist style that Lacuna Coil employ - while Cristina's voice cuts through the air with symphonic authority, Andrea's gruff vocal line "time is like a knife for me" adds another vicious element to the tune.

"Cold" is another strong track. While a murky guitar arpeggio kicks the tune off there is a wistful vocal line that belies the chilling honesty of the lack of remorse of a relationship that has come to an untimely demise. Cristina's inflections in her vocals are amazing - just listening to her sing will create new synapse explosions in your brain's auditory region.

Production on "In A Reverie" was provided by the famous Waldemar Sorychta (known for being a member of Grip, Inc. as well as a producer of Samael, Tiamat, Sentenced); the disc was engineered by the equally famous Siggi Bemm (who has produced Covenant, the Gathering, and Kreator).

The band is comprised of Cristina Scabbia as the female vocalist and Andrea Ferro as the male vocalist, accompanied by Cristiano Migliore on guitars, Marco Coti Zelati on bass, and Cristiano Mozzati on drums. Waldemar Sorychta contributed keyboards. All of the music was written by Coti Zelati and Migliore with one exception where producer Waldemar Sorychta wrote the music; all of the lyrics were written by Ferro and Scabbia.

For more information, check out http://www.lacunacoil.it.

Rating Guide:

A classic. This record will kick your ass.

Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.

So-so. You've heard better.

Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.

Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.

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