Metal Reviews

The album has leaked and I just started Fragile. I've heard from some long-time fans of the band that they were disappointed with it.

Post your impressions of the album here.

I'm downloading it now, will listen tomorrow. I'd bet money it's no different, but the success of the last album will have turned people off even though they won't admit it. They call it nu-metal and lame shit like that. I have the single and "Our Truth" and the b-side, "Without A Reason," sound no different than their other shit.

OK, just listening through the bits that have downloaded already I can hear some more modern metal sounds here and there just like in "Our Truth," but overall it sounds like it's going to the same style as "Our Truth," 98% old school Lacuna Coil, 2% evolution.

One thing I did notice is the middle eastern influence on numerous songs! What's up with that? Sounds cool, though.

Yeah I notied that too, especially on their next single Closer.

So far I didn't like this album much. It was expected that Lacuna Coil will modernize their sound and will go even more commercial. There is definitely nu-metal in this. Andrea has "improved" his clean singing and it sounds even more mainstream. Haven't you noticed that most songs sound the same with almost identical riffs ?
Their previous stuff had more in terms of emotion and atmosphere. I'm willing to give it 60 and will listen to it some more to see if it improves.

Edit: Oh and Enjoy The Silence sounds weird in a cool way. They did a good job on the cover. I like it.

Having heard both early and late LC, I must say they're pretty good. Haven't heard anything from Karmacode except "Our Truth", but I like that...

I downloaded this yesterday. I hadn't heard any LC before so i wasn't quite sure what to expect. I thought it was ok, nothing great. I'll give it a few more spins though to see if it grows on me.

Well, Lacuna Coil have never been an intricate band and have always relied of simple riffs that have always had that nu-metal sound. I don't hear a Middle Eastern influence in "Closer," but that is a weird track...it's fucking upbeat, it could be a metal disco song or something. It's an oddball track on the album.

Great album. Yes, it's a little different, they've definitely added some modern touches, a bit more than I expected, but it's a really good album.

I'm disapointed... My expectations were high... :(

I don't see how anyone could have expected anything other than Comalies part 2. They're a pretty mainstream band, being honest, and their doomy days are pretty much over...

This is mainstream but I don't think it's Comalies pt.2. I disagree with Eyesore that they had nu-metal sound before, at least not as prevalent as in Karmacode. The new album is quite different from their gothic/doom sound before. It will surely win them some new fans who just now discover the band.
What I expected was certainly what Karmacode delivers. It was a very natural thing to follow after Comalies but certainly not pt.2.

Their doomy days? When were they doomy? This album really isn't all that different than even their first EP. Some of the riffs have a different vibe, played a little different, but even on those tracks the general sound is still that of Lacuna Coil. The song "Closer"—which will be the song everyone singles out—is no different than what Paradise Lost have been doing for 5 albums now, or whatever. The heavy riff on "What I See" is great, but that loose bass is going to draw Korn references from every corner of the metal world. It doesn't sound like Korn, but that's how it will go. Evanescence sound nothing like Linkin Park, but throw one element—a guy that sounds like Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park—on ONE song and they're labelled Linkin Park with a female singer. It's a quick, easy out for those that never listen.

This is a great album the core of Lacuna Coil is still present and prominent, but there are some new elements.

I don't think they had a nu-metal sound before, I just don't think they had a very different sound before. They've always utilitized big, simple riffs. That's what they've done here, they just a bit more groovy.

To be honest when I listened to this the other day, and heard that bass sound, Korn was the first thing to pop into my mind. Obviously they are really nothing like Korn but that bass sound sure brought them to mind real quick.

Oh, fuck! Not the "Popcorn" Bass! Anything but the "Popcorn" Bass!

Korn's Bass to me, sounds like popcorn popping for some strange reason.

I heard the single, and I must say that I do indeed like it. I'm gonna buy this album when it comes out, and I don't expect it to dissapoint me.

It fits the song, though. The problem is that every Korn sounds like that. You don't get that bass sound on every song here, just one. Some other songs like "Fragile" do occasionally have a loose bass sound, but more akin to Greg Christian's bass tone on early Testament albums.

I knew I shouldn't have said "doom", I was trying to find a word for their earlier, less, um..."bounchy" period.

what's this nu-metal thread doing in my doom forum?

I hereby propose the forum be renamed "lizardtail's Doom Forum."