Metal Reviews

You're welcome to comment on:


Click here to see the review.

never really liked Lacuna Coil... though Scabbia is one hot chick!

1. Lacuna Coil - Always have been a wall of unintelligable sound with a hot chick singing as the only distinct thing audible.

2. This will turn into a who's hotter thread in 5...4...3...2...1...

What?!

"Utilizing a very Americanized almost nu-metal approach, de-tuned guitars and a more simpler approach to the song writing..."

/\ /\ That's still a long way from unintelligible noise. Go listen to some Merzbow, then tell me that again.

Yeah, i hear Scabbia singing, then so much de-tuned guitars its an impenetrable wall of sound.

Edit: ok Zad, unintelligible was not the word. but comparing the music to a wall i stick by.

Listen to something besides Comalies or this one. I don't know how someone could listen to In a Reverie or Unleashed Memories and come up with a wall of sound reference. The production is very crisp and everything stands out nicely.

I'm sorry but I think this is a pretty poor review.
The sound is very legible and penetrable and about as nu-metal sounding as Within Temptation's The Silent Force or Xandria's India (a very underrated album). The only reason there could be for giving it nu-metal connotations is that it has become popular and true metallers like us can't abide popular metal like Cradle of Filth, Marilyn Manson or Fear Factory (3 bands I love although I'm into weird underground shit too). I've found that saying something is nu-metal is a way to alleviate your conscious without directly insulting a band you like, kind of a get-out clause in a review.

The other bands mentioned are Evanescance and Nightwish - used as comparisons. Evanescence I can understand (another villified band due to their attempt at breaking into the charts) as they are similar in all respects but the vocals (I'd say Evan have a gothier sound).
But Nightwish? That is a poor comparison. The vocals in Nightwish are in an operatic style alike to Epica but incomparable to this style. Christina may be classically trained (as a contralto) but she sings with a rich voice which has been trained to carry and sound generally good (much akin to a pop voice), as opposed to Tarja who could emote with her voice and blend it into the music more (especially in older stuff like the Wishmaster album). Also, Lacuna Coil has no keyboard member. there are parts on this album which are contributed by keyboard/synth arrangements but there is no Tuomas Holopainen character to give constant melody throughout every song. This is only sounds like a small thing but in reality it effects the music greatly. It even invalidates my Within Temptation and Xandria comparisons as they both use keyboards/piano to great effect,

However, that being said your choice of standout songs is a good one and you score is what I'd give it (well, maybe I'd make it a bit higher just for catchiness).

I really hope this doesn't seem offensive, I just feel the review was a bit misleading and uncomfortable. As if this type of music you didn't listen to much. Also, alot of what you said in the first paragraph was good - about the background of the band themself.

Some people find it very easy to hate this band. I find this album good and will give it a score of 70. I liked Lacuna Coil more when they were writting mellower and atmospheric songs.

Since this release we've discussed/fought about this album so much it seems rather pointless to go over it again.

But that there in bold would tell me you're not at all familiar with this band, even Karmacade, as that statement is far from the truth it's not even funny.

My thoughts exactly, but I give it an 85 because though the style has somewhat changed it is still is very good album.

I'm well aware of the differences between Nightwish and Lacuna Coil and if you noticed, I said nothing about any similarities beween the two. All I was pointing out was that Lacuna Coil, Evanescence and Nightwish are probably the three top female fronted gothic metal bands right now (especially in the U.S.) and with the way things are with Evanescence and Nightwish, it leaves the door wide open for Lacuna Coil, especially with a very "targeted" album like this. As far as nu-metal my references, I stand by that. I even checked other reviews on the net to see if I was being off-base there and most others have said the same thing.

I don't really find it to be very nu-metallish, I just think that where in the past the band would hit the chord once and let it ring out for a bing, they now hit it a few more times.

Either way, though the sound has somewhat changed they still sound like Lacuna Coil.

I actually quite liked this at first but after repeated listens the cracks began to show. The typical catchy thing got me where it sounds great at first but then starts to feel bland. I think Scabbia is a very good vocalist however I think the music backing her up is often a bit bland. The detuned riffs just gave me an overwhelming feeling that I'd heard it all before. Said detuned riffs give it that nu metal feel that some people get off the album.

Enjoy the silence is a very good cover however, should have been the single.

I agree with Ken. Well written review but I find myself disagreeing with almost every single thing said in it. Especially on the production and Scabbia voice. No need to rehash 75 posts Ken and I did to argue you about this though. I just don't like it and Iam a huge fan of the band. Unleashed Memories and the e/p smoke.

Want some good shit along these lines? Check out Within Temptations - Silent Force, The Crest (Nell who is in ToT now) Letters from the Fire, the newest Mortal Love (great band) and even the new Theatre of Tragedy - Storm

And Nightwish do not play Gothic Metal, they play female fronted Symphonic Heavy Metal (or Symphonic Power Metal to some on here). Even songs like I wish I had an Angel and Nemo are not Goth Metal, most def stuff from Wishmaster and Oceanborn isn't.

Who said nu-metal was noise!? :shock:
Everyone can make noise, making music is much more difficult.
That Merzbow stuff it's just... I have no words to describe it, just one question: Is there anyone who listens to that?

The nu-metal influences on Lacuna Coil were already there in Comalies, but now they got bigger and adding that the fact that one of Cristina Scabbias fav. bands are Linkin Park :? and that she is dating Jim Root of Slipknot/Stone Sour, keeping in mind she probably has got a lot of influence in the band due to her current popularity, anyway the others members of the band seem to be big fans of Korn, these facts seem to describe very well how the next LC albums will sound like....

Merzbow>You3

I'm not touching that second paragraph. I'm feeling nice today.

Merzbow rocks. And I'm sure I read an interview somewhere where the band said they were into Meshuggah. Imagine that, Meshuggah meets Lacuna Coil...

pff.. nice and metal don't go together 8)

No seriously if you have anything to say just say it....
And if you like noise, thats fine, I can make a tape of it in my kitchen and sell it to you...

METAL > you