Lacuna Coil
Karmacode

The new album from Lacuna Coil has arrived, a work that was quite anticipated and announced a long time ago. The album does not offer particular innovations compared to previous works, except for a few slight nods to the commercial side felt in some tracks that lean more towards Nu Metal than Gothic style Lacuna Coil.
Christina's voice continues to play important roles in this album, while the male voice sometimes seems to play the role that Fred Durst does in Limp Bizkit, but it does not detract much from a work that in general is above satisfactory.

Let's see in detail:
The first song, Fragile, is a perfect introduction to what the album is, and it brings both strengths and weaknesses. The usual symbiosis between the two voices is presented again, while the distortions and rhythmic parts bring their genre to an American gothic rock/metal hybrid (think Korn's style). The second track, To The Edge, on the other hand, is a more catchy song, with fairly decent riffs and a melody that makes you want to hum along. The third, Our Truth, is the first single extracted, and there couldn't have been a better choice: the melodic chorus by Christina, which honestly does not suit imitating Elisa, could have been spared, but the song is one of the strong pieces of the album, with a chorus that will linger often in the minds of many and a rather interesting text. The next piece, Within Me, at first seems like an ultra-commercial ballad that then gains momentum transforming into the classic Lacuna Coil piece we know well (with some acoustic parts well embedded in the context). Devoted is the toughest piece so far, still in classic Lacuna style, with a catchy chorus and lyrics worth rereading multiple times. You Create, with simple yet dark bass lines and equally apocalyptic riffs, is the introduction to What I See, a piece that, when listened in sequence with its intro, you would want to keep listening to over and over again; Fragments Of Faith is a nice piece where, however, the male voice seems to almost rap, ruining an almost impeccable atmosphere. Closer is a track I believe will be the next single, with a "commercial" melody (in the least pejorative sense of the term) and an intensity much closer to the brit-pop of the Strokes and Franz Ferdinand than Lacuna Coil. In Visible Light, another classic Lacuna Coil piece, is quite interesting for its lyrics but perhaps a bit too simple for the rest, yet it does not lose any punch during its almost 4-minute duration. The Game, another potential single, begins with an unusual melody and then transforms into another great piece, showing us that this band knows how to bring out the best from their genre. Without Fear is a relaxing track, almost a ballad, placed there to beautifully conclude the album; it may not be very interesting or original, but it is still listenable within the general context that is this Karmacode. Subsequently, we find Enjoy The Silence, a cover of Depeche Mode performed masterfully, with Christina's voice perfectly interpreting the emotional aspect of the piece.

As stated in the premise, the album is above average, a work that certainly has not disappointed neither the fans nor the critics, despite all new works by the most famous bands always being targeted as inclined towards commercialization. Lacuna Coil has produced here a very respectable single, even if too catchy to be Lacuna Coil, while overall maintaining a line that does not distort the positive trend of their works. The album could have a very good impact on some people while it may seem anonymous to others. Because on one hand, it shows how the band can always bring out interesting pieces from a rather restricted genre like Gothic Rock while, on the other, originality is reduced, and this is particularly felt when comparing a song from Comalies to one from Karmacode. Overall, the work is good.