It’s hard to believe that there was a time when Italian rockers Lacuna Coil were relatively unknown here in the states. That all changed in in 2003 when Ozzy came knocking and added the band to his infamous Ozzfest tour. The discovery of the goth-metal group by American fans led to a boost in record sales and a new legion of fans.

For a band that was formed all the way back in 1994, their world-wide fame and overall rock status is impressive. Despite having four albums to their name, Lacuna Coil seems to be a band that is still searching to hit their stride.
With the 2002 success of Comalies, the band sought to build off of its newfound popularity with an album (Karmacode) that was, unfortunately, all too contrived and full of nu-metal cliches. Now, with the release of their fifth studio album, Shallow Life, Lacuna Coil seems to be making a more genuine shift towards mainstream metal that is comparable to Linkin Park’s current sound––only, minus the rapping, with a greater focus on their female lead singer, Cristina Scabbia.
Since Shallow Life lacks the metal pedigree of blazing riffs and up-tempo beats, the focus of the album is centered around Scabbia. Between her use of Arabic-style vocalizations (“I’m Not Afraid”) and her impressive range, Scabbia gives tracks a much needed shot to the arm of emotion––particularly, during the choruses. By making the choruses the focus of each song the band has managed to produce some of the strongest hooks of their career. This is important with songs like, “I Like It” and, “I Won’t Tell You,” where the sub-par lyrical content and tepid verses can be overlooked by the powerful choruses.
As a whole, the band’s strength still lies in the subtle use of keyboard melodies and other haunting sound effects. On “Spellbound,” arguably the best track on the album, these stylish flourishes work perfectly in tandem with the heavy guitar riffs and strong choruses to create a song that captures elements of their edgier stuff from the past in conjunction with their new, more mainstream sound. The band still is capable of producing heavier sections (the opening to “I Survive”), but there is now more reliance on melody as opposed to powerful riffs.
Shallow Life may be met with some resistance––or even possible backlash––from hardcore fans who will complain about the lack of riffage and overall heaviness. In truth, Lacuna Coil could never really keep up with other metal bands in these areas. The more mainstream style fits the band well and with this style as their primary focus, don’t be too surprised if we see the sort of breakthrough that we saw with Evanescence.


Label: Century Media/EMI- Rating:

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Like Lacuna Coil? Check Out: Within Temptation, Delain, Evanescence