LACUNA COIL - Dark Adrenaline

Now firmly established on the international scene, perhaps even more so than at home, Milan's Lacuna Coil return to dish out their jolts of “Dark Adrenaline” with an album of vigorous, robust character, almost as if reacting against the slackened tension of the previous “Shallow Life”, which had watered down their sound with massive injections of pop.

Twelve tracks for a new journey into the dark, as the powerful overture (“Trip The Darkness”) sets out, driven by solemn drumming and a wall of guitar wattage. Compared to other metal bands, Lacuna Coil have no small advantage: that of replacing the obligatory growl with the sensual, magnetic voice of the captivating Cristina Scabbia, who here weaves a fine dialogue with Andrea Ferro's, giving life to the best track on the record: part Gathering, part Nightwish, undeniably catchy.

No less dark, the diptych "Against You"-"Killing The Light" cranks the volume back up over machine-gun drumming, with the two vocal lines once again trading off while the guitar veers into blazing yet hollow solos.

All things considered, better are the introspective streak of ballads like the atmospheric “Give Me Something More”, despite its predictable lyrical baggage of troubled souls (“I can't deny, don't ask me why, I feel the pressure everywhere, It starts inside, it rocks in pain, It knocks me down, am I insane?”), and the romantic apocalypse of “End Of Time”, with Scabbia once again in the spotlight.

On the “adrenaline” side, however, too many anonymous tracks dissipate the initial tension (“I Don't Believe In Tomorrow”, “Intoxicated” and “The Army Inside”), mixing electronic effects and sharp riffs with decidedly deja vu melodic turns.

In the end, the encore doesn't match the brilliant cover of "Enjoy The Silence" by Depeche Mode: this time, tackling the totem that is "Losing My Religion" by R.E.M., even Cristina's voice can't break free from a colourless heavy-rock treatment that completely loses the charm of the original.

All things considered, the attempt to revitalise the band's original sound is commendable, but these days Lacuna Coil, beyond Cristina's lovely voice and the occasional evocative foray into gothic atmospheres, seem to have little else left to offer.

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15/02/2012