Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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36 of 41 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Solid, nothing more, April 7, 2006
On 2003's "Comalies," this Italian six piece goth-metal band finally got noticed. "Comalies" sold several hundred thousand copies, and boasted a couple of catchy singles, so it was thought of as a "breakthrough album." But instead of signing to a major record label, Lacuna Coil stuck with their current one, Century Media, and released their fourth full length disc.
"Karmacode" is somewhat of an experimental album, since a few new ingredients are also sprinkled on here and there. "Our Truth," for instance, makes effective use of tribal drums; and "In Visible Light" features (what sounds like) violins.
But this band's same basic sound is still here, with crunchy guitar riffs and frontwoman Cristina Scabbia's impressive, limpid singing. "What I See," "Closer," and "The Game" are all traditional Lacuna Coil tracks, with punching, almost Korn-esque guitars and soaring vocals.
Other highlights include the aforementioned "Our Truth," which is the album's first single, but the churning album opener, "Fragile," is probably this record's catchiest song. And, lastly, "You Create" is a pretty (albeit short) song, with a spacey vibe and intoxicating vocals.
"Karmacode" suffers a little bit from a somewhat thin production job (especially on the guitars), but it's still definitely worth buying for all Lacuna Coil fans. It isn't a mind-blowing album, or a huge leap forward from "Comalies," but it is very solid and completely listenable.
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Much Better Than I Expected, May 3, 2006
Man, judging from the other reviews, longtime Lacuna Coil fans really don't seem to like Karmacode. I suppose I can understand why. I've been a fan of the band since their self-titled EP and saw them in concert supporting bands they have since overshadowed. On the one hand, I think everyone wants the band to experience the success they deserve. On the other hand, I think we tend to regard Lacuna Coil as "our band" and don't want to see them get so big they become some unrecognizable MTV entity.
A lot of things have changed since Comalies was released. Evanescence's success cast a spotlight on this kind of music, and Lacuna Coil started to garner some much deserved attention as a result. The band's videos from Comalies enjoyed heavy rotation on MTV's metalcore obsessed Headbanger's Ball. The band even secured a spot on the Ozzfest lineup. These factors were bound to play a role in the direction of Lacuna Coil's next album, and the fear was that the band would take a more accessible, nu-metal influenced route. With Karmacode, the band did exactly that.
But it works.
I was a total skeptic going in, but after a few short weeks Karmacode is fast becoming my favorite Lacuna Coil album. Yes, there are some nu-metal elements, most notably the much more prominent, Korn-style bass sound. Christina & co. don't resort to rapping, but there is a sharper vocal delivery on some tracks. It's as if they looked at the various elements of American metal and incorporated those elements that would truly enhance their music. This isn't some shameless attempt to win over American audiences, but rather an example of a band willing to grow and progress.
As much as I enjoyed Comalies, In a Reverie, and Unleashed Memories, each album had a very similar sound, and had some less than exciting moments. Karmacode is not only a step forward in terms of style, but is also the first Lacuna Coil album that stays interesting from start to finish. The album's first three tracks (including the single Our Truth, which never fails to have me turning up the volume and banging my head) hit so hard that by the time the slower-paced Devoted comes around; you need to take a deep breath. Then it's right back to heavier songs until the album's closer, a faithful and appropriate rendition of Depeche Mode's Enjoy the Silence. Throw in a video clip for Our Truth, a documentary video, and a price tag under $10, and you have an album that is a winner any way you look at it.
While I can partially understand some of the negative reaction, it's hard to reconcile that with the fact that Karmacode is so freaking good. If this album gives Lacuna Coil more mainstream success and a wider audience, then so be it. They have nothing to be ashamed of (quite the opposite) with Karmacode, and deserve whatever success they get.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Music does not have to fit into a genre to be good!, February 12, 2007
I've noticed many reviewers have a tendency to compare Lacuna Coil - and this album in particular - to bands that represent a particular genre. My advice to you is this: don't. Don't expect this album to sound just like Evanescence, or Paradise Lost, or Korn, or any other band. Lacuna Coil is an unusual blend of elements from metal, gothic rock, pop, and probably a few other things I'm not thinking of off the top of my head. The lead singer has a pretty voice, and a decent range, but don't expect her to show it most of the time - the song is more important here than how many trills the singer can do, how fast the bassist can play, or how complicated a riff the guitarist can play. This album is loaded with hooks (usually played by the bassist), and brimming with meaning. I've seen a lot of people say they are disappointed that there aren't a lot of solos, etc. to show off the various talents of the band members. If they had paid more attention to the lyrics, they would have known why. It seems to me that this is a concept album about dealing with disease and death, and the songs seem tailored to express the feelings that go along with that. Solos would have been out of place here, as the main emotions are despair and helplessness. That said, Lacuna Coil ends the album on a more positive note, with their cover of "Enjoy the Silence", which makes it seem like Lacuna Coil are saying, "Yes, there's death, but there's also life." I can't read the band members' minds, but that's what this album says to me. It is deeply emotional, touching, and should be judged as a work of art - not by how well it fits into expectations created by genre divisions.
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