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23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"A Current Obsession" of mine!, June 7, 2004
I've had this album for quite some time now, and still I have a hard time finding the words to describe just how incredible this album/band is. This is definitely a CD that I can leave in my player for months on end, and it never seems to get old. This is by far my favorite album by my favorite band.At the heart of Lacuna Coil lie their two vocalists, Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro. Cristina's voice is gorgeously melodic and her range is incredible, while Andrea Ferro's male vocals can go from harsh, deep growls to resonant spoken word almost seamlessly. Both are incredibly talented, and their contrasting vocals, rather than be caustic and grating on the ears, are beautiful and melodic. They complement each other perfectly! Lacuna Coil has been described as Italian goth metal, or gothic rock. In my humble opinion, they really are their own genre. They have the crunching guitars characteristic of metal music, yet the vocals don't get buried under the guitars and drums. The arrangements on this album are amazing. Furthermore, their lyrics actually convey several great messages rather than consist of mere useless drivel and angst. All are incredible tracks, and none make you want to hit the "skip" button. However, here are some that stand slightly above the rest: Track 1: "Heir of a Dying Day" - Excellent opening song, with a great beat and a chorus that changes up the tempo a bit so that things don't get monotonous. Track 2: "To Live is to Hide" - Probably my favorite track on this album. Once again, there is a tempo change between the verses and the chorus to change things up a bit. Excellent emotional lyrics with stellar performances from both vocalists. Tracks 4 & 13: "Senzafine" - Two versions of this song, sung in italian, appear on the album. Both are excellent. Track 6: "1:19" - You simply can't help but bang your head along with this song! Characteristically "gothic" lyrics. Track 9: "A Current Obsession" - I love the lyrics on this song. Again, very characteristically "gothic," conveying a message of deep despair and mourning. If you are new to Lacuna Coil, this is a great place to start as there is such a wide variety of songs on here. Indeed, there is something for everyone to be found on this album. "Unleashed Memories" consists of a remarkable array of heavy guitar driven songs, slow, melodic ballads, and a plethora of powerful, emotional lyrics. Definitely pick up this album along with any other album of theirs! This is a band that should be getting much more recognition here in the states than they are currently getting. I was fortunate enough to get to see them headline a live concert this past year, and this is most certainly a group that is far better live than on their albums (a sign of great musicians). If you ever get the chance to see them live, then take advantage of it, as they don't travel here often!
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