LACUNA COIL KARMACODE ALBUM CENTURY MEDIA RELEASE: APRIL 4, 2006 REVIEW: MAY 10, 2006

Although Italian and without rap leanings, Lacuna Coil has often been lumped with the American nu metal crowd. The blame for this must be laid on female vocalist Cristina Scabbia, one of the able but not very radiant singers that are becoming so frequent in this scene.

In my opinion the guitar work and composition on "Karmacode" shouldn't be seen in the light of Evanescence at all, but rather as a part of the solid, melodic goth pop tradition premiered by Paradise Lost during their abrupt change of direction on "One Second". Although the basic tenets - no growling, no solos or other diversions and a strict focus on melody - are the same, Lacuna Coil falls decidedly short in this company. The best music of this kind makes you sing along to it almost against your will, but I have trouble remembering a single chorus from "Karmacode" after several listenings. A kind of dramatic height is reached on "Fragments of Faith", where Scabbia gets to flex her vocal chords a bit, but otherwise the album doesn't make much of an impression.

The cover of "Enjoy the Silence" at the end drudges on in routine Lacuna Coil mode, quite missing out on and bulldozing all over the theme and lyrics of this Depeche Mode classic.

MATTIAS HUSS