{"id":16801,"date":"2012-01-27T19:21:12","date_gmt":"2012-01-28T01:51:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/?p=16801"},"modified":"2014-02-16T09:37:50","modified_gmt":"2014-02-16T14:37:50","slug":"lacuna-coil-dark-adrenaline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/2012\/lacuna-coil-dark-adrenaline\/","title":{"rendered":"Lacuna Coil | Dark Adrenaline<\/em>"},"content":{"rendered":"

by John Kindred<\/span>
\nStaff Writer —<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"Merging a woman with a pretty face and a smooth silky voice, who wears tight black leather pants with raging, distorted guitars and heavy percussion doesn’t really equate to “metal,” yet this ongoing trend has manifested itself into this: Another formulated subgenre of metal. Using the term “metal” loosely, a majority of these bands performing within this subgenre find their compositions to be watered down in “heavy” doses of production that literally take the metallic right out of the music. You then combine that with a pop-rock vocalist, and well, come on, at what point is it metal? Evanescence, Nightwish, Within Temptation, Flyleaf, Epica, etc., all style their music to this format. In this game, originality was lost a long time ago. And yes, even Lacuna Coil falls into these convoluted pool of alleged “metal” bands.<\/p>\n

The tone of the black and white album cover of Lacuna Coil\u2019s Dark Adrenaline<\/em> appears, on the surface, to be a dark and heavy concept. The reality is that the music is commercial metal, which is written to appeal to the American radio format. It\u2019s polished and slick production pulls the heaviness from the songs that thickly are mired in layers of sound.<\/p>\n

Produced Don Gilmore (Linkin Park, Bullet for My Valentine) Dark Adrenaline<\/em> features 12 songs with various special editions that contain an additional bonus track, DVD and other collectible swag. Obviously, the production of the music is amazing. Guitars, bass, drums and vocals are clearly audible. The mix perfectly balances the instrumentation, with nothing overtly too loud. Guitar solos and vocals are easy to hear, sitting on top of the percussion and rhythmic structures of the music.<\/p>\n

With that said, Lacuna Coil appear to be facing an identity crisis. It\u2019s a distraction that a female-fronted band also must feature the duality of a male lead vocalist. Yes, it\u2019s been all the rage for years now, and it\u2019s just about time someone said something about it. With the band strategically using Cristina Scabbia’s feminine beauty as a selling point along with her voice for their Goth Metal operatic-style of music, how can the male counterpoint, found in the guise of Andrea Ferro, have an identity in the band? He is not a background singer, so they equally share the role. <\/p>\n

Throughout the CD, they take turns singing during the verses and share the role in the choruses. This back-and-forth repertoire is reminiscent of the way the rap-metal band Linkin Park presents its vocals. Again, the CD was produced by Don Gilmore. Honestly, with the opening song, “Trip the Darkness,” Andrea Ferro’s voice is the first one heard, with Scabbia trailing behind. This begs the question, “Just whose band is this?”<\/p>\n

What will you take away from Dark Adrenaline<\/em>? There are no choruses that stick in your head, no hooks that you long to hear again and again. The music begins and ends. Following the same trajectory from start to finish. Little to no tempo changes give the album a stagnate vibe, making all the songs sound the same. As good as the production and performances are, there’s nothing memorable. The album doesn’t feel dark; it’s not brooding and certainly not moody enough to be termed “Gothic.” <\/p>\n

Genre: Gothic Metal<\/p>\n

Band:
\nCristina Scabbia \u2014 vocals, primary lyricist
\nAndrea Ferro \u2014 vocals
\nCristiano “Pizza” Migliore \u2014 guitar
\nMarco “Maus” Biazzi \u2014 guitar
\nMarco Coti Zelati \u2014 bass guitar, keyboards, primary composer
\nCristiano “Criz” Mozzati \u2014 drums, percussion<\/p>\n

Track Listing:
\n01. Trip The Darkness
\n02. Against You
\n03. Kill the Light
\n04. Give Me Something More
\n05. Upsidedown
\n06. End of Time
\n07. I Don’t Believe in Tomorrow
\n08. Intoxicated
\n09. The Army Inside
\n10. Losing My Religion
\n11. Fire
\n12. My Spirit<\/p>\n

Label: Century Media<\/p>\n

Hardrock Haven rating: 7\/10<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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