Lacuna Coil Album: “Karmacode [Bonus Tracks]”

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

,

, and

, 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.

The thing I loved the most about lacuna coil was that there music had feeling, like the song entwined off of comilies. This album however lacks any feeling it just seems that they tryed to be heavier. I Have all four of the lacuna coil albums and this is by far my least favorite, If they keep going in this direction I will probably not buy another album of thiers.

Lacuna Coil enjoyed success following the release of Comalies in 2002. Since then Lacuna Coil have been featured in Ozzfest, toured with Rob Zombie, and performed various metal/hard rock festivals and shows around the world. I was an eager fan waiting to pick up my copy on the day 'Karmacode' was released. The main question that many fans have been asking has been whether or not this album has been worth the wait. In four years since the breakthrough album 'Comalies,' Karmacode does not really seem like a huge step foward.

The album starts off well with 'Fragile.' Christina Scabbia has wonderful vocals with a middle eastern flare. The song 'To the Edge' is a decent track, but it seems to be too repetitive. Just about everyone has heard 'Our Truth' which is actually one of my favorite songs. 'Within Me' is soft song that sounds made for American radio. Speaking of American radio, many songs here are very catchy. This is not generally a bad thing at all. 'Fragments of Faith' is very catchy and one of my favorite songs on the album. 'You Create' and 'What I See' are fun to listen to and the middle eastern mood is extremely present. Andi's vocals are pretty good throughout.

One of my main concerns is that this release sounds pretty trendy. It is almost borderline with the music that is considered popular in the U.S. If you do not believe me, just listen to the choruses on many of the songs and the not-so-creative guitar work by Marco Zelati and Maus. Scabbia's vocals really do shine, though. Lacuna Coil have seemed to have gone with a more mainstream approach then the style with Comalies. Newcomers to Lacuna Coil, please start out with Comalies, then check this one out. It definately is not bad material, but it's not great either. I hope it will not take four years for another Lacuna Coil album to come out, though.

Perhaps I'm simply an odd-ball, but I honestly can't understand why some people have problems with it. I doubt I need to sing the praises of Scabbia's voice, or the guitar, considering how many others have already. Put simply, Lacuna Coil has probably become my favorite band, and this album is probably the one I listen to the most. While many people seem to enjoy some of the other tracks, like "Fragile" and "Closer", which are excellent tracks, I have to say my favorite by far is "What I See", and has the most plays of any Lacuna Coil track on my iTunes (second being "My Wings" from In a Reverie, and "Unspoken" from Comalies).

Some complain of a lack of variety on this album. Granted, the tracks here are more similar to each other than on previous albums, but this is absolutely no problem for me, as their sound is still unique among any other music I've heard. Lacuna Coil is one of the few bands you can really bang your head to, while still being able to sing the lyrics (none of that growling in other bands). Some bands or songs have a tendancy to get on my nerves after awhile, Lacuna Coil does not. I never skip their songs when listening to my playlists on random, and that means a lot coming from me, as I can be quite picky.

I was one of the many who believed what the band was feeding us pre-release. How this was a lot better than anything else they've done, how they experiment more, etc. Needless to say, upon my first listen I was nearly disgusted. I honestly found nothing new, no experimentation, nothing. With further listens I've come to really appreciate Karmacode for what it is, basically a more beefed up Lacuna Coil. I'll probably always be more impartial to the older stuff (the self-titled EP up to Comalies), but I'm an Incubus fan, so I can accept change.

I've always thought one of the things that made Lacuna Coil something special was how easily they could move from heavy riffs to dreamy vocally driven tracks. Karmacode sees the band sticking to the heavy riffs and kind of leaving the dreaminess alone. However, Within Me, probably the album's biggest stand out does have the band using the lighter side, with Cristina completely stealing the song. But honestly, the fact that there's heavy song after heavy song shouldn't surprise, I mean they were on Ozzfest for a reason. That tour has probably single handedly ruined a great band.

Older fans will notice quite quickly that Cristina isn't as prominent as she very well should be. Sure she's there a lot, but she seems to be holding herself back, maybe to make Andrea sound better? I don't know. If that was the plan though, it did work. He sounds lightyears better than he did on previous releases. Also, the bass. Wow. I hate to say it but it bears repeating, Korn anyone? It works, but then again it almost feels like they overdid it. But the guitars and drums still sound great so, whatever.

My favorite songs are Fragile, Within Me, You Create, What I See, and Closer. The afforementioned Closer is also one of the only songs that beckon to the older days. However, it's no fun when a band recreates the same CD over and over, so this change is a welcomed change. I hope on the next CD they rediscover what made Comalies, Unleashed Memories, and the EPs what they were. Experimentation works, but they don't do it much on Karmacode, and that's where this CD is lacking. All in all though, a worthy purchase for old fans and new alike.