There are currently two standout Femme Gothique Metal bands (three if you count Evanescence) whose star is rising at light speed. The two I'm referring to are from Europe so their music doesn't get much airtime here. One, Within Temptation, is from Holland and features the lovely and incomparable Sharon den Adel, who has the most beautiful/powerful voice in the world.

The other is Lacuna Coil, from Italy, with the sultry/sexy singer Cristina Scabbia. They are finally getting popular enough stateside, in part because their hit single, from their Comalies cd, "Heavens a Lie" is finally getting heavy air time on 63 and counting stations, to do a 10 week tour the states, and are doing so as I write this.

I think I read somewhere where Lacuna Coil is from Milan. They were formed in 1996 and their original name was Ethereal which was subsequently changed to Lacuna Coil.

I have all four Lacuna Coil albums and In a Reverie is the most consistent. Their are outstanding songs in each of Lacuna Coil's four albums but in my opinion this album has all quality songs with no filler. This is Lacuna Coil's first full length album and it's still my overall favorite. Don't get me wrong, subsequent releases Unleashed Memories and Comalies are both super releases but I rate - In a Reverie - just a hair higher, on the basis of having the most songs I really like, such as "Falling Again, Circle", "Stately Lover", "Cold" and the incredible "To Myself I Turned". These are all 5 star songs and the rest are at least 4 stars.

LIST OF SONGS
1. Circle (Ferro/Scabbia) 5 stars
2. Stately Lover (Ferro/Scabbia) 5 stars
3. Honeymoon Suite (Ferro/Scabbia) 5 stars
4. My Wings (Ferro/Scabbia) 4 stars
5. To Myself I Turned (Scabbia) 5 stars
6. Cold (Ferro/Scabbia) 5 stars
7. Reverie (Ferro/Scabbia) 5 stars
8. Veins of Glass (Ferro/Scabbia) 4 stars
9. Falling Again (Scabbia) 5 stars

Unlike most other Italian bands, such as Rhapsody, which concentrated on epic power metal, Lacuna Coil devoted themselves to melodic gothic, hence the heroic, folkloric influences are missing. Female singer Cristina Scabbia and singer Andrea Ferro share the mic and do a very good job at it. They supplement each other perfectly and give each song a special kick. Cristina's voice, while not quite on a par with other European divas such as Floor Jensen, is quite pleasant to listen to. It is deeper than most and a quality that fits Lacuna Coil's music(which is somewhat progressive)perfectly. Needless to say Lacuna Coil would probably not be where they are today without Christina.

I will describe the highlight songs I have mentioned above:

"Falling Again" is a slow progressively faster song with Cristina soloing but on this song as with so many Lacuna Coil songs it's the chorus that is the grabber, as Christina really belts out the lines "And now the beat inside me, is a sort of a cold breeze and I've never any feeling inside ruining me... bring my body carry it into another world I know I live... but like a stone I'm falling down"

"Circle" Is a medium paced song with Christina soloing and Andrea doing backing vocals. This is a much fuller busier song than "Falling Again" and the tempo is more uniform. There is a lot of heavy guitar work and Cristina does a double track on the chorus's. "What is it for? What is sacred? In my circle of regrets circle of regrets today I'm drawing circles in my memory, in the pages of my life"

"Stately Lover" Is a medium slow song, including some variable tempo, with Christina again taking the lead but with Andrea's seeming to answer Christina. Again the chorus's stand out. "And I can breathe now... It's there, pretends to be a guide for you like a candle in the dark lies like a really cold breeze in, the air step by step you'll lose your faith"
This song reminds me of Garbage except I don't think Shirley Manson can hit the high notes like Christina.

"Cold" Is another slow medium, tempo, heavy metal number with a similar format of Christina singing double track and Andrea responding as utilized on "Stately Lover" "Closer and closer, it's time to surrender to the desire that you cannot mention don't try to breathedon't try to run away"

"To Myself I Turned" One of my favorites, it starts out like many LC songs with a solo guitar solo and continues after Cristina joins in The rest of the band joins in at the chorus and Christina does an amazing double track again. This song is a little more subtle and uplifting than the others. "I am the king, the nation, no dictators or religions no laws laid down for me I have my own liberty inside of me nothing to lose, I want to live there"

It seems to me that of all the wonderful goth-metal bands of Europe, Lacuna Coil has the best chance of making an impact in America. They have many songs that would not be out of place on an alternative, heavy metal or even top 40 radio format and they have a small but growing following in the states. This summer they are touring the states as the opening act for Type O Negative.

Comparisons to other bands seem useless but I will try. Within Temptation, Delight, Artrosis, Entwine, L'ame Imortelle, Dreams of Sanity and Flowing Tears are all in the same sub-genre but are not that similar. I'm not saying Lacuna coil is better, they're just different. Maybe the closest group would be Greek goth band On Thorns I Lay but you're probably more likely to have heard Lacuna than Thorns

This album is a winner and if you don't already have it, you should get it or one of the others.


Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Cleaning the House