Kev Rowland I still remember hearing ‘In A Reverie’, ‘Unleashed Memories’ and ‘Comalies’ when they were released – three albums that made a huge impact and certainly launched this Italian dual vocal Gothic inspired act straight into the big time. I hadn’t heard any of their material for a while until I came across this 2014 album, which immediately got me wondering why on earth I hadn’t stayed current with their career, as Cristina Scabbia has an amazing voice, singing sweetly or with venom as the need arises, and in Andrea Ferro she has the perfect foil and when they combine they lift each other, and then there is the driving bottom end of the music which is punchy, hard and bombastic with symphonic elements that lift it way out of the norm.

There are times when it somehow feels commercial, with buzzsaw riffs, but is that just because the scene has moved so much since they first came on the scene, as there is still an honesty and passion shining through what they are delivering. Ferro is a great singer in his own right, able to provide multiple styles, and with these two at the front it is no surprise the guys behind them have to keep mixing it up and punching hard. The more I played this album the more I wanted to play it, as there is a groove and life behind this which is simply superb. Hard, smooth, heavy, silky and raw, this is well worth investigating.

Unitron Lacuna Coil-Broken Crown Halo

'Broken Crown Halo' is the seventh studio album by Gothic/Alternative Metal band Lacuna Coil.

When I got the vinyl for this album on my birthday, the only Lacuna Coil albums I had heard were 'Karmacode' and 'Unleashed Memories'. I had not yet heard the previous weak offerings of 'Shallow Life' and 'Dark Adrenaline', so I came to this album with an open mind. Originally, I just thought it was okay, but it soon grew on me.

It's not like the over-polished blandness of 'Shallow Life' and 'Dark Adrenaline', and is instead focused on a balance between crunching guitar similar to 'Karmacode' and more melodic passages. The opening song 'Nothing Stands In Our Way' is a perfect example of this, with many well performed heavy-melodic transitions. Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro's vocals blend very well together during the chorus as well. One of my favorites on the album is 'Zombies', where Ferro's vocals are very strong. There is also a great guitar solo, where it keeps the crunching riffing while the lead guitar plays over it. Another favorite of mine is 'Victims', which is more akin to some of the band's earlier work. Probably my favorite song is the finale 'One Cold Day', which has a very ominous intro with great piano and soft guitar work. Scabbia gives an amazing vocal performance, flowing well with the build-up.

The lyrics are very strong on this album as well, with songs like 'Nothing Stands in Our Way' and 'Victims' having lyrics about inner strength.

Overall, I personally find this a really good album and I highly recommend those who were disappointed with the last two albums to try and have an open mind. I'm sure fans of 'Karmacode' will enjoy this album, and maybe even fans of their early offerings. After all, I love their early albums.

Hope you found this review helpful, Feel free to comment!