Being a relative newcomer to the Lacuna Coil  fan camp, I don’t have much of an opinion of their earlier work. What I do have  though is a growing appreciation for them after listening to their latest album, Dark Adrenaline.

I thoroughly enjoyed this album and have listened to it many, many times in  the first 11 days of its release. The opening track, “Trip the Darkness,” is a  powerful song with a wonderful vocal performance by Cristina Scabbia. She sounds  fantastic throughout this album, takes on much more of the vocal work than on  Lacuna Coil’s other discs, and Dark Adrenaline is all the better for  it.

“Kill the Light” is another very strong song with a heavy metal riff  juxtaposed against the soaring vocals of Miss Scabbia that just plain works for  me. The rest of the band seems to have stepped it up a bit on this album, as the  tracks it laid down are tight and powerful.

Another standout track with an impressive vocal performance by Scabbia is “Upsidedown.” I love the higher range she’s singing in on this song, as it lends  a bit of variety to the mix. Maybe my second favorite track is the near ballad “End of Time,” as the vocal performances by co-lead singers Andrea Ferro and  Scabbia are captivating.

The peak of the terrific vocal work on Dark Adrenaline is Miss  Scabbia’s work on “Intoxicated,” as she channels a bit of Alanis Morissette,  a la “You Oughta  Know.” “Intoxicated” is a true original. Listen for a brilliant guitar solo on “The Army Inside” by the muscular riffer Cristiano “Pizza” Migliore on this, a  very good song.

Milan, Italy should be especially proud of their homegrown heroes. The great  vocal work and matching musicianship make  Lacuna Coil’s Dark  Adrenaline an early contender for my best of 2012 list.

Read more: http://blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-lacuna-coil-dark-adrenaline1/#ixzz1lWMQ4p36

Published by rbtaleman

Heavy metal (fiend/friend?) Writer, frustrat(or), frustrat(ee), decorated U.S. Navy veteran, Husband(twice), father(three times), grandfather(of seven), FM radio veteran, Concertgoer, music collector, muscle car aficianado. Grown up since five. Child since 45. View all posts by rbtaleman