Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Lacuna Coil Broken Crown Halo Company: Century Media Release: 2014 Genre: Gothic Reviewer: ChaosLord

Haunting and beautiful

A new year and a new Coil album is upon us. With the release of "Broken Crown Halo", Lacuna Coil has taken the next step forward in their metal history.

One of the things I've always loved about this band is the give and take on vocals between Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro which is something I felt was missing from the last few albums. However, on this album the dueling vocals are back and both Ferro and Scabbia are in top form. Scabbia's vocals are much stronger and more refined on this album, sounding almost operatic at times. Ferro has improved his growls and singing as well, making this duo much more dynamic as the band moves forward.

Material wise this album presents a darker side of Coil. This is definitely a more aggressive album musically as well. The heavier material is a welcome addition to the Coil repertoire. The way each song is written, it is as if Lacuna Coil wrote them for the express purpose of becoming permanently stuck in your head. Tracks "In the End", "Nothing Stands", "Zombie" and "One Cold Day" are standout tracks. One last thing to mention before wrapping up. The song on the album "Die & Rise" brings back the Italian vocals to the song. This song may be my all time favorite Lacuna Coil track. It is both haunting and beautiful at the same time. If nothing else, metal heads, you should definitely listen to this track.

With this album, Lacuna Coil has re-established themselves as a premier metal force. "Broken Crown Halo" is sure to become a masterpiece for Lacuna Coil and is an album that everyone should check out.