[MUSIC REVIEW] ‘Dark Adrenaline’ by Lacuna Coil

Dark Adrenaline
by Lacuna Coil
[January 24, 2012 – Century Media Records]
Verdict: 7.5 out of 10

Written by Nathaniel Lay

Lacuna Coil have a unique sound that they’ve been perfecting for (now) six full length albums. Dark Adrenaline is their first new collection since 2009′s Shallow Life, and really is about what fans have come to expect from the band. New listeners will probably be the most surprised by this record, but those of us who have followed the band for years may not be as crazy about it. That being said, Dark Adrenaline is still very impressive and entertaining. Lacuna Coil, after all, have a great sound. Not many bands can really compare to them, which helps the group stick out all the more. Their formula is often moving and powerful, dark and bright, technical and simplistic…even when it’s not surprising you, the music is still interesting and brilliantly performed. Lacuna Coil are, quite obviously, great musicians, and it always shows. For Dark Adrenaline, I had a similar experience as I have with the other albums of theirs I’ve listened to fully. Like before, there’s a handful of tracks that are just excellent and are worth repeated listens. There are also a couple others that I felt could have been so much more (like the cover of “Losing My Religion”). Then, there is the rest that are strong without being stand out. Lacuna Coil could be considered an acquired taste, mostly because it is fronted by a female vocalist for the majority of the time (though there is also a supporting male lead). This puts off some metal heads, but others that don’t mind the sex of the singer should be able to get lost in this album easily. Dark Adrenaline has a lot to offer and deserves several spins before having judgment passed.

[---] Highlight Tracks: “Trip the Darkness”, “Give Me Something More”, “Upside Down”