ALBUM REVIEW: Comalies XX – Lacuna Coil

Everyone loves a remake, right? Over the past few years, remasters and remakes seem to be the trend within the entertainment industry and for better or for worse these releases show no signs of slowing down. Let’s jump back 20 years for a moment. Milan-based rockers LACUNA COIL had slowly grown their name in their native Italy and within Europe but there are rumblings within the industry that the gothic group are on the verge of an international breakthrough. Enter the band’s third full-length studio album, Comalies.  

To say that Comalies caused the band to explode would be an understatement. Virtually unknown in the US prior to Comalies, LACUNA COIL suddenly found their foot in the door across the pond and for good reason. Huge hits in the form of Heaven’s A Lie and Swamped pushed the band into the bigger spotlight and earned them tour slots in the States as well as features in movies and video games. Two years later and the album had become the biggest-selling album in Century Media’s history. Impressive stuff to say the least.  

Fast forward back to 2022 and in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the album, the band decided to not just remaster the album but to rebuild it from the ground up. This isn’t LACUNA COIL re-recording or remastering the tracks but actually chopping and changing the songs, mixing up the styles and reimagining their work. Now, we have to question whether this is truly something that people have asked for and if the style changes work, and the answer definitely seems to be a case of how attached to the original you are.

There are some instances where the tracks have benefited from the beefier, modern production. Self-Deception has been given that much-needed depth, helped along by the chunky low-end pounding underneath. The same goes for fan favourite Tight Rope, which rolls through like a powerful locomotive and adds even more grandeur to the massive chorus.  

The modern production may bring the album into the future but in turn, it does slightly lose its sense of gothic glory. That 90s PARADISE LOST sound that the original had is now missing aspects of its spaciousness and majesty. The change-up in string arrangement and lack of vocalist Cristina Scabbia in the chorus of Heaven’s A Lie is slightly jarring and it doesn’t hit as hard emotionally as the original. Swamped also feels slightly ‘off’ and is slightly sped up, in turn altering the dark groove as heard in the previous version.  

Unspoken hits harder however due to its tempo change. Scabbia is replaced in the verses by the low roar of Andrea Ferro and makes the track a whole lot heavier than before. Scabbia‘s voice has always been a powerful weapon but in Comalies XX she showcases just how far she’s come. She sounds incredibly commanding throughout and soars above the instruments with complete control. Ferro has also shown how much he’s improved over the years with his much-improved growls. 

While Comalies wasn’t crying out to be reworked, it certainly is fun to hear a fresh take on these much-beloved tracks. Some work well and others don’t but it’ll give any new fans of the band a chance to go back and revisit one of the greatest gothic metal albums of all time.  

Rating: 7/10

Comalies XX is set for release on October 14th via Century Media Records.

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