Comalies
Comalies does not need complicated riffs to create a strong atmosphere. On this 2002 album, Lacuna Coil use firm guitars, layers of keyboards and two different voices to colour the songs. Cristina Scabbia sings clearly and expressively, while Andrea Ferro provides a rougher partner. Much of the appeal emerges when those voices support each other.
Swamped establishes that relationship well. The guitars give the song weight but leave enough space for the melody. The exchanges between the singers add something to a fairly straightforward structure. The sound is grand without making the chorus difficult to find. Heaven's a Lie makes the melodic character even clearer and gives Scabbia more room at the centre.
The keyboards do plenty of work along the way. They connect the heavier pieces to gentler, sometimes dreamier surroundings. Daylight Dancer maintains the movement, while Aeon provides a smaller break. That quieter passage shows that the band do not have to rely on full guitars alone. Electronic details occasionally give the sound a different shape, too.
Not every song is equally strong. Familiar patterns return more frequently in the middle, where the variety falls short of what the opening promises. The melodies keep the music pleasant, but cannot make each composition equally distinctive. A slightly tighter selection would have given the best moments greater emphasis.
The title track provides a convincing ending. Voices and keyboards again receive plenty of space, with Italian and English appearing together in the singing. Attention shifts towards the relationship between the different layers. Comalies works best when atmosphere and a direct chorus serve the same purpose. That happens often enough to lift it above its simpler passages and give the album a clear identity.
