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The Milanese band is now around for 13 years and while other bands release an album every year they preferred touring and so their last album Karmacode was released in 2006. Now 3 years later they deliver the follow-up Shallow Life. In the meantime they offered some singles, a DVD and a Best-of - and toured a lot.
They kick off with Survive - first slowly, but then the song becomes a heavy, grooving atmospheric metal tune with a catchy hook. Cristina and the guys open up with a song which presents their current sound, but also shows reminiscences to their early days. The following I Won't Tell You starts with distorted vocals and shows them with a modern, danceable sound. Perhaps this is a surprise for some of their fans, but it isn't when you followed them for awhile and know their influences. Some will shout 'sell out', but they walk the chosen path with consequence. This line-up is together for 11 years and 1/2 of them started Lacuna Coil, so they grow together and follow the dream they share. These days they are less metal, but still heavy. Even if I Like It might need a few spins, but then it's haunting you. More heavy is Underdog, a heavy groove combined with metallic riffs and melodic vocal lines. One of my favorites!
A bit different the sextet presents themselves at The Pain. Check it out! Guitarists Cristiano Migliore and Marco Biazzi lead you into Spellbound, but soon drummer Cristiano Mozzati and bassist Marco Coti Zelati support them and together they deliver the playground for the singers Andrea Ferro and Cristina Scabbia. And again it shows that Andrea Ferro improved his vocal abilities, especially when you compare it with their early works! This one hooks you up! No surprise that they chose Spellbound as their first single. A more balladesque and symphonic one is Wide Awake, here they focus on Cristina's voice while Andrea steps back and only adds backings. The following The Maze is another heavy, danceable tune where Andrea is taking over the lead. A bit like Rammstein with melodic vocals... Last, but not least the title track Shallow Life! Again they use symphonic sounds, but in a different way. The song carries a sad note, but its leveled due to the electro beat. This one and some other tracks need time to grow, so give it a few spins!
Everybody who loves their early releases, but haven't listen to their last album should check out Shallow Life first, but if Karmacode is one of their favorites and you still like listening to that one, then Shallow Life will be what you are looking for! I like the old Lacuna Coil and I like the new sound of the Milanese, so I have nothing to complain... Well, perhaps there is something.. The production is quite polished and could have more power... punch... But that's more a matter of taste. I really miss a track which hooks you up immediately... A real ear catcher, but still a good album!
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