LACUNA COIL is, arguably, Italy's biggest Metal / Rock act, having developed an ever-growing following since their 90's inception. I think we can all agree that their sound has experienced more-than-subtle changes from album to album; the latest tangent coming forth in 2012's "Dark Adrenaline". That turning point puts us in the firing line of their upcoming "Broken Crown Halo" which, in parts, is even heavier than the deep and dark (excuse the pun) previous album, while also bringing back a small number of the band's oldest elements.

One of those elements is first hinted at with the explosive start to "Nothing Stands in Our Way", with a glorious, bellowed death growl from male vocalist Andrea. From my normally-accurate musical memory, I haven't heard any screaming from him since at least "Comalies". With this track comes some especially aggressive riffage, much like the opening track "I Survive" on "Shallow Life". In a beautifully LACUNA-fashion, this track weaves in heaviness, with liquid groove and a catchy-but-powerful chorus. The new-found aggressiveness is emphasized even further in the second track, "Zombies", with even more in-your-face riffs, and neck-cracking galloped chugs, preceded by a shredderiffic guitar solo. There is also a greater presence of seething growling from Mr. Ferro.

"Cybersleep" is a powerful soar through a breathtaking, sonic dreamscape. It is propelled with powerful, chord-driven riffs from two of metals most underrated duos, "Maus" and "Pizza", who may play riffs relatively simple compared to DREAM THEATRE but hold an ever-fluid synergy, molding twisted realities with their mix of groove and power. It is also worth pointing out that Cristina performs essentially all of the vocals here, giving the track a totally different feel. "Infection" is my favorite track on the album, and perhaps one of my favorite LACUNA COIL tracks ever. The verses are deliciously groove-ridden, Cristina's contralto pipes delivering powerful lyrics. In fact, the synergy between the two vocalists is almost poetic in this track, presenting emotion-evoking tradeoffs. The evolutionary speeding-up of the track into some of their fastest rhythmic performance shows another, even more epic side to the band.

I find it incredibly hard to criticize this album; I welcomed the comeback of Andrea's growls. When he performs on a song, he is instrumental in bringing forth a hidden intensity in the band. I feel like it is, by a thread, their best album to date.