Review by HanSathanas on July 15, 2026.

I think I mentioned in one of my previous Lacuna Coil reviews that I first discovered the band through Century Media's Darkness We Feel compilation. That brief but memorable introduction sparked my curiosity and led me to explore everything Lacuna Coil had released. They were not particularly groundbreaking, but their music was beautiful enough to keep me coming back for more. At least in those early days, Lacuna Coil sounded far better than they do today.

This debut full-length shows significant progress over both the 'Shallow End' single and the band's self-titled EP. Right from the opening track, 'Circle', Cristina Scabbia delivers some of her most enchanting yet powerful vocal performances. She possesses a voice that perfectly suits this style of music, sitting comfortably between gothic metal and hard rock. Instrumentally, there is nothing particularly groundbreaking, but the band performs with confidence, even if their songwriting occasionally follows a fairly straightforward formula.

Thankfully, Lacuna Coil adds enough variety to keep things interesting, incorporating tasteful acoustic passages throughout the album. For a young Italian band playing gothic metal at the time, it would have been easy to produce something merely competent. Fortunately, this album offers much more than that. While there is still room for improvement, Andrea Ferro's contributions work surprisingly well. His clean vocals and restrained harsh passages provide an effective contrast, but the album unquestionably belongs to Cristina, whose expressive and captivating voice remains its greatest strength.

As a longtime fan, it is disappointing to see where the band eventually ended up, embracing radio-friendly songwriting at the expense of the memorable gothic metal that first made them stand out.

The production is vibrant and balanced, giving every instrument room to breathe. The drums, cymbals, and guitars all sit comfortably in the mix without competing for attention, allowing the songs to flow naturally. Everyone performs confidently, which is another of the album's strengths. Guest keyboards are provided by Waldemar Sorychta, a musician and producer with an impressive résumé. Strangely enough, I barely notice the keyboards throughout most of the album. The guitars dominate the sound, leaving the keyboards buried deep in the mix. Personally, I don't mind this at all, especially since gothic metal is often unfairly criticized for relying on overly cheesy keyboard arrangements to disguise weak musicianship. That certainly isn't the case here.

Most of the songs are memorable and highly enjoyable. The performances are not flawless, but they remain considerably stronger than what Lacuna Coil would later become. The album creates vivid atmospheres for listeners willing to appreciate subtle, carefully crafted songwriting rather than obvious theatrics. It is an engaging release that successfully blends gothic metal with hard rock influences. If you appreciate a straightforward, unpretentious approach to gothic metal, this album is well worth your time.

As for standout tracks, there really aren't any. Every song maintains a consistently high standard and rewards repeated listening. The fact that this album remains enjoyable after all these years says a great deal about the care and inspiration the band invested in creating it.

Rating: 8.9 out of 10