Review by Felix on February 6, 2024.

Even the hottest summer of all times (2022) was not enough to stop the activities of Italy’s Bunker 66. The split with Germany’s Lucifuge was already their third collaboration within one year. Well, an Italian-German cooperation has not always been to the benefit of mankind, to say the least. But this time we don’t need to fear many dying victims, even though the company’s name of the label mates indicates this. More problematic is the somehow needless Motörhead cover of Bunker 66, but their two remaining songs make up for this. Rasping guitars, sometimes fast as an arrow, motivate the drummer to a precise and powerful performance, while the man at the microphone spits out his lyrics with a rather throaty voice. The Italians find the right mix of primitive sounds and diversity in their constantly forward rolling tracks, although they avoid pretty melodic excursions this time. Thumbs up for the more or less perfectly produced “Mellhammer” and “Sulphurous Lust”. The second track in particular makes it clear that the Italians' little vulgarities are always diabolical fun for the listener.

Lucifuge hail from the underground with three new songs. Although their catalogue covers already four full-lengths, they did not get an overdose of attention so far. Honestly, I doubt that the new material will change this. The band misses the mark on the almost epic “In Blood and Dust”. A few sections are okay, but coherence is missing. The song does not come to the point. Additionally, some slow-moving parts are just too ordinary and lack excitement. Fortunately, “The Great Unseen” is much more intensive and should not become “The Great Unheard”. Here Lucifuge attack without mercy and demonstrate their full potential. The slicing riffs and the tight overall appearance fascinate me, but my enthusiasm vanishes into thin air as soon as the final track starts. Is this the anti-social son of Priest’s “United”? I guess it's supposed to be a hymn, but easy-listening black thrash sounds toothless and tiring. Is it allowed to fall asleep? Putting insult to injury, the production also fails to convince. The snare lacks assertiveness, the guitars do not sound very heavy. So with a little portion of good will, it’s 80% for Bunker 66 and 60% for Lucifuge. Could have been better.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Review by Luka on June 3, 2002.

One of "Halflife's" purposes was to reveal Lacuna Coil's new and slightly different musical approach and entice to buy the upcoming "Unleashed Memories" album, but if you ask me the 5 songs on this EP hardly do the album justice in terms of fair representation. In fact, I would have been more likely not to buy the aforementioned album after hearing "Halflife", ...fortunately, that wasn't the case. Century Media was generous enough to tack on this EP to all new copies of "Unleashed Memories", which makes for a worthy buy altogether. The EP itself I would never recommend, and if you've got a regular copy of "Unleashed Memories" I wouldn't worry at all.

The one song that I want to restrain those comments from, however, is the breath-taking finale 'Stars', which, as far as I know is a cover song of some little-known British pop-group called Dubstar. On this track Lacuna Coil prove that a strong infusion of melancholy and feeling into a slower pop song produces some of the most beautiful music ever, and the chorus, in particular, is simply enchanting.

The core of the album lays in the songs 'Hyperfast' and the title-track, which both disappointed me with their overly long and watered-down Lacuna Coil style, granted 'Hyperfast' is much better and easier to sit through. Dare I say these were the songs that didn't make the grade for "Unleashed Memories"? If you ask me 'Senzafine' is one that shouldn't have made the grade for that album in the first place, but here on the EP we have ‘Senzafine’ with its pointless 2-minute intro 'Trance Awake'. It didn't do a thing for me. Maybe it's because I always press 'skip' on the second and third song that “Halflife”, like most EP's today, feels utterly incomplete when it's over. I don't recommend this at all.

Bottom Line: Only the most die-hard Lacuna Coil fan would want this. One good song and the rest is mediocrity.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Originality: 3.5
Musicianship: 7
Atmosphere: 6
Production: 7
Overall: 4

Rating: 5.5 out of 10

Review by Luka on June 3, 2002.

One of "Halflife's" purposes was to reveal Lacuna Coil's new and slightly different musical approach and entice to buy the upcoming "Unleashed Memories" album, but if you ask me the 5 songs on this EP hardly do the album justice in terms of fair representation. In fact, I would have been more likely not to buy the aforementioned album after hearing "Halflife", ...fortunately, that wasn't the case. Century Media was generous enough to tack on this EP to all new copies of "Unleashed Memories", which makes for a worthy buy altogether. The EP itself I would never recommend, and if you've got a regular copy of "Unleashed Memories" I wouldn't worry at all.

The one song that I want to restrain those comments from, however, is the breath-taking finale 'Stars', which, as far as I know is a cover song of some little-known British pop-group called Dubstar. On this track Lacuna Coil prove that a strong infusion of melancholy and feeling into a slower pop song produces some of the most beautiful music ever, and the chorus, in particular, is simply enchanting.

The core of the album lays in the songs 'Hyperfast' and the title-track, which both disappointed me with their overly long and watered-down Lacuna Coil style, granted 'Hyperfast' is much better and easier to sit through. Dare I say these were the songs that didn't make the grade for "Unleashed Memories"? If you ask me 'Senzafine' is one that shouldn't have made the grade for that album in the first place, but here on the EP we have ‘Senzafine’ with its pointless 2-minute intro 'Trance Awake'. It didn't do a thing for me. Maybe it's because I always press 'skip' on the second and third song that “Halflife”, like most EP's today, feels utterly incomplete when it's over. I don't recommend this at all.

Bottom Line: Only the most die-hard Lacuna Coil fan would want this. One good song and the rest is mediocrity.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Originality: 3.5
Musicianship: 7
Atmosphere: 6
Production: 7
Overall: 4

Rating: 5.5 out of 10