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Lacuna Coil

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Lacuna Coil

Lacuna Coil is an Italian rock band from Milan, Italy, formed in 1994.[4][5] Formerly known as Sleep of Right and Ethereal, the band was inspired by the combination of gothic imagery and music, and the members have been known, musically, for composing midtempo songs consisting of guitar lines overlaid with prominent keyboard work, and contrasting dual female/male vocal harmonies to help create a melodic detached sound. Much of the band's recent material, however, sees a heavier and more down-tuned style, featuring a more distinct bass line and a higher mixing of the guitars within the songs.

The band's 2006 release, Karmacode peaked at number 28 on the Billboard 200. Their latest release, Shallow Life, debuted at number 16 on the Billboard charts. The album marks the band diverging their sound from gothic metal to straight-forward alternative hard rock. [6][7][8]

History

Beginning - Lacuna Coil EP (1994-1998)

Andrea Ferro and Marco Coti Zelati formed Sleep of Right in Milan, Italy, 1994, and recruited Raffaele Zagaria on guitars, and Michaelangelo on the drums. After releasing two demos, Bleeding Souls and Noise of Bolgia, Claudio Leo became the band's second guitarist, and Leonardo Forti replaced Michaelangelo on the drums after his departure. The band asked Cristina Scabbia, a friend, to sing background vocals briefly, which led to her officially joining Sleep of Right. Soon after, the band changed their name to Ethereal, and signed to Century Media at the end of 1997. Finding that the name Ethereal was already taken by a Greek band, they changed their name to Lacuna Coil, which means empty spiral.[9]

Lacuna Coil performing at the Heineken Jamming Festival 2006.

Lacuna Coil released a self-titled EP through Century Media in 1998. Shortly after, there came the departure of bandmates Raffael Zagaria, Claudio Leo, and Leonardo Forti. As a result, guitarist Cristiano Migliore and drummer Cristiano Mozzati were recruited officially. At this point, the band was touring with Moonspell after the release of the Lacuna Coil EP.

In a Reverie (1998-2000)

Following a second European tour, the band recorded their debut full-length album, In a Reverie, and added second guitarist Marco Biazzi. The band supported the album with another European tour, co-headlining with Skyclad. Allmusic rated the album 4 stars, saying it was "a fine debut by a band that bears watching." The band toured much more, participating in Milan's Rolling Stone magazine-sponsored venue, plus as a show headlined by a German band.

Halflife EP-Unleashed Memories (2000-2002)

Following the debut, In A Reverie, Half-Life was released in 2000 with five songs, entitled "Half Life," "Hyperfast," "Stars," (A cover of a Dubstar single), "Trance Awake," and a demo version of a future song, "Senzafine." "Senzafine" was added onto the band's next big project: their 2001 album Unleashed Memories. The studio album only had ten songs onto it, but a future release included the five songs from the Halflife EP. Allmusic rated it 3 stars.

Comalies (2002-2006)

The band was in for a change for the better when its breakthrough album, Comalies was released in 2002; it received high reviews from certain corners of the metal world.[10][11][12][13] A significant player on Europe's metal scene for nearly a decade at this point, the band was virtually unknown in the U.S.A. until it began touring there.[14] Uranium gave the band some of its earliest U.S. exposure; over a year later, the first single from Comalies -- "Heaven's a Lie" -- began to receive radio and media attention, pulling the band into North America's musical mainstream. Networks such as Fuse played the song's video, for example. In early 2005, "Heaven's a Lie" won in The 4th Annual Independent Music Awards for Best Hard Rock/Metal Song. [15]The second single, "Swamped," was played in heavy rotation and used in the video game Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines. It also appeared on the soundtrack for the movie Resident Evil: Apocalypse. Music videos were filmed for both songs and broadcast on MTV2's Headbanger's Ball, which also had the band perform a live, acoustic rendition of "Heaven's a Lie".

Lacuna Coil performing in Oxford.

By 2004, Comalies had become the best-selling CD in Century Media's history. The band appeared at Ozzfest in between headlining club tours in the U.S.A. and Europe.

A bonus, extended version of Comalies was released both in stores and on iTunes. This version consisted of both live and acoustic versions of the songs "Heaven's A Lie," "Swamped," "Unspoken," "Aeon," and "Senzafine" from Unleashed Memories.

Karmacode (2006-2008)

The band and label postponed the release of their follow-up to Comalies, Karmacode, to early 2006. According to the band's website, this made it possible for more time to be spent on production, and to avoid the crowded summer 2005 release schedule for metal albums.[citation needed] On December 23, 2005 the band announced on their web site that all recording, mixing, and mastering on Karmacode had been completed. It was then announced that Karmacode would be released in the USA on April 4, 2006.

During their 2005 European Tour, Lacuna Coil performed two new songs (working titles "A2" and "Antonio") at selected concerts. "Our Truth" was referred to at the time as "Antonio". "A2" was re-named "Fragile", which is the opening track on Karmacode.[original research?]

Karmacode debuted at #28 on the Billboard Charts. It was acclaimed by music critics and magazines.[16][17][18][19] Corresponding with the release of the new album, Lacuna Coil toured with Rob Zombie throughout North America in early 2006, it also appeared at Ozzfest 2006 on the main stage. The band also played at the 2006 Download Festival (a three-day music festival in England's Donington Park), which was headlined by Metallica, Tool, and Guns N' Roses. It also played one night in the U.K. at Sheffield Corporation on October 17, 2006. That December, Lacuna Coil teamed up with In Flames, The Sword and Seemless for a U.S. Tour, as well as The Blackest of the Black 2006 Tour (with headlining act Danzig, and bands like Asesino, Belphegor, and The Haunted).

Four singles were officially released from Karmacode: "Our Truth", "Closer", "Within Me", and a cover of Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence." "Our Truth" was the first single released, and had a music video produced for it. The single peaked in the top forty on the U.S. Mainstream Rock charts.[citation needed]

In March 2007, Lacuna Coil joined Stone Sour and Shadows Fall on the Jägermeister Music Tour. In May, it toured the USA with Within Temptation and The Gathering, on the The Hottest Chicks in Metal Tour 2007. Departing from the official tour dates, the band stopped in Raleigh, North Carolina in early April to play with local bands Wounded Soul, Blatant Disarray, and Shadows Fall. It again departed from the tour schedule in Albuquerque, New Mexico in late April to play the Sunshine Theater with Stolen Babies, Beneath the Sky, and Shadows Fall.[citation needed]

In October 2007 Lacuna Coil played for the first time in Japan, during the Loudpark Festival '07 in Saitama City's Saitama Super Arena. In November 2007 they joined Megadeth, DevilDriver, Static-X and Bring Me the Horizon for the Australian leg of Megadeth's Gigantour.

Visual Karma (Body, Mind and Soul)

Lacuna Coil's first live DVD was released in November 2008, entitled Visual Karma (Body, Mind and Soul). The CD/DVD is a retrospective of all things from the band’s “Karmacode” album cycle. The set list features concerts filmed at Germany's Wacken Festival and at the Japanese Loudpark Festival in 2007.[20]

Shallow Life (2009)

In the magazine Rock Sound, it was announced that Lacuna Coil's fifth studio album would be produced by Don Gilmore, and would have some Arabic influences. Cristina Scabbia announced to Rock Sound, "It's different, but it's our style. We haven't done anything absolutely different from our style, because that wouldn't be natural, that would be weird - it wouldn't be us. The songs are definitely more powerful, more complete, more intense, more straight-to-the-point".[21]

Andrea Ferro told Rock Sound,"We've put more attention on the real meaning of the songs, so the vocals are a bit more prominent. We've worked a lot with Don Gilmore on the pronunciation of the words in English, so people really understand the meanings of the words. There are strong choruses, where people can relate and really understand what we mean".

On December 13th, 2008 it was revealed that the new album would be titled Shallow Life.[22] The album was released in Europe on April 20, 2009 and in the United States on April 21, 2009. It debuted at #16 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart,[23] and became Lacuna Coil's first Top 20 album in the U.S.[24] As of September 2009 It has sold nearly 70,000 copies in the United States.[25]

In February and March 2009, Lacuna Coil played at the Australian music festival Soundwave alongside metal acts including DevilDriver, In Flames, Lamb of God and Nine Inch Nails. The festival spanned five capital cities, at which they performed their single "Spellbound", from Shallow Life for the first time.[26] Later in July 2009, Lacuna Coil embarked on the American Spellbound Tour, alongside Kill Hannah and Seventh Void. This was Lacuna Coil's first U.S. headlining run in over two years, and the first tour the band has been on since the Music as a Weapon Tour IV alongside Disturbed, Killswitch Engage and Chimaira in early 2009.[25]

Band members

Former members

  • Raffaele Zagaria - guitar (cayne)
  • Claudio Leo - guitar (cayne)
  • Leonardo Forti - drums and percussion

Live members

  • Steve Minelli - guitar (March/April 1998) (Node, Death SS)
  • Alice Chiarelli - keyboards (March/April 1998) (Alice in Darkland)

Discography

Main article: Lacuna Coil discography
Studio albums

References

  1. ^ Essi Berelian's "Rough Guide to Heavy Metal", p. 191
  2. ^ http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=105911
  3. ^ http://www.musicmight.com/artist/italy/lombardia/milan/lacuna+coil
  4. ^ "www.myspace.com/lacunacoil". My Space. Retrieved 2007-01-11.
  5. ^ "purevolume | Lacuna Coil". purevolume. Retrieved 2007-01-11.
  6. ^ http://www.dangerdog.com/reviews_2009/lacuna-coil-shallow-life-review.php
  7. ^ http://www.myspace.com/lacunacoil
  8. ^ http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=114521
  9. ^ "Emptyspiral.net - The Lacuna Coil Community". Retrieved 2007-01-14.
  10. ^ "The Trades - Music Review: Lacuna Coil, "Comalies"".
  11. ^ "Lacuna Coil - Comalies CD Review at Heavy Metal and Power Metal Portal www.1heavymetal.com".
  12. ^ "Rasputin Music - Rasputin Recommends and Reviews!".
  13. ^ "allmusic ((( Comalies > Overview )))".
  14. ^ http://www.411mania.com/music/album_reviews/39395
  15. ^ Independent Music Awards - 4th Annual Winners
  16. ^ http://www.emptyspiral.net/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=105
  17. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:rkyvad1ke8wo
  18. ^ http://heavymetal.about.com/od/cdreviews/gr/lacunacoil.htm
  19. ^ http://www.musicaldiscoveries.com/reviews/lacunacoil2006.htm
  20. ^ http://www.centurymedia.com/us/news.php?artist_ID=31
  21. ^ "LACUNA COIL Discusses 'Shallow Life' Album Concept, Working With LINKIN PARK Producer". Dec. 14, 2008. Retrieved 12 October 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  22. ^ http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=110780
  23. ^ "Lacuna Coil Wrap Up Tour". 08/06/2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  24. ^ http://music-mix.ew.com/2009/04/ross-roth.html Rick Ross outperforms Asher Roth on the charts
  25. ^ a b "LACUNA COIL: Audio Interview With CRISTINA SCABBIA Available". blabbermouth.com. Sep. 1, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  26. ^ "LACUNA COIL: 'Shallow Life' Track Listing Revealed". Feb. 23, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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