Lacuna Coil

[muthagoose]

LACUNA COIL singer Cristina Scabbia is featured in the September issue of Stuff magazine. Asked if she gets any crazy male groupies, Cristina responded "Some people write to me about my feet because of the sandals I wore in one photo session. People went crazy for my feet! But usually when men come up to me, they don't tick me off or say anything rude. They always kiss my hand or say, 'Won't you marry me?' or 'Can I have a hug?' They are really polite. I don't want to know what they say behind my back."

With regards to how she met her boyfriend of 10 years, LACUNA COIL bassist Marco Coti Zelati, she said, "We met in the metal club where I used to bartend. I said to him, 'You look good with short hair.' He was completely drunk and he said, 'You never saw me with long hair.' That’s what sealed the first meeting. He made me laugh."
Asked if she ever parties like a rock star, Cristina said, "There are parties where you get completely wasted, and the day after, you don’t even remember what you did. In Dallas, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell [of DAMAGEPLAN] drove us to their strip club in a limo as we drank whiskey. It was pretty rock star. And we had a crazy party night with P.O.D. at Pleasure Island in Disney World. There are, like, five or six clubs, and we visited all of them. You can imagine the way we came back home."

[Üncle Snake]

Scrumptious.

[LotB]

It's damn disappointing that Cristina hung out with P.O.D.

[muthagoose]

LACUNA COIL singer Cristina Scabbia has told MTV.com that the band are not expecting to record any of the the songs they've written over the past 18 months until at least the end of the year. "Waiting for that to happen will just make me more excited for when we do the actual recording of the album," she said. "The new songs we have will be an evolution of 'Comalies' [2002], but not a huge change. I hate bands that are changing every album, because that's not a natural evolution. LACUNA COIL will be recognizable on the next album. This is how it has to be."

Scabbia also spoke about the endless comparisons between LACUNA COIL and EVANESCENCE — an assessment that many fans find unfair considering that LACUNA COIL has been together since 1994, four years longer than EVANESCENCE. "They're a good band and people like them, so why should I be upset [about the comparisons]?" she said. "It's funny, because in Europe we've been known for a while, so people say the opposite thing. They hear EVANESCENCE and say, 'Oh, is this the new single from LACUNA COIL?' "

Regarding LACUNA COIL's participation in this year's Ozzfest festival, Scabbia said, "It's really tough to wake up in time to play. And of course, we're not used to performing in sunlight, so we have to watch out to get sunburns, but it's good to be finished early because then you have the rest of the day free, and you can enjoy the festival."

In addition to watching many of their favorite acts perform daily, they've been able to meet some of their idols. "You'll just be hanging out backstage with the guys in SLIPKNOT, then Zakk Wylde from BLACK LABEL SOCIETY will come by. Then you'll see [JUDAS PRIEST frontman] Rob Halford walking in," Scabbia said. "The whole situation is completely surreal."

"[Drummer] Bill Ward from BLACK SABBATH has become a fan, which is a real honor," she said. "We talk to him almost every day, and he's hosting a radio program that's playing our songs, which is a real honor to us."

[Ponyone]

Hailed as this year's Ozzfest breakthrough band, LACUNA COIL continues their success at commercial radio with their latest single "Swamped." Their stunning video for the hit track is currently featured on Launch.com's "Dig It or Dis It" competition up against other artists such as Evanesence and No Doubt, so get your vote in now at launch.yahoo.com/promotions/digitdisit ...

[LotB]

Did anyone else notice that last week's winner was Hanson? What the fuck?!?

[Ponyone]

It wasn't too long ago that metal was a "man's world." But nowadays, listeners hardly bat an eye to female-fronted metal/hard-rock bands.

Joining me this week is the first lady of Inside Pulse: the one, the only, Gloomchen, the writer who, once a week, offers up a totally true tune for your (yes your) enjoyment.

In this week's column, Gloomchen and myself will offer up our own favorite female vocalists of the metal genre. But, keeping with the theme of the column (Opposing Elements), we can't agree on everything. So, while we each offered up three picks unopposed, we'll have to argue about the last four slots on the list.

So, without further ado...

******** ******** ******** ********
Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil **Gloomchen's Pick**

Regardless of whether it's in English or Italian, Scabbia's understated counterpart to male vocalist Andrea Ferro creates a goth-ish vibe throughout their strong modern metal outings. Often compared in America to Evanescence's Amy Lee, Scabbia's credit is that she contributes much more mood with her voice rather than bombast. Her range and ability may not be stars and moons above the competition, but one only realizes this upon extended thought and comparison to others -- within Lacuna Coil, everything fits perfectly. She is a master of atmosphere.



Angela Gossow of Arch Enemy **Tom's Pick**

Man, there was almost a mini-uprising in metal circles when Swedish metal-masters Arch Enemy, fresh without a lead singer, hooked up with vocalist Angela Gossow for 2002's "Wages of Sin." But Gossow did not disappoint and on the band's follow-up in 2003, the highly successful and impressive "Anthems of Rebellion," Gossow proved she is one of the metal-scene's sharpest and biting vocalist. As she growls through songs like "We Will Rise" it's clear the band made a good decision. Male or female? Doesn't matter, she's one hell of a vocalist.



Anneke van Giersbergen of The Gathering **Gloomchen's Pick**

While the band has moved decidedly from traditional metal in nearly all aspects, van Giersbergen turned the Dutch band The Gathering from a nondescript death metal band into something innovative and spectacular. "Mandylion" and "Nighttime Birds" took metal onto a few side roads, but with van Giersbergen's strong vocals, the changes were more than welcome. Beautiful and well-trained but never over-the-top operatic, Ms. Anneke pours more emotion into half a syllable than some folks sputter over an entire album. I like her so much, I named my cat after her.



Tanya from Lullacry **Tom's Pick**

Finland's Lullacry swapped out lead singers with the same name (Tanja for Tanya) without much fanfare, but it definitely paid off. Tanya offers up the perfect melodic, feminine vocals to counteract the rest of the groups abrasive, pop-oriented metal. Far less metal than, say, Angela Gossow (Arch Enemy) or Morgan Lander (Kittie), Tanya never drops into guttural growls, yet still maintains enough energy and charisma via her vocal styling to front a metal band.



Anita Auglend of Sins of Thy Beloved **Gloomchen's Pick**

Norway may not be the first home to ladies in rock, but the wintry home of black metal has given rise to many a fine female overture. Death/black band Sins of Thy Beloved may be primarily male growls, but it's their violins and the angelic voice of Auglend that got them noticed. Dreamlike in manner, Auglend added a ray of light to the desperately gloomy band's creations. She avoided sounding hokey or overblown even when the rest of the band teetered on the edge of cliche at times. It's a sad, beautiful mix, and yet another female vocalist with the ability to change an entire song with minimal input.



Candace Kucsulain of Walls of Jericho **Tom's Pick**

Fronting a hardcore-bordering-on-metal band like Walls of Jericho would be a big task for any singer. But Candace Kucsulain is unlike other metal frontwomen who can either switch the metal on or off, fluctuating between the hardcore and death metal growl or the more feminine singing. Kucsulain can tear through track after track in full hardcore mode while still maintaining the slight femininity in her voice which is a great touch. The growls and grunts throughout the band's latest release, "All Hail the Dead," always have the slightest, subtle hint of femininity that really makes the band's overall sound stand out from the pack. The musicianship is good, but it's the vocals that really make Walls of Jericho.

******** ******** ******** ********

The Arguables


Otep Shamaya of Otep

Pro: Tom
Is there anyone more angry than Otep? Seriously. I remember hearing the first death metal groans emanating from the Ozzfest second-stage in 2001 as Otep took the stage. She could easily front a band like Cannibal Corpse without missing a beat and packs enough venom to command attention on stage despite her small frame.

Con: Gloomchen
I spent a lot of time listening to Otep in the attempt to understand why people find this woman so fabulous. Maybe it's just her neverending man-bashing lyrics that irritated me, but as a whole, her singing simply cannot be played for background enjoyment whatsoever. She has decent growling ability, but still comes off as whiny and occasionally downright comical.



Morgan Lander of Kittie

Pro: Gloomchen
While it's been said she's not all-that live and things were much better before half of the band fell apart, Lander not only has the growling down pat, but her straight vocals hit hard, too. She's still young and honing her craft, but still pours a straight glass of evil into everything she records. Few females out there can do what she does, period.

Con: Tom
I'm not necessarily against the inclusion of Morgan Lander on this list, but she just really seems to lack direction. You're right, she growls great, her straight vocals are on the mark, but it just seems like she's not sure what direction she wants her band or her singing to go in. On the first Kittie album she was raw, on the next she was nothing but death metal and on the latest she seems to be moving towards a mix of the two. Morgan Lander doesn't lack talent, only a focus.



Jonna Enckell of The Project Hate MCMXCIX

Pro: Gloomchen
The second female vocalist of TPH, Enckell replaced the well-liked Mia Stahl and added a killer boost that better fit the atmosphere of the band. Her tremendously powerful voice is almost too downplayed as she sings alongside Jörgen Sandström (growler for Grave) and lends an eerie alto presence. She's definitely one to keep an eye on.

Con: Tom
You're right, her voice is almost too downplayed, and I really think it's because the band knows she'd be unable to carry the group vocally alone (or even more 50/50 like the route Lacuna Coil chose). It's a pretty voice, but nothing noteworthy enough to create a major stir.



Amy Lee of Evanescence

Pro: Gloomchen
Apparently, there are some girls in America who can sing as well. Over five million fans seem to have noticed this, too. Strictly speaking, she's an extremely gifted vocalist with a range of over two octaves and seems to have found the area of music where she feels best fit. One may note that she could have just as easily gone the Celine Dion route, to be honest, and isn't what one might classify as "metal" at all, but better "Bring Me Back To Life" than "My Heart Will Go On," no?
Con: Tom
Amy Lee is a hell of a vocalist, and I love Evanescence but, much like Morgan Lander before, Lee seems to lack a clear direction. Evanescence's first (indie) release was fantastic. It should have laid the foundation for something huge on the major-label debut, but the band seemed to fall a little short. As Lee has shown with her work with Seether (re-singing part of the band's hit "Broken" for the "Punisher" soundtrack), her voice can really fit well with a hard-rock band. I Just think her band could do a little better to back her up.

[Üncle Snake]

From www.billboard.com ...

Ozzfest Pays Dividends For Lacuna Coil

Ozzfest 2004 is over, but the benefits it has brought to Lacuna Coil's latest Century Media album, "Comalies," have just begun. Issued in October 2002, the set last month reached No. 9 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart. It has sold 147,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, becoming the label's first release to break the 100,000 barrier.

The group is cautious when speaking about its burgeoning success, which follows in the footsteps of such Ozzfest alumni as Slipknot, Korn and System Of A Down.

"We're really proud to be considered a breakout band, but I'm really scared about those names, because it's kind of like a bad luck thing," vocalist Cristina Scabbia told Billboard.com at a recent Ozzfest stop outside Pittsburgh. "We try not to think about it. We're really easy-going people, so we don't want to act like rock stars, stuff like that. [We] just want to be satisfied with our music, we just want to enjoy what we do."

Judging from the excitement in the audience during Lacuna Coil's 20-minute set on the Ozzfest's second stage, the talk surrounding the Italian band's growing popularity isn't hype.

After playing the theme to "The Godfather" as a cheeky introduction, Lacuna Coil opened with "Swamped" and included the single "Heaven's a Lie" in its set. Although powerful, the band's goth-edged metal isn't typical of what starts a mosh pit brewing, but within minutes the security detail at the front of the stage was busy deflecting the gleeful bodies being thrown around.

"The more that happens, the better we play," guitarist Cristiano Migliore says. "It's cool when people respond to your songs; they know who you are. Even if they don't know you, they're really getting into it because you impressed them, so it's a great feeling."

The band compares Ozzfest to a summer camp, where maximum enjoyment is derived from watching other bands and meeting their members. At times, the experience has bordered on the surreal.

"It was really weird during the press conference," Scabbia recalls with a laugh. "I'm sitting on a chair with my name, and I just turn and I say, 'OK, Zakk Wylde, Phil Anselmo, Judas Priest, Slipknot, Slayer, Ozzy, Sharon [Osbourne], Lamb Of God, Hatebreed.' I was just like, 'What the f*** am I doing here?'"

Migliore says the band's post-Ozzfest plans include a return to Milan and some time off before beginning a new album. "We'll start working on the new stuff and hopefully we'll start [recording] in January or February so the album can be out by May," he says.

Some bands might write while on the road, but Lacuna Coil isn't one of them. "We're more the kind of musicians that sit home by themselves and try to work on stuff separately, and then we get together and we try to see if the ideas match," Migliore explains. "On the road there's too much to do. You play, you have interviews, you have signing sessions, and by the time you're done with all this, you go to bed because you're stressed out, or you get really wasted and it's not the right time to write."

Does that mean Ozzfest sponsor Jagermeister's product isn't the best way to get the creative juices flowing? "Yeah, exactly," he says, laughing. "It doesn't help songwriting."

-- Christa Titus, N.Y.

[Ponyone]

Lacuna Coil in Rolling Stone's 'Artists to Watch' Feature

As reported previously here, Lacuna Coil are one of the ten bands in Rolling Stone Magazine's 'Artists to Watch' feature in the October Issue.
The magazine has this to add...
WHO An Italian goth-metal band that upstaged its heavy brethren on the second stage of Ozzfest this summer.

SOUND On tracks such as "Swamped," off the band's new album, Comalies, Lacuna Coil sound a bit like a heavier Evanescence, with operatic vocals courtesy of raven-tressed hottie Cristina Scabbia.

METAL QUEEN You might imagine that being the sexiest woman on a tour of heavy-metal dudes was challenging, but Scabbia said her male groupies were well-behaved: "I can intimidate them, so they just ask to kiss my hand or to marry me. I get a lot of lesbians, though, and I must say they're more aggressive than the men."

AN ITALIAN HEADBANGER'S LIFE "A lot of people listen to metal there, but it's still underground," Scabbia says of her homeland. "You don't switch on the TV and see Iron Maiden or Slayer. But I can listen to everything without prejudice - Depeche Mode, Destiny's Child, a little bit of everything. It's the best way to get inspiration."

The issue should be available now, and you can find out more about the feature on the web here...

Thanks to tori for the update!

[Ponyone]

Here's a short note from the official LACUNA COIL site, http://www.Lacunacoil.it:

"Once again we are starting work on the new songs... thanx to all the Coilers that showed up during all the Ozzfest gigs and the SUPERJOINT RITUAL - LACUNA COIL shows. We love you all!!!"

[muthagoose]

According to a posting on the group's official web site, Italy's LACUNA COIL recently spent time in Milan in pre-production with producer Waldemar Sorychta (TIAMAT, GRIP INC., SAMAEL). The band will soon enter the studio to record the first three songs for their much-anticipated follow-up to 2002's "Comalies". A late 2005 release via Century Media Records is expected.

[Ponyone]

According to a posting at their official website, LACUNA COIL's latest album, "Comalies" is Century Media Records' top-selling album of 2004. The album, which originally came out in 2002, sold nearly 150,000 copies in the U.S. over the last 12 months. "Comalies" broke every Century Media sales record and it remains the best-selling Century Media release ever to this day.

As previously reported, LACUNA COIL recently spent time in Milan in pre-production with producer Waldemar Sorychta (TIAMAT, GRIP INC., SAMAEL). The band 's much-anticipated follow-up to "Comalies" is expected in late 2005 via Century Media.

[muthagoose]

LACUNA COIL frontwoman Cristina Scabbia recently spoke to the web site of the group's official worldwide fan club, EmptySpiral.net, about the band's upcoming studio album and her work with Italian superstar Franco Battiato, among other topics. A couple of excerpts from the interview follow:

EmptySpiral.net: So, how’s the new album coming on, tell me all about it.

Cristina Scabbia: "The new album? Well, I cannot tell you that much, because we have a lot of ideas, and are still collecting ideas. We actually have so far, a couple of songs ninety percent done, not really, even less because we have to do all the arrangements, good sounds, it's sort of like pre-production with a couple of songs and they sound really, really good. I cannot really tell you how they sound [laughs] because…it’s definitely an evolution of 'Comalies' but it will not be so much different either way that you will find like a lot of aggressive parts and a lot of melody at the same time, so not totally far, but it will be something new."

EmptySpiral.net: So it's not going to be any kind of new direction or…?

Cristina Scabbia: "It will be a new direction, but I cannot really explain the kind of direction it would be because it will be a rock album…probably, the aggressivity will come out more from the music than from the voice, because in the voice there will be a lot of melody and a lot of variations, I'll be singing like monotone — there will be a good work on the vocal melodies too."

EmptySpiral.net: Any Italian songs?

Cristina Scabbia: "Not so far. We still have to find a lot of lyrics, maybe if it fits, if it will sound good, it will come natural, we don't want to do an Italian song just because hey, people like 'Senzafine'. We never worked it for the people directly, we worked it for ourselves because it's the best way to be sincere with yourself and with your fans. We don't want to make asses…"

EmptySpiral.net: You worked with Franco Battiato. How did that come about?

Cristina Scabbia: "Well, it just happened that, I was doing the Ozzfest and I got mail from…No, actually, I was doing the P.O.D. tour before Ozzfest and I got a mail from his manager, he told me that he was interested in working with me. And I totally admire this guy, I saw some stuff in Italy that said he's a pop artist. He's everything but pop. He's pop in the way he's popular, but he's the antithesis of the pop artist. He's like a poet, if you read his lyrics it's really weird, he works with a poet, and they're really cryptic. So I just realized that he's probably the only artist I wanted to work with, because he was really far from other artists like Ramazzotti — really commercial ones. I found a lot of stuff in common with this artist, I spoke with him, I found a lot points in common. I mean, it's different from the LACUNA COIL style, I realize, but I really wanted to work with him."

[muthagoose]

According to a posting at LACUNA COIL's official web site, the band have completed a second recording session for their upcoming album, tentatively due this fall via Century Media Records. Late last year, LACUNA COIL spent time in Milan in pre-production with producer Waldemar Sorychta (TIAMAT, GRIP INC., SAMAEL).

[Ponyone]

Lacuna Coil have updated their official site to include 'Memories' - a gallery of photographs. Within you'll find live pics, photosessions, photos with other artists, and more...
Check it out at www.lacunacoil.it. Click on 'Memories' to visit the gallery.


From www.emptyspiral.net

[Ponyone]

Lacuna Coil - Back catalogue to be re-released in July

Century Media Records will be re-releasing LACUNA COIL's back catalogue this July (July 25 in Europe; North American date TBA). Included will be the band's first full-length album 'In a Reverie', the band's second album 'Unleashed Memories' (plus bonus tracks, presumable the 'Halflife' EP), and a combination of the band's two EPs, 'Lacuna Coil' and 'Halflife'.
The band is currently in the studio finishing up their follow-up album to 2002's 'Comalies', which to date has shifted over 200,000 copies in the U.S. According to Emptyspiral.net, the band is looking to release their next album "in the third quarter" of this year.

[Üncle Snake]

LACUNA COIL confirmed to SMNnews at Saturday's installment of the Gods of Metal festival in Bologna, Italy that the band's next album will not be out until either December 2005 or early 2006. The band is also not planning to hit the road again in the U.S. until then as they will be working on their new, currently untitled, album. One song from the band's upcoming album has made its live debut in Europe this summer. The band have played the new track in France, Germany, Italy and the U.K. to date.

[muthagoose]

Century Media Records has uploaded a number of new LACUNA COIL pictures from the band's latest photo shoot. Check them out at: press.centurymedia.com/bandimages/lacunacoil/index.htm

LACUNA COIL — the Italian hard-rock sensation whose breakthrough performance on Ozzfest 2004 led Billboard to name them one of last year’s biggest success stories — are spending the summer months performing at some of Europe's premier festivals alongside such household names as GREEN DAY, INCUBUS and SYSTEM OF A DOWN. In the meantime, they continue work on their highly anticipated new album, tentatively set for an early 2006 release, that follows the success of "Comalies" (2002), which recently surpassed the 200,000 U.S. SoundScan plateau. The new effort is currently being produced once again with Waldemar Sorychta (SENTENCED, MOONSPELL) and is tentatively set for an early 2006 release.

LACUNA COIL spent the past two years touring relentlessly with the likes of such acclaimed artists as ATREYU, P.O.D. and SLIPKNOT while scoring major Active Rock hits with their powerful singles "Heaven's A Lie" and "Swamped", which also exploded at Fuse and MTV2. Led by the undeniably captivating Cristina Scabbia (vocals), the group garnered mainstream acclaim from such publications as Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone and Stuff, among others.

Upcoming LACUNA COIL shows:

Jun. 24 - Fury Fest - Le Mans, France
Jun. 24-26 - Graspop Metal Meeting – Dessel, BEL
Aug. 13-14 - M'era Luna - Hildesheim, GER
Aug. 18-20 - Summer Breeze - Abtsgmünd, Germany
Oct. 22 - Metal Female Voices Fest 3 – Wieze, BEL
Oct. 26 - Scala - London, UK
Oct. 27 - Manchester Academy 3 – Manchester, UK
Oct. 29 - Zodiac – Oxford, UK
Oct. 31 - Wulfrun Hall – Wolverhampton, UK

[Ponyone]

LACUNA COIL frontwoman Cristina Scabbia will be joining the Revolver magazine staff this fall with her own monthly advice column. Fans are encouraged to send their questions to the following e-mail address: [e-mail].

LACUNA COIL are continuing to work on the follow-up to 2002's "Comalies", which recently surpassed the 200,000 U.S. SoundScan plateau. The new effort is being produced once again by Waldemar Sorychta (SENTENCED, MOONSPELL) and is tentatively set for an early 2006 release.

[Üncle Snake]

LACUNA COIL — the Italian hard rock sensation, whose standout Active Rock singles for "Heaven's A Lie" and "Swamped", led Billboard to name them one of last year's biggest success stories — entered the studio on September 3 to begin tracking "Karmacode", the highly anticipated follow-up to their critically acclaimed commercial breakthrough album, "Comalies". The new effort is currently being co-produced once again with Waldemar Sorychta and LACUNA COIL and will be mixed by the acclaimed Ronald Prent (RAMMSTEIN, H.I.M., IRON MAIDEN) and mastered by Darcy Proper (STEELY DAN, PORCUPINE TREE, R.E.M.) at Galaxy Studios in Belgium. An early 2006 release is expected.

Andrea Ferro (vocals) describes the meaning behind the album's unique title: "When it came to coming up with an album title I wanted to combine one 'old' word that is spiritually connected with another that offers a link to our more 'modern' times. If there were an actual translation of 'karmacode,' it would be something like 'spiritual DNA and the message behind it'. The title attempts to balance our modern, overwhelming, self-centered, fast-paced lifestyles and the desire we all have to live a more spiritual, more compassionate and more fulfilling life."

With three full-length albums and two EPs to their credit, LACUNA COIL has ensured that each offering further enunciates the subtle, solemn beauty the sextet creates. "Comalies" maturely exhibits the trademarked gothic overtones and poignant melancholy of their haunting musical landscape.

In early 2004, LACUNA COIL's successes were validated with an invitation to participate in that year's Ozzfest, supporting such metal stalwarts as JUDAS PRIEST, SLAYER and OZZY himself. Additional summer touring with P.O.D. and Ozzfest off-date performances with SUPERJOINT RITUAL and DEVILDRIVER gave the band its busiest season yet. Led by the undeniably captivating Cristina Scabbia (vocals), the group garnered mainstream acclaim from such publications as Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone and Stuff, among others.

The group spent this summer performing at some of Europe's premier festivals alongside such household names as GREEN DAY, INCUBUS and SYSTEM OF A DOWN, while completing the songwriting process for the new album. "Karmacode" is shaping up to be the band's career defining release and it will force the entire hard rock world to take notice.

[muthagoose]

According to a posting at EmptySpiral.net, LACUNA COIL presented six songs from their forthcoming album, "Karmacode", to members of the world music press on Sunday (Oct. 23) at the Galaxy Studios in Mol, Belgium. The band are currently working in the studio with Grammy award-winning mastering engineer Darcy Proper, whose previous works include PORCUPINE TREE's "Deadwing".

The six songs introduced today have been named:
"What I see"
"Fragile"
"In Visible Light"
"Fragments of Faith"
"Within Me"
"Our Truth"

The highly anticipated follow-up to 2002's "Comalies", "Karmacode" was co-produced once again by Waldemar Sorychta was mixed by Ronald Prent (RAMMSTEIN, H.I.M., IRON MAIDEN). Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "What I See", "Fragile", "In Visible Light", "Fragments of Faith", "Within Me" and "Our Truth".

With regards to the new album's title, male vocalist Andrea Ferro had previously said, "When it came to coming up with an album title I wanted to combine one 'old' word that is spiritually connected with another that offers a link to our more 'modern' times. If there were an actual translation of 'karmacode,' it would be something like 'spiritual DNA and the message behind it'. The title attempts to balance our modern, overwhelming, self-centered, fast-paced lifestyles and the desire we all have to live a more spiritual, more compassionate and more fulfilling life."

"Karmacode" is tentatively scheduled for release in March 2006 via Century Media Records.

[Üncle Snake]

Italy's LACUNA COIL have confirmed on their official web site that the recording, mixing, and mastering of their forthcoming album, "Karmacode", is complete. The CD is tentatively scheduled for release in early April via Century Media Records. The highly anticipated follow-up to 2002's "Comalies" was co-produced once again by Waldemar Sorychta and was mixed by Ronald Prent (RAMMSTEIN, H.I.M., IRON MAIDEN). Songtitles set to appear on the CD include "What I See", "Fragile", "In Visible Light", "Fragments of Faith", "Within Me" and "Our Truth".

In a recent interview with Decibel magazine, LACUNA COIL frontwoman Cristina Scabbia had the following to say about the upcoming CD:

"The album is a trip through different spiritualities, not specific religions. We wanted to analyze how religion and spirituality can in our day coexist. Look at the title — we mix something generally spiritual like 'karma' with 'code,' which is modern and recent concept. The word is modern and spiritual at once.

"The music is the same and we did not change or become a different kind of band. It's an evolution, and it's precise. We spent three years on the road, visiting new territories, like the U.S., so we took different American influences and we mixed them with our European sound. We take the power of American bands and blend it with the romanticism and passion from Europe, so it's an interesting combination."

In other news, Pollstar.com is currently listing a LACUNA COIL show with SEVENDUST on February 26, 2006 at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, California. It is not presently clear if LACUNA COIL will play any additional dates with SEVENDUST.

[muthagoose]

LACUNA COIL are set to release their latest full-length effort, "Karmacode", on April 4 via Century Media Records.

The highly anticipated follow-up to their acclaimed commercial breakthrough album, "Comalies", was co-produced by Waldemar Sorychta and LACUNA COIL in Germany and Italy while the album was both mixed by Ronald Prent (RAMMSTEIN, H.I.M., IRON MAIDEN) and mastered by Darcy Proper (STEELY DAN, PORCUPINE TREE, R.E.M.) at Galaxy Studios in Belgium. Asterik Studio (TRAPT, FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND, THE USED), the Grammy-nominated design firm, is handling the package design for "Karmacode".

Says vocalist Cristina Scabbia, "I imagine it's easy for everyone to understand how truly excited we are for the world to hear the new material. It'll give everyone the chance to hear the growth that the band has experienced over the past couple of years. I simply cannot wait to get out and play the new songs live. There will definitely be a lot of energy coming from the stage next year!"

Guitarist Cristiano Migliore adds, "It's taken a long time to put together these songs and I can say they're the best ones we've ever written! Working with old friends as well as new ones has been incredibly exciting and we had the chance to mix in one of the best studios in the world so, really, what else could we ask for? I'm definitely sure our fans will love the music just as much as they'll love the artwork that Asterik has created for 'Karmacode'!"

The track listing for "Karmacode" is as follows:

01. Fragile
02. To The Edge
03. Our Truth
04. Within Me
05. Devoted
06. You Create
07. What I See
08. Fragments Of Faith
09. Closer
10. In Visible Light
11. The Game
12. Without Fear
13. Enjoy The Silence

"Our Truth", the album's lead track, will receive its worldwide debut on the "Underworld: Evolution" soundtrack on January 10 alongside PUSCIFER (Maynard Keenan's [TOOL, A PERFECT CIRCLE] new project), Chester Bennington (LINKIN PARK), SLIPKNOT, MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, ATREYU, and more. "We all loved the first 'Underworld' movie and soundtrack and knowing we'll be part of this soundtrack alongside all these great bands is awesome!" says Cristiano. "It's incredible to see all this interest in our band and every time something like this happens it's definitely surreal. It's also going to be a great chance to see what people think of the new stuff! Let's keep our fingers crossed!"



A video for "Our Truth" was shot in Los Angeles by Fort Awesome, a brand-new directorial duo, whose individual directing credits include QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, LINKIN PARK, DISTURBED, CHEVELLE, ATREYU, SHADOWS FALL, and more. "The experience of shooting the video was a wonderful one, for sure," states Cristina. "Both the band and the crew worked from sunset to sunrise in the Hollywood Hills, remaining 100% focused and after all was said and done we believe we pulled off a masterpiece of a video we're sure everyone's going to love."

Look for LACUNA COIL to support one of the most-anticipated albums of 2006 by hitting the road beginning in spring and throughout the year ahead.

[muthagoose]

The final cover art for the much-anticipated new LACUNA COIL album, "Karmacode", has been posted online at www.CenturyMedia.com.




(Insert "Face-Off" Quotes Here!)

[Üncle Snake]

Lacuna Coil's video for their new single "Our Truth" is online here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkUq6JjAcLk