Lacuna Coil and “Delirium”: gothic metal from the band known for “Heaven’s a Lie” and “Swamped”

The group formed in 1994 as Sleep of Right, soon becoming Ethereal. After label negotiations, founders Andrea Ferro and Marco Coti Zelati chose Lacuna Coil, the name under which they became known worldwide. Phenomenal singer Cristina Scabbia worked with them from the outset. Their 1999 debut, “In a Reverie”, quickly gained attention and established their reputation among discerning metal audiences.

The true breakthrough came in 2002 with the superb “Comalies”, which took the American market by storm. “Heaven's a Lie” won an Independent Music Award, while “Swamped” appeared on the soundtrack of “Resident Evil 2: Apokalipsa”. Their videos began appearing on MTV’s legendary “Headbangers Ball”, and they were invited to Ozzfest. Subsequent albums confirmed Lacuna Coil’s quality and brought the Italians into international heavy metal’s front rank alongside Within Temptation and The Gathering.

After several years of flirting with pop sounds, which kept the band frequently in the Billboard charts, Andrea Ferro and Marco Coti Zelati decided to return to their roots. Last year, they recorded their heaviest album, “Delirium”.

“This record is not a new chapter in Lacuna Coil’s book: it is the first chapter of a new book,” Ferro says proudly. “We have written only the first few pages, but already know that true madness lies within them.” The band’s recognisable style has been pushed to the limits of expectation. In the colossal opener, “The House of Shame”, Ferro and Scabbia create an extraordinary vocal partnership, achieving perfect balance between terror, pain, hope and faith.

“Blood, Tears, Dust” takes listeners through the darkest emotions, while “Downfall” plunges them into even darker depths of melancholy. “Delirium” is undoubtedly the most precisely produced and most uncompromising album of the band’s twenty-year career. “Fresh, dark and powerful, all at once,” is how bassist and guitarist Marco Conti-Zelati describes its 12 tracks. “We approach classic thrash metal with new strength and focus on a modern, powerful sound. I think this album will captivate and interest both new and long-standing fans.”

One thing is certain: Lacuna Coil will captivate and intrigue everyone who comes to this musical celebration in Wrocław, undoubtedly the European Capital of Guitar. Few musicians have earned the title Godfather of Heavy Metal. Lacuna Coil are simply The Gothfathers, ruling the gothic metal scene and sharing dominion over it worldwide.

Lacuna Coil will perform on 1 May in Wrocław’s Centennial Hall complex at the Concert of Stars accompanying the Guitar Guinness World Record 2017.

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