When a band has a genuine, powerful story to send to the world, it can be such a breath of fresh air for those who pay attention. Deep, dark, and full of musical stories based on meaningful experiences, good or bad, is what best describes the lifeblood behind the Italian-originated Gothic Metal outfit Lacuna Coil. Forming thirty years ago and releasing nine original studio albums in that time, they are back in action in 2025 with the release of Sleepless Empire. Set to emerge on February 14th through Century Media Records, if any Valentine’s Day gift could make someone’s day brighter, this album release is definitely on the top.
Since their 1994 inception, Multi-instrumentist Marco Coti Zelati and Vocalist Andrea Ferro have been the foundation before they were solidified in 1996 when Vocalist Cristina Scabbia joined up and completed the Lacuna Coil sound. Dueling vocal styles are usually very impressive when seen live, as well as when just listening to them. Lacuna Coil’s vocal dynamic, from the beautifully delicate melodies and intense screams of Scabbia to the guttural masculine tones of Ferro, is such a unique experience that can not be denied.
Add in the intelligently crafted musical writings of the band and head Songwriter Zelati, and this Gothic Metal experience is quite a memorable one. Every album Lacuna Coil puts out starts with a fully realized concept, and the whole collection works as a complete storyline. Moreover, they also never lose that unmistakable Lacuna Coil sound, yet every release has a very unique approach.
This leads us to the eleven new tracks that make up Sleepless Empire… which is as heavy as ever for Lacuna Coil. Furthermore, it includes a couple of extra guest vocalist surprises, including Lamb Of God’s Randy Blythe. Adding more dynamic to this already creatively written, lyrically driven album, there is nothing shallow or Cardi B “WAP” lyrical nonsense associated with Lacuna Coil, and for a good reason.
The album’s concept comes into play from our current life overload of digital technology that greatly impacts our delicate lives. As the last generation to remember the analog world, the sad truth here is that it has gotten to the point where the most uncreative businesses thrive through AI-generated images. They are just that, however. Computers do not and will never have genuine creativity and passion for their craft. That is what humans are for.
Humans are creatures of emotion, and for that, we should be grateful. Emotions define what our strengths and weaknesses are, and they can be explored to better understand the complex inner workings of our minds. Technical tools are a great development, but they should be used as tools, not as a replacement for our brain cells.
An intense, thoughtful message, “The Siege,” begins the album and starts out with a nice bang of the heavy and backs it up with a continuing crescendo of strength. This is while “Oxygen” utilizes the best of Scabbia’s vocal style with its more melodic exploration. Thereafter, “Scarecrow” is very heavy and, in turn, utilizes the best of Ferro’s vocal style with his harsh exploration of the current state of affairs.
It is a great beginning. With that in mind, while some more generically structured albums have some tracks that just spark as a fill-in, in the case of Lacuna Coil, absorbing every single song in its order is a necessity to fully grasp the emotional storyline they wish to exhale onto the listener. This leads us to “Gravity,” which needs no explanation, the short but sweet “I Wish You Were Dead,” and “Hosting The Shadows,” which is a cool collaboration with Randy Blythe.
The later part of the album gives us “In Nomine Patris,” which has an interesting song structure with unexpected moments that work really well. Then there is the very emotional title track, “Sleepless Empire,” and the noteworthy “Sleep Paralysis.” The latter is the longest offering of the album; the name is as significant as the angst-filled screams of both Scabbia and Ferro throughout. Additionally, the guitars tell a story of their own on “Sleep Paralysis,” and it has a chaotic energy about it that creates the perfect visualization of what technology can do to our sleep or lack thereof.
For the finale of Sleepless Empire, Lacuna Coil enlists New Years Day’s Ash Costello for a guest vocal spot on “In The Meantime” before the conclusion with “Never Dawn.” This ending track, of course, employs more sleeplessness into the theme, and it is a nice keynote to leave the listener with.
As all fans who have had the pleasure of seeing Lacuna Coil live are aware, the band usually has a strong bonding, warrior, and mostly uniform wardrobe that is uniquely themed to each album’s supporting tour. From the beginning to the present, Lacuna Coil has shed a beacon of light, not only creating much strength and growth for the band but also flying in an outreach of support to their fans.
Never disappointing; Sleepless Empire is more proof that Lacuna Coil is as strong as ever. That is why Cryptic Rock gives this album 5 out of 5 stars.
){kind=link}
No comment