Album Review: Lacuna Coil - 'Sleepless Empire'
Lacuna Coil are veterans of the gothic metal scene; hailing from Milan and the 90s. Their gothic rock blend with dual vocal fusion of the star talent of Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro is felt across the entire Sleepless Empire record, compromising of eleven new tracks. Its statement is to tell an album through the eyes of its five band members – Scabbia and Ferro are joined by Diego Cavallotti on guitar, Marco Coti Zelati on bass, and Richard Meiz on drums for an ear-shattering experience that starts strong with The Siege and doesn’t let up – designed to keep you pounding through its exploration of social media and the oppression of the digital age – to Lacuna Coil, it’s a rallying cry against turning into soulless digital zombies – them being formed in the 90s finds themselves in a unique in-between age, having existed in a pre-online analogue world before being drawn into the ever-changing nature of the online sphere. It’s a rebellious callback because of that – starting strong with The Siege and never letting up – The Siege feels haunting and cinematic, creating the visuals of a personal war – “I’m under siege, it’s my war,” roars the record; about staying true to oneself and the life being a moment brought among my ruins. It’s very personal, introspective – and tells a story of progress even if it’s gruelling.
This is then followed by Oxygen, one of the singles the band put out in advance of the album, and you can instantly see why. It’s a grower – capturing the feeling of alone and emptiness in an online sphere and it really does a good job of getting you in that head-banging mood. Like The Siege it tells a story of isolation – “isolation like prison, inner self to escape,” the lyrics cry – “we’re fading from the inside, it’s an inner struggle,” a warcry in every sense of the word – anger underwater and the bridge really works as a calm before the storm to come – but it’s all storm; all raging – and all the better for it. Oxygen has a way of warming into your heart to become one of the better tracks on the record, and an immediate two for two success makes it an instant highlight. The opening riff soars – capturing your attention instantly. It’s worth watching the music video for this to appreciate the bands’ vision on an empathetic scale – and the screams that Ferro brings to the table are ferocious and incredibly well harmonising with Scabbia’s – the dual vocals really working wonders across this band and it’s a fantastic blend of harmony that shows their years of experience working together.
The production levels across the board on Sleepless Empire is insane, they have created an oracle “game” with custom made dice only available in the boxset which creates an instant impression. The music videos for the singles create a sense of style and substance that is unmatched – and that energy is carried through to Scarecrow, their third song, matching themes of isolation and personal growth – staying with it thick and thin – creating a disguise and using the lonely “poor man’s design” as someone who doesn’t look alive in an empty field. “Aren’t we all scarecrows praising the sun?” the lyrics ask – and the stand-in of the scarecrow being used for loneliness really amplifies the rich themes of the album so far. It’s one of the best songs on the whole record.
The collaborations present on Sleepless Empire allow for an enriching experience that supplement the bands’ gothic origins. Gravity feels enveloping, all-encompassing and haunting – Marco Coti Zelati’s synth guitar creates a standout, as it grows for strength to strength. I really like the addition of Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe for Hosting the Shadow (a song about the embracing of the darkness and suffering inside fits in nicely with the themes of isolation across the board), and New Years Day’s Ash Costello’s In the Mean Time creates an instant atmosphere that suits fans of both bands and establishes a crossover success – Lacuna Coil have toured extensively on a solo run last year including at the Roundhouse in London where they played Oxygen, and they look set to open up the festival scene at Bloodstock Open Air in August. They’re one of the most exciting bands on the lineup.
I Wish You Were Dead feels like a personal attack – the need to let go of someone staying inside your head and how one person can feel completely overbearing that not even prayers can heal the regret. It talks about the commitment balance in relationships – the need for an equal footing, but instead of being a “give and take”, it’s a “I gave it all, you got me nothing instead” revelation that soars. The gothic atmosphere is only increased by the time of In Nomine Patris, used every time you make the sign of the cross in the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit – it feels appropriate for creating the imagery that the band look to establish – their dynamic live performances reflected even on their records, prominent feelings of emptiness at every turn.
If you’re in the mood for gothic metalcore Sleepless Empire will hit much of the sweet spots – a strong statement album that follows the trend of a variety of bands formed in the 90s coming to reckoning with the transition between the analogue and the online and the growing sense of isolation that comes with that. The dual vocals are by now, finely tuned and working in harmony – classic gothic greatest hits album operating on a grand operatic, epic scale akin to something of The Matrix. There’s plenty of headbanging songs here – and if I had to pick standout songs – Scarecrow, and final track, Never Dawn, are smash hits – that stay with you long after the album has finished.
Words by Miles Milton-Jefferies
