Gothic Theatre
Lacuna Coil
The Italian hard rock outfit Lacuna Coil has been described by some as “goth metal” or “prog metal”, but judging from their knack for crafting radio friendly hooks their goal is obviously crossover chart success. Lacuna Coil’s roots stretch back to January 1994, when an early version of the band called Sleep Of Right began playing shows, and were even showcased on a local indie compilation. Afterwards, the band changed their name to Ethereal, and welcomed in several new members, resulting in a line-up comprising dual vocalists Cristina Scabbia (b. 6 June 1972, Milan, Italy) and Andrea Ferro (b. 19 August 1973, Arona, Italy), Cristiano Migliore (b. 20 May 1971, Milan, Italy; guitar), Marco Coti Zelati (b. 19 August 1975, Milan, Italy; bass), and Cristiano Mozzati (b. 13 August 1973, Pesaro, Italy; drums).
A 1996 demo came to the attention of US metal record label Century Media, which signed the band a year later. The only catch was that another act had already copyrighted Ethereal, so another name change was in order, this time to Lacuna Coil. After a self-titled EP was issued in 1998, their debut, In A Reverie, was issued a year later shortly after the band recruited second guitarist Marco Biazzi (b. 3 April 1977, Sesto San Giovanni, Italy). A healthy buzz began to centre around the band (especially among UK rock fans), that only grew louder with further releases such as 2001’s Unleashed Memories and 2002’s Comalies, and the attendant success of US contemporaries Evanescence.
