Chain D.L.K.: For those unfamiliar with the group tell us a bit about the group and it’s interests.
Lacuna Coil: We started as Lacuna Coil in the end of 1997 when we produced a demo tape and we sent it to some labels. We got good responses from some labels and we signed the deal with Century Media. Then we produced the first EP, called it with the name of the band, and started touring massively. We are a hybrid between rock, metal and gothic with a modern touch.
Chain D.L.K.: Where did the name Lacuna Coil come from? How did you all meet?
Lacuna Coil: We chose the name Lacuna Coil because we wanted to have an original name nobody could have, mixing two words from different languages. “Lacuna” is Italian, Latin and means a lack of something, basically of memory or culture. “Coil” means “spiral” in English. The complete meaning of the name is something like "Empty Spiral”. We met years ago as friends; the other guys were playing already as a band. Then they asked me to do some choruses and I entered the band, after the release of the promo tape I told you about before.
Chain D.L.K.: Was the original intent to be a total heavy metal/hard rock band (in the traditional sense) or was the ethereal aspect always there?
Lacuna Coil: We didn’t have a specific intention, to be honest. We were influenced by a lot of bands like Paradise Lost, but also Messhuggah and different stuff so we were not interested about what way to follow. We just wanted to have fun with our music and we just wanted to have good vibes from it.
Chain D.L.K.: What is your vocal training background? Does it come naturally or does it take practice?
Lacuna Coil: No, I’ve never taken lessons. It’s just a gift and I’m glad to have it.
Chain D.L.K.: What are some of your influences as well as influences for the whole group?
Lacuna Coil: Basically we are influenced by everything, especially real life and our own feelings and emotions. Musically speaking we have a big choice of bands we like, so it’s really impossible to talk about real influences. We love all the good music from classic to extreme.
Chain D.L.K.: The song “Senzafine” is a truly unique song as it is done all in Italian, which is rare. Any more intentions on doing any songs in Italian, or perhaps a whole CD in Italian?
Lacuna Coil: Not a whole CD, at all, because we like to sing in a language everybody can understand. Surely we’ll do other songs in our native language. In “Comalies” we included the title track that is half in Italian and half in English.
Chain D.L.K.: Are there any side projects of the band, or any plans on one?
Lacuna Coil: I personally got many proposals from other artists to cooperate with. The fact is that I want to stay completely concentrated on Lacuna Coil at the moment, even if I cannot say anything for the future, of course.
Chain D.L.K.: How, in your mind, does the metal crowd and the goth crowd at your concerts differ?
Lacuna Coil: It’s because we are really open minded in music. We mix different genres, from gothic, to rock, to metal. People can understand this mixing of cultures in music where you can find different moods. That’s why we are able to play in front of different kind of audiences.
Chain D.L.K.: What is the direction of the new CD?
Lacuna Coil: “Comalies” was released the 23 of September for the European market and in the rest of the world it will probably come out later. “Comalies” is more compact: simple but stronger. We learned to forget all the useless things to reach the purity of every single song. The album is really dynamic but fluent; you’ll discover different atmospheres. The sound is really good and the guitars really in the front, really powerful. It’s easy to understand that is in our own style, in a modern key.
Chain D.L.K.: Does being female in an often male-dominated genre bother you at all?
Lacuna Coil: Not at all. Just when you are frustrated you can suffer about these things. I know exactly what I do and I know I do it good. There are a lot of men that cannot compete with a lot of girls either. And I hate useless competitions.
Chain D.L.K.: Any plans to tour America in the coming year?
Lacuna Coil: Yes, we started an American tour in September 2002 with in Flames first and then with Dark Tranquillity, together with Sentenced. We’ll post all gigs on our Website www.lacunacoil.it.
Chain D.L.K.: What are some of the future plans for Lacuna Coil?
Lacuna Coil: After the American tour we are going directly to another tour in Europe with Sentenced; that will last one month. After that we are planning other things to do but it’s too early to talk about them.
Chain D.L.K.: I saw a part on your site, which states “It is a sin to consider anyone useless”, which I find very philosophical. What is the underlying philosophy of LC, and some world observations?
Lacuna Coil: I think that there is a little bit of philosophy in every person. To be honest I don’t like to read books where I can find someone else’s thoughts or points of view. It’s easy to be victim of a sort of plagiary and start to such ideas that are not yours. I prefer to stay simple and take it easy, and the same is for the guys.
Chain D.L.K.: Does your success in the goth genre surprise you?
Lacuna Coil: When I think about all the work behind the band, no, doesn’t surprise me at all. We had a little bit of luck because someone noticed us between thousand bands. But to keep the popularity up is a hard work, even if it’s the best job in the world due to the big passion we have for the music.
Chain D.L.K.: Any closing words and/or good Italian quotes?
Lacuna Coil: “Non fare agli altri quello che non vorresti fosse fatto a te”. It means that you have to respect people and consider every person in front of you as yourself.
Visit Lacuna Coil on the web at:
www.lacunacoil.it and at: digilander.libero.it/NoNeedToExplain
[interviewed by Shaun Hamilton] [proofreading by Erica Breyer]