Review: “Sleepless Empire” by Lacuna Coil

Having roots that go back to 1994 when they were called Sleep of Right and then Ethereal, there aren’t many who won’t know the name of Italian Gothic Metal masters Lacuna Coil. Characterised by the dual vocal harmonies of vocalists Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro which often soar over a soundscape of Symphonic Metal, they have of course toured the World over countless times. Two years after the twentieth anniversary re-imagining of “Comalites” and six after 2019’s “Black Anima“, they return with their tenth studio album “Sleepless Empire” at something of a cross roads following the departure of guitarist Diego Cavallotti. He exited stage left after eight years with live replacement Daniele Salomone of D with Us and Inverno fame filling his boots. As with their previous records, production was done in house with Marco “Maki” Coti Zelati at the helm with writing and recording taking place in both the bands home town of Milan and Como where SPVN studios are located…

“Sleepless Empire captures, through our eyes, the chaos of a generation trapped in a digital world that never stops, where social media consumes identity and every day pushes us one step closer to becoming soulless zombies. We find ourselves in between, having witnessed a full analogic world and the modern one, confronting the evolution and searching for a true meaning of it all. Throughout every song, the journey is an undercurrent of rebellion, a desperate cry to reclaim oneself in an era that seems to have lost its sense of time and reality.” ~ Lacuna Coil

There is no mistaking the sound of Lacuna Coil and within a few seconds of “The Siege” you know you’re going to be in for a treat. Dark and introspective lyrics tell the tale of a broken relationship against a soundscape of cinematic synths, heavy guitars and pounding drums with rich melody. Ferro’s unclean vocals feeling harsher than usual, the soaring cleans from Scabbia achingly beautiful in comparison. The only issue is that this cut has the feel of a mid album affair rather than an opening piece, lacking a little bit of spark in the tone setting capacity. That is a wrong soon righted with the DJent fuelled riffs and furious vocals of “Oxygen“, a cut which takes a leaf out of the Infected Rain playbook with a lethal dose of bounce for the mosh pit. While the opening cut was enthralling and captivating this one has the energy that gets the blood pumping and that is a trick repeated with “Scarecrow” which combines the styles of those two cuts in one more rounded entity. Usually bands mature like a fine wine, slowing down and mellowing out with age but if anything, Lacuna Coil have done the opposite. It’s fine margins a times but the heavier riffs and distinctive grooves of this one have real bite to them as if the band have taken what they did with “Comalites XX” and used it as a sonic template. Synths and orchestrations rise to the surface in “Gravity“, the band finding better balance vocally in this lyrical narrative.

Pop Metal vibes creep into “I Wish You Were Dead” a powerful chorus a little too wordy to be as anthemic as it could have been, the intent masked by the distinctive lack of harsh vocals. As a point of difference it works in the context, growing on you with multiple listens but stylistically it doesn’t quite match its peers, especially when it comes before a cut that features a guest vocal appearance from Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God. An epic contrast of darkness and light “Hosting The Shadow” takes the best of Lacuna Coil and puts it into one single entity, Blythe’s presence adding a little star dust to the sing-a-long moments like “laughing with my shadow!“. The vocal layering on this one is particularly well worked, ensuring the power and presence of all three vocalists is captured. The Latin phrase “In Nomine Patris” meaning “In name of the father” is one of those elements that identifies the Italian in Lacuna Coil, the orchestrations building on the strong foundations in soaring vocals on this one. A well timed and perfectly executed guitar solo is a stunning addition that is completely unexpected and followed by leads in the final third, making sure if finishes with a flourish before the ethereal vocal moment. The attention to detail on this album is second to none, nuances rising from the mix with every repeated listen, the title track “Sleepless Empire” a fine example. Curiously this one has Mushroomhead vibes about it with crushing rhythm guitars and the bands signature vocal interplay inflicting a lot of damage.

Continuing their journey with sonic depth and texture “Sleep Paralysis” underpins the wonderful clean vocals with the harsh uncleans while integrating programming to the rumbling bass and churning guitars. Having a harder hitting chorus and more melodic verses flips the script on the bands usual perpetual forward motion, a brutal verse from Ferro followed by another ripper of a solo adding that real gut punch to it. Getting a shade heavier once again “In The Mean Time” finds the five piece joined by Ash Costello of New Years Day for chunky riffs and sonic abrasions. What’s great about this one is that all three vocalist have intertwining moments in a very well balanced cut, the weight and gravity of tune driving it forward. The DJent fuel is once again poured on the fire as “Never Dawn” hits hard, bombastic verses breaking for melodic choruses that don’t steal any of the songs energy. Synths and orchestrations once again help create the wall of sound, their placement in the mix ensuring that they don’t overpower the dirge laden guitars. All in all “Sleepless Empire” is a powerful record and something of a statement piece, confirming that despite their years spent turning stages to sawdust Lacuna Coil still have what it takes to bring Metal to the Masses [8/10]

Track listing

1. The Siege
2. Oxygen
3. Scarecrow
4. Gravity
5. I Wish You Were Dead
6. Hosting The Shadow (ft. Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God)
7. In Nomine Patris
8. Sleepless Empire
9. Sleep Paralysis
10. In The Mean Time (ft. Ash Costello of New Years Day)
11. Never Dawn

“Sleepless Empire” by Lacuna Coil is out 14th February 2025 via Century Media