Bringing a Female Force to the Snickers Stage.
Lacuna Coil come onstage to a packed Snickers tent. After the problems hitting Nightwish, there are a large amount of people who have been deprived of their gothic tinged metal and the chance to admire a good-looking frontwoman. Christina Scabbia certainly manages for fulfil the latter requirement and with her Italian partners in crime behind her, delivers a fantastic set that leaves the audience satisfied.
There's just something so pure about the music this band creates. It's passionate, driven and has the kind of forceful power behind it that means they appeal to fans of heavier music, whilst those angelic vocals that hang in the air soften the tone somewhat. Their set is a pleasant culmination of their albums, but tends to lean towards material from 'Comalies'- the most successful album released by Century Media to date. It's no wonder, because this is modern metal that does not sound dated, as is the problem with some music to spring from Europe. Songs such as 'Tight Rope' and 'Heaven's a Lie' both show the diversity of this band. Lacuna Coil can certainly not be accused of offering a bland live act.
Things do go downhill somewhat when Christina introduces the new material from their upcoming album. Mummurs are heard- can it possibly beat 'Comalies'? Perhaps Lacuna Coil fall prey to the festival sound quality, but it's doubtful. Relying more on the masculine vocals of Andrea Ferro, it's a little risky given the criticisms that have circulated about the inclusion of such a male force. Again, it is Andrea's vocals that drag this band down into the realms of 'mediocre', but they're still a far better bet for mainstream success than some of the female-fronted bands that have been seen in recent years.