LIVE REVIEW: Lacuna Coil @ O2 Academy, Bristol
It’s wild to think LACUNA COIL has been gracing the music industry for thirty years. They’re on a UK tour ahead of the release of their tenth studio album, Sleepless Empire, a feat few bands achieve, underscoring both the quality of their music and the dedication of their fans. We join them on the tour’s final night, with a line snaking around the building. Fans of LACUNA COIL and BLIND CHANNEL arrive early, excited to see both bands. Excitement buzzes through the venue as the doors open, and an hour later, the lights go down at 8:00 pm. A cheer echoes through the venue as BLIND CHANNEL take to the stage.
Being the one and only support act can be intimidating, but BLIND CHANNEL rise to the occasion with a solid 45-minute set that gives the crowd a great taste of their back catalogue. Bringing just one support act almost makes it feel like two headline sets, as the support band isn’t forced to play just the hits; they can delve into deep cuts for their dedicated fans.
The band blasts onto the stage with DEADZONE, and you can tell they’re seasoned performers. The whole band is moving, hyping up the crowd, and playing the songs to perfection. The first half of the set spanning the most recent three albums, with tracks like Over My Dead Body, where the crowd enthusiastically screams the chorus back, We Are No Saints, and XOXO. After an energetic first half, the set slows down with DIE ANOTHER DAY, it would have been nice to have the RØRY feature like London did but unfortunately we can’t have that at every date on the tour. Regardless, it still makes for a nice breather before they jump back in with Deja Fu, the oldest song on their setlist, from their debut album Revolutions.
We’re treated to a SYSTEM OF A DOWN cover with B.Y.O.B., a great party song that brings in newcomers for a sing-along, though it would have been nice to see another original track given BLIND CHANNEL’s extensive back catalogue. Back to their own music with WOLVES IN CALIFORNIA, which brings out heavy nu-metal riffs and grooves, showing how nu-metal’s fusion of rap and metal influences today’s bands, including BLIND CHANNEL.
The set wraps up with their recent single, a cover of Everybody (Bloodbro’s Back) by BACKSTREET BOYS, followed by their major breakout hit Darkside. It’s a high-energy end to the night. The set gives newcomers a strong snapshot of what Blind Channel is about, musically and in terms of performance. This may be the last we see of them for a while, as they’re taking a well-deserved break, but we’re already looking forward to their return.
Rating: 9/10
With an eager crowd fully warmed up, LACUNA COIL takes the stage. Blasting through their back catalogue, they’ve got almost ten albums and several EPs to choose from for tonight’s setlist. The first half features hits from recent albums, like Blood, Tears, Dust, Reckless, and Trip To Darkness. We get our first taste of the new album with Oxygen, a track that captures classic LACUNA COIL sound with a modern twist as the band continues to evolve.
With the audience fully immersed, we’re taken back to earlier work with Our Truth, and the crowd joins in on the melody with a chorus of “ahhs” and the classic “hey hey hey” chant. As with many shows, there’s a mid-set break for slower songs, this time with Entwined from Comalies. With Comalies XX re-released in 2022 as reimagined versions, it’s exciting to hear the band’s older tracks evolved to match their current sound, giving long time fans a fresh experience while engaging new listeners.
One of LACUNA COIL’s standout features is their use of dual vocals. Often compared to bands like WITHIN TEMPTATION, NIGHTWISH, and EVANESCENCE, LACUNA COIL distinguishes itself by giving both vocalists an equal role. In the reimagined Comalies XX versions, this balance is even more pronounced. While many think of Cristina Scabbia as the face of the band, they’ve consistently used Andrea Ferro’s vocals to add depth and dynamics. This is showcased in Hosting The Shadow, another new song, where Andrea takes centre stage, demonstrating his range, especially in the absence of LAMB OF GOD‘s Randy Blythe’s feature.
Cristina gets her solo moment with Enjoy The Silence, their DEPECHE MODE cover. Her vocals shine, and it’s the biggest sing-along of the night due to the song’s widespread popularity. As the main set concludes with Never Dawn, the lights dim, and the crowd anticipates an encore.
The encore is packed with fan favourites: Aeon XX flows into Tightrope XX, ending with the massive Swamped XX and Nothing Stands In Our Way. The latter has lyrics that fans scream back at the band: “we feel nothing” and “nothing stands in our way”. It’s the perfect close to an incredible night.
We’ve been truly spoiled tonight, with an excellent support set from BLIND CHANNEL and an amazing headline performance from LACUNA COIL filled with both classics and fresh tracks. LACUNA COIL can only continue to go from strength to strength, and we eagerly await both the new album and their next tour on our shores.
Rating: 10/10
Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Bristol from Serena Hill Photography here:
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