Lacuna Coil @ Manchester Academy 2 (Manchester, UK) on November 16, 2016 [Photos & Show Review]

I first heard Lacuna Coil in the year 2000 when I went to a gig in a small club in Dublin by mistake. But that’s a story for a different time. Since then, the Italian 5-piece have been working constantly, with a busy touring schedule and the release of their eighth studio album for Century Media Records, Delirium, which came out in May of this year.

Hitting the stage 10 minutes early, dressed in straitjackets and with the stage made to resemble an asylum, the band have truly embraced the aesthetics that accompanied their new release. The set started off with “Ultima Ratio” and that was a good indicator of what was to come. Technically the band are very tight and the sound in the venue is better than usual. Ryan Blake Folden’s drums are powerful but not overbearing, while Zelati’s bass and Cavalotti’s guitar work sit nicely into the mix.

The one thing that truly stands out though is Christina Scabbia’s voice. Where Andrea Ferro takes care of the standard metal growling and shouting, Scabbia displays a power and control rarely seen amongst bands in this genre that tour as consistently as Lacuna Coil do. Older songs like “Our Truth” and “Heaven’s A Lie” were given a new lease of life and new album cuts “Downfall” and “You Love Me ‘Cause I Hate You” had the crowd fist pumping and singing back for all they’re worth.

I wasn’t aware that Lacuna Coil had done a cover of Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy The Silence”, so I was quite surprised when that made an appearance. In comparison to their own songs, this cover came across as quite flat and it seemed to take some of the accumulated energy out of the room. Similarly, when the band abruptly left the stage before the encore, the audience didn’t seem sure if they were coming back or not and there was a distinct lack of the usual chanting to be heard.

The following triple threat finish of “Delirium”, “Zombies” and “The House of Shame” definitely put to rest any doubts that may have been around this capacity crowd. As the sweaty masses filed out of the venue, it was clear to see that Lacuna Coil will definitely be welcome in Manchester any time they want to come back.

Check out the song “Delirium”