Ethereal Metal Webzine

Interviewed by Joshua Becker
3/14/2014

Hi Cristina, first of all, thank you taking time out of your busy schedule for this interview. Second, I would like to congratulate you and the band on yet another fantastic record.

I see the band is touring with Sick Puppies this year. How is it touring with them?

This tour is so much fun and the bands are getting along in a great way. I’m glad we got the opportunity to be part of this tour.

Concerning “Broken Crown Halo,” where did you and the band come up with this interesting title for the album?

It is representing the fact we are all living in our own small little kingdom in which we are kings and queens and this kingdom can be “damaged” by everything that happens around it.

So we thought about the image of a broken crown and the “halo” that surrounds us.

How has the reaction to this album been thus far? Is this album being welcomed as much as your older albums?

The album is not out yet, so we don’t know. But the few songs we have release so far have had a great welcome, and they are being played on radio. People are already singing them out loud at our gigs!

I noticed the track listing for the new record, and I was curious as to why the overall theme of the tracks seem to be a bit dark, perhaps as if they were to depict a struggle or inner war that is being fought, yet at the same time a freedom from being bound by chains. What from your life, and or the band’s lives inspired these tracks and track names?

Real life is what always inspired us. We are not a band that talks about fantasy stuff, is simply not our stuff.

Last year has not been great in terms of private life, for some of us. I don’t really want to share the details but what happened has a huge impact on the lyrics, in a dark way.

It has been a sort of a self therapy for us, extremely liberating.

I heard the song “Die and Rise” yesterday, though I did not see you mention it specifically in an interview or social media. Was this an accidental leak?

No, no leaks. We put it out on purpose and it was actually the single for the United States , that ’s why like three songs were out at the same time.

Continuing with “Die and Rise,” I notice towards the end of the song there is a little bit of Italian in there, which I thought was great. What was the reason for putting Italian lines in that song?

We just liked it. We don’t really think to much about “why” we do something in a way or another. You don’t need a reason to let the inspiration and the creativity flow.

A lot of people seem to notice some similarities between “Comalies” and the older sound with “I Forgive (But I Won’t Forget Your Name.”) Have you or the band noticed them at all?

I started noticing it when someone pointed that out. I don’t find it weird… It is still us and the songwriters are the same. No matter the evolution , your come will always stay the same.

Over the years, do you think Lacuna Coil’s sound and vibe have changed, or do you think you and the band have stayed true to your roots?

Thinking about life without evolution is not realistic.

We all grow up, experience different things and we live and learn. Doing the “same album” over and over would be an offense to our fans and hey know we are not afraid to float in and out our rock metal roots being ourselves no matter what. Changing some things in your life and art doesn’t make you “untrue to your roots”, anyway.

I heard the sad news on Facebook the other day that Cristiano “Pizza,” Migliore, and Cristiano, “CriZ” Mozzati had retired from the band. My condolences to you and the Lacuna Coil family. If I may ask, what made their retirement decision; I read they were personal.. perhaps you could elaborate? How will this affect the future of Lacuna Coil?

Condolences? Thank God they are not dead!

They retired for personal reasons not related to the band or any fight in between us. I won’t tell more because I don’t want talk for them.

Life changes and it is fair to be wanting to do something different but we are stronger than ever and more motivated than ever so we are super happy.

Do you think being a female in a male band presents any challenges for you, or do you just feel like one of the guys?

I’ve never ever felt being in a challenge because I was a woman.

Lacuna Coil has been together about 16 years (20 if I were to count when you were also in Sleep of Right.) How or what do you think has kept the band together this long? Especially knowing it is becoming very common in the music business for bands to break up over “artistic” or “creative” differences?

Probably the fact we are all friends and we were working for the same goals. No ego, no bullshit out of music and friendship.

That is a big thing in a business that sometimes put together members in bands only in the name of the God Money.

On to non-band questions:

If I were to look at your music collection, or the band’s, what would I find?

Too much stuff to be mentioned, if you love music you have a huge amount of music. In our ipods or computers you’d find anything from ACDC to ZZTop.

Do you have any regrets or moments in time you wish you could change?

Maybe they are but they might have change who I am right now, which I am pretty happy. So I wouldn’t change a thing.

Has being in music what you have always wanted to do, or did you have another career path in mind before Lacuna Coil?

I honestly wasn’t planning to become a singer in a band. I always loved to sing but I was too shy. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do… I always lived day by day trying to take the right decision.

What is the best advice you would give someone who has big dreams for themselves, but don’t know how to make those dreams reality?

Be yourself, don’t be afraid to show who you really are and don’t stop dreaming but also be realistic, deep inside you KNOW what you are really good at, so GO FOR IT!