Lacuna Coil vocalist Cristina Scabbia says seeing a family member struggle with mental ill health made her want to tackle the subject on the band’s latest album.
The band released Delirium in May and previously said they wanted it to conjure a “disturbing, cold and weird” atmosphere. They also said they were inspired by an abandoned mental asylum they once visited when writing the record.
Now Scabbia tells Metal Hammer there is also a personal element to the subject matter.
She says: “We aren’t the sort of band that sings about pure fantasy; I don’t think that’s ever been our style.
“But, because we had actual experience of these sort of places, it is more real. I’ve been in that situation and I’ve been able to breathe the heaviness of these places, and I just began to think about all the different experiences that these people could have.
“And for me, there is this parallel between this album and my personal life right now, because there is someone in my family who is suffering mental illness.
“So I see people trying to cure this problem a lot. I realised that insanity isn’t just confined to a medical condition, it’s everywhere in the little things in everyday life.”
- Corey Taylor back on stage with Slipknot after neck surgery
- Guitarist learns to play again after losing all 4 limbs
- Vinnie Paul ‘floored’ by Christina Grimmie shooting
- Slayer's Tom Araya says every home needs a gun to defend against 'invaders'
The Italian singer adds that she hopes Delirium will go some way to breaking down the stigmatism that surrounds mental ill health
“Mental health is something that is so stigmatised,” she says. “And, having seen the effects of it first hand, we wanted to try and tackle it.
“Not because it was cool or because we are all so crazy, but because it is such a big problem in the world for so many people to really understand. And the results of it can be traumatic.”
Lacuna Coil tour in support of the album throughout 2016. Read the full interview in issue 285 of Metal Hammer magazine, out now in print and also available via TeamRock+.
Lacuna Coil tour dates 2016
Jul 01: Piazzola Sul Brenta Postpay Sound, Italy
Jul 09: Les Remparts De Longwy Rock’n’Roll Train Festival, France
Jul 22: Vinci Festa Dell’Unicorno, Italy
Aug 13: Graz Metal On The Hill Festival, Austria
Oct 08: Tokyo TBA, Japan
Oct 12: Perth Amplifier, Australia
Oct 13: Melbourne Max Watts, Australia
Oct 14: Sydney Metro Theater, Australia
Oct 15: Queensland West End Max Watts House Of Music, Australia
Oct 21: Biebob Vosselaar, Belgium
Oct 22: Tilburg 013, Netherlands
Oct 24: Cologne Underground, Germany
Oct 25: Berlin White Trash Ballroom, Germany
Oct 26: Hamburg Logo, Germany
Oct 28: Copenhagen Vega, Denmark
Oct 29: Malmo KB, Sweden
Oct 30: Oslo John Dee, Norway
Oct 31: Stockholm Nalen, Sweden
Nov 02: Essen Zeche Carl, Germany
Nov 03: Munich Strom, Germany
Nov 04: Prague Rock Cafe, Czech Republic
Nov 07: Pratteln Konzertfabrik Z7, Switzerland
Nov 10: Bristol Marble Factory, UK
Nov 11: London Koko, UK
Nov 13: Birmingham O2 Institute2, UK
Nov 14: Newcastle Riverside, UK
Nov 15: Glasgow Garage, UK
Nov 16: Manchester Academy 2, UK
Nov 18: Southampton 1865, UK
Nov 22: Madrid But, Spain
Nov 23: Granada El Tren, Spain
Nov 24: Barcelona Razzmatazz, Spain
Nov 26: Pordenone Il Deposito, Italy
Nov 27: Rome Orion, Italy
Nov 28: Milan Live Club, Italy
Nov 29: Bologna Zona Roveri, Italy
Dec 02: Istanbul KucukCiftlik Park
Dec 03: Izmir Container Hall, Turkey
Dec 04: Ankara Jolly Joker Ankara, Turkey
