Blue Jean Mag / Apr 2006

LACUNA COIL / The Discovery of America
Blue Jean Magazine Turkey / April 2006

Blue Jean: I watched your new video,’Our Truth’ on MTV yesterday.It was brilliant,and the song is very good too.But to be frank,it’s much more ‘American’ than the Lacuna Coil we’re used to.What can you say about this song and the video?

Cristina Scabbia:Actually,in general,the whole album is the ‘heaviest’ we’ve ever done,because this time,we were able to spend much more time composing and recording.This way,we could produce heavier songs.Honestly,we wanted to have a heavier sound since the beginning,but to record that kind of songs well,we needed more income.This time,we were able to afford it,and the rest came along.We mixed the songs in a way that you’re able to hear every instrument,that’s why it sounds ‘heavier’.About the video…We shot the ‘Our Truth’ video last December in Los Angeles.We were able to spend more time on it,at least everyone had read the script:)

Can you compare your previous albums with Karmacode?

I think our sound really evolved.We created a much more balanced music.For the first time,we were able to put our European roots;the melody and passion Europe gave us,with our Meditarrean sensitivity and the Eastern influences together with the power of the American sound.I believe,in Karmacode,we produced a sound that brings two continents together.

The album’s productor is Waldemar Sorychta (I pronounce Waldemar’s surname,who has also worked with Tiamat before,so badly,Cristina falls to the floor laughing:)),who has worked with you many times before.I assume the mixing was much more detailed this time?

The mixing was done by someone else;Ronald Prent,from Galaxy studios.He’s someone who’s also worked with bands like Rammstein,Depeche Mode,H.I.M,Iron Maiden before.He brought his own point of view to the album.And we’ve known Waldemar for years too,he’s an excellent musician,productor and of course,friend.But Ronald brought lots of different tunes to Lacuna Coil.

Darcy Proper also contributed to the mastering I believe…

Yes,yes.She’s won a grammy recently,she’s a brilliant person.

I see that you’ve come up with another new word for the album title.On the previous one,you’ve put together ‘coma’ and ‘lies’;therefore constructing ‘Comalies’ and now ‘Karmacode’…What’s the significance of this word to you?

We were looking for a word that’d reflect the concept of the album to the listener.True,this is not a concept album,but it follows a certain path both music and lyric-wise.In the lyrics,we tried to talk about a spirutual person discovering himself in the modern world.When we say spiritual though,we’re not talking about a certain religion.It’s more like a person’s inner search.Rather than religion,we’re talking about that secret power that connects a person to his surroundings,and is connected with.Of course,our lyrics can be interpreted in many different ways.The album’s title also follows that path.You can see ‘karma’ as the European,and ‘code’ as the American side,and that is an explanation of the sound.If I comment about lyrics,’karma’ represents the spirutual,and ‘code’ represents the modern.

For the first time in your release history,you put a 4 year gap between your two studio albums.And because of that,most of your fans have really high expectations about the album.Everyone is awaiting a better album than ‘Comalies’.Did this create pressure upon you?

No,definitely not.If we’d put pressure upon ourselves,it’d have lead to very bad results.We could have lost all our concentration and point of focus.Because of this,before the album,rather than worrying about our fans’ expectations,we thought about what can we do best.We are of course aware that there’s a wave of expectation around the album,but we really didn’t care about that.Just like our previous albums,we first tried to satisfy ourselves.

Before Comalies,you were very succesful in Europe,but after Comalies,you gained a very big success in America too.Do you think Evanescence’s success played a part in this?Because,as you’re probably aware of it,in every article about Evanescence,bands like you and Within Temptation were mentioned too…

Well,it can be a part of it,but I think the main reason was our long tours in America.That’s the main point that differentiates Europe from America.In Europe,you are promoted by magazines,radio and TV.But in America,the best way of promotion is giving good concerts.When you give a good concert in America,people come to your next concert bringing others with them,so this way,your fan base expands gradually.Your fame there spreads from mouth to mouth,like chinese whispers,that’s why our concerts played a big part in our success there.I mean,Evanescence might have opened us a door,but our stage performance made it continue.

During your long tour after Comalies,and of course during Ozzfest,you must have met your idol musicians…

To be honest,I’ve never had idol musicians.But it was a pleasure to meet other bands and musicians.Especially natural and modest people like Type O Negative.They weren’t acting like rock stars at all.I really can’t understand how some people act like higher beings than others just because they’re famous.

You said Type O Negative but who impressed you most as musicians?

I’ll have to say Type O Neagtive again because we really were like a family with them.We are in their new DVD too,they even put our names to the cover.We had a really good time with Anthrax and Opeth too.We also met with Ozzy.

And,were you there when people threw eggs at Iron Maiden?

No,no.We weren’t there that day.Unfortuantely,there are some idiots like those.

When you were first getting recognation people always compared you with The Gathering,because they’d started a long time before you did.And now,even if you’ve started making music long,long ago people always compare you to Evanescence.Does this bother you?

No.If we were left in the shadow of their success,it might have bothered us,but there’s no such situation.I think people who make those comparisions are lazy idiots who want to simplify everything,or else they’d have seen that there’re tons of difference between us and Evanescence,For instance;we’re much heavier than them.We have a completely different history,we have two vocalists.Our guitar tunes are much ‘bigger’.We have a completely different arangement sense.

And,have you ever toured with Evanescence?

Oh,no.We’ve never performed with them.But I’ve heard that Amy Lee came to some of our concerts,but she never came backstage and I didn’t understand why.

Are you friends with other female vocalists?Like,Angela from Arch Enemy,Tarja from Nightwish,Sharon from Within Temptation,Simone from Epica,Anneke from The Gathering…

I’ve never met with neither Tarja nor Sharon,but I’ve met Simone a few times.The ones I know most are Angela and Anneke.

And what’s your favourite from those names I’ve counted?

Anneke.Definitely Anneke.I’ve been following her for a really long time.

As you know,Italy is a very big country,and heavy metal is quite popular.But,curiously,no other Italian band than you got international recognation.Why?And,can you recommend me an Italian band?

I think that Italy doesn’t have a strong heavy metal or rock market.We were lucky in this aspect because we didn’t start as an Italian band,we’ve targeted Europe since the beginning.If we’d started as an Italian band,I think it would’ve been very hard for us to get out of Italy now.For an Italian band,I’d recommend you Node.They do technical speed metal.I think they’ve just signed up with Massacre Records,just a mo,”Andreaaa!!Il segno di Node con il Massacre,li fanno sanno?”(says something like that,Andrea answers)Yes,I told you right.

In your first albums,your English pronounciation wasn’t very good,but now it’s impossible to distingush between you and an American vocalist.Did you take lessons for that?

No,I didn’t.We’ve been spending most of our time with Americans recently,so my pronounciation gets better.I didn’t have to take lessons.

What do you think you’d have been doing now if Marco and Andrea hadn’t asked you to join Lacuna Coil 10 years ago?

I have no idea,lots of things might have happened in 10 years…Hmm…I think I would’ve been doing another job concerning art.But I really have no clue.

And,do you feel lucky about your present situation?

No,not lucky,but smart.Because long ago,I made the right desicion in the right time and place.I wanted this and I accepted it with all it’s risks.I mean,I don’t consider it a matter of luck,for me,it’s a matter of having a potential and having the courage to show it.

Usually,this happens with bands with female frontwomen;Sometime later,the woman leaves the band and starts a solo career.Do you have such intentions of a solo career in the future?

I have absolutely no intention of that sort.I’m really happy and content to be with a band.

It’s usually said that heavy metal has a masculine and macho world.As a female singer,did you come across that sort of prejudice?

I don’t believe that it’s true.I think it’s a cliche,only valid in some parts of Europe,but generally,especially in America,it’s not true at all.And I’ve never had any problems about being a women,no.

You were together with Lacuna Coil’s bassist,Marco Coti Zelati,for 10 years,but that relationship came to an end in 2004.Now you’re together with Slipknot guitarist,Jim Root.Didn’t this change the friendship,’chemistry’ and other things between the band members?

No,it didn’t,actually,quite the oposite.I think,now the friendship and the relationship between the band is better than ever.Marco and I still love each other to death,but in a very different aspect.We mighn’t be a couple anymore,but we still value each other very highly.

I interviwed Doro Pesch recently.She spoke very highly of you,and she said that she wanted to do a duet with you,but your manager refused it claiming that it’s ‘not the right time’.Do you know about it?

Yes,I do.But at that time,my only job was Lacuna Coil.I really love Doro,she’s a wonderful woman,and a brilliant singer.But as a musician,you must have your priorities.And the only and biggest priority for me is Lacuna Coil.

Whom do you dream of sharing a stage with,or making a duet with,as a musician?

Oh,there’re lots.Korn,Depeche Mode…And also Peter Steele from Type O Negative…

Do you have a message for your fans in Turkey,and do you plan coming here?

We’d really love to perform in a new country,but our tour programme is very full.This summer,we’re going to do the European festivals,than we’re going to America for Ozzfest.After that,there’ll be another European tour,and we might come then.

I’d watched you at Wacken Festival in 2001,and I’d really liked it…(Very curious,actually I hadn’t liked it at all,but when the women on the other end of the phone line is Cristina,it makes some differences:))

Ooo,we’ve changed a lot since 2001.You’d have your jaw drop seeing us live now if you liked that performance.

Copyright 2006 Blue Jean Magazine Turkey.All rights reserved.

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