Review & Photography by Manny Manson for MPM
So, another visit to the East Midlands Mecca of a Rock n Pop venue, Rock City. Nottingham. Tonight, it’s all about the collision of Italian gothic metal and Finnish violent pop. Lacuna Coil are headlining, but before they take the stage, there’s Blind Channel, their job? To simply whip the crowd into a sweaty frenzy, and trust me, they are more than capable of it.
Formed in Oulu, Finland, in 2013, Blind Channel made waves with their self-coined genre, “violent pop,” a fusion of nu-metal, pop, and post-hardcore. Their music channels the energy of early 2000s alt-metal, with nods to acts like ‘Linkin Park’, ‘Bring Me the Horizon’, and Fever 333’. The band quickly became known for their explosive live shows and their fearless approach to blending genres.
Their debut album, ‘Revolutions’ (2016), was a solid introduction, but their third record, ‘Violent Pop’ (2020), really brought them international attention. Songs like “Died Enough for You” and “Gun” immediately highlighted their knack for crafting infectious hooks wrapped in an aggressive, modern production. After representing Finland at Eurovision 2021 with the track “Dark Side,” where they placed sixth, the band gained further recognition, a performance that truly elevated them from underground hype to mainstream success.
Their 2022 release, ‘Lifestyles of the Sick & Dangerous’, further cemented their place in the scene, featuring hard-hitting tracks like “Bad Idea” and “Balboa.” With each album, they’ve refined their sound, balancing electronic beats, angsty rap, and soaring choruses, all wrapped in a rebellious, genre-defying attitude. With a buzzing crowd, the lights dim, and the night Kicks off with ‘Linkin Park’s’ “One Step Closer” blasting through the speakers, Blind Channel stormed onto the stage, dripping with swagger. The taped intro sets the scene for what was about to be a barrage of high-energy, post-hardcore chaos and madness.
And so, onto the show…OMG! Is there a fire in the house? There is so much smoke spewing from the stage; it’s nuts. I’m all for a bit of smoke to enhance the lights, but when it’s enough to hide Jack the Ripper and his cohorts, but it seems a tad excessive. The fans in the crowd are going to struggle to see the band, but I guess they’re not bothered
With the smoke aside, they kick off the show by launching into” Dead Zone” from ‘Exit Emotions’, from the get-go, even if seeing the band was hard work, the fans were totally on board bouncing and singing along to this Finnish boyband classic. “Where’s The Exit”, from ‘Lifestyles of the Sick & Dangerous’ came next. Frontmen Joel Hokka and Niko Vilhelm took charge immediately, their dual vocals bouncing off each other like a sonic fistfight.
This was chaotic, fast, and perfect to start. Next up, “Over My Dead Body” is a track filled with pure attitude. The gang vocals had the crowd roaring along, fists pumping as Blind Channel showed why their brand of “violent pop” resonates with the new generation of metalheads the crowd were in their element and we’re only three songs in.
With “We Are No Saints”, the band keep the momentum up, bringing the electro-beat drive with those cutting guitar riffs. Niko’s vocals sliced through the melody, whilst Joel’s grit kept the edge sharp. These guys are pros at mixing melody and aggression, and it works. Then came the banger “XOXO”. This one’s a fan favourite, and as soon as that infectious chorus hit, Rock City was bouncing like a Tigger in Hundred Acre Wood. The chorus was as catchy as hell, with Niko almost playful in his delivery, smiling, he had the crowd chanting every word. The pace doesn’t let up as “Flatline” brings a darker, brooding tone, only for “Die Another Day” to explode right after with the synth-heavy chaos they’re known for. Here, Joel leaned into his harsher vocals while Niko brought the melody. And the crowd loved it.
“Violent Bob (Deja Fu)” kept the pit moving with a mix of brutal riffing and electronic stabs before the band dropped an abridged cover of System of a Down’s “B.Y.O.B”. Not many bands dare to touch this, but Blind Channel crushed it. Then came “Wolves in California”, bringing the more anthemic, singalong vibes, followed by the knockout punch of “Balboa”—this was full-on, head-swinging fury, Joel belting out the chorus like he had something to prove.
And just when you thought things couldn’t get crazier, they dropped “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)”, yes, a bloody ‘Backstreet Boys’ cover! Blind Channel took a boyband classic and transformed it into a mosh anthem, proving, once again, that they don’t care about genres, it’s all about having fun. The crowd were totally ‘INSYNC’ (did you see what I did there) with the band and continued their neck-destroying antics. To close? “Darkside” is their biggest hit to date.
The crowd? It was ready, fists and horns in the air as the band delivered this anthemic call to rebellion. Niko and Joel traded lines like they’d been doing this forever, ending their set on such a high, job accomplished, the crowd were hot ‘n’ sweaty lusting for more, that more being LACUNA COIL!
Now, onto the veterans of the evening, ’Lacuna Coil’. Formed in Milan, Italy, in 1994, Lacuna Coil are pioneers of the gothic metal genre, blending heavy guitar riffs, dark atmospheres, and the soaring, melodic interplay between vocalists Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro. Their early sound, influenced by gothic rock and doom metal, evolved with the inclusion of more alternative and nu-metal elements over the years, helping them break into mainstream metal scenes worldwide.
Their debut album, ‘In a Reverie’ (1999), established them as one of Europe’s most exciting rising acts, but it was 2002’s ‘Comalies’ that became a landmark release. With tracks like “Heaven’s a Lie” and “Swamped,” Lacuna Coil captured international attention, blending symphonic elements with metal to create a lush, emotionally driven sound.
Albums like ‘Karmacode’ (2006) saw the band incorporating heavier nu-metal influences, bringing them commercial success in the U.S., while ‘Shallow Life’ (2009) and ‘Dark Adrenaline’ (2012) solidified their place in modern metal. Most recently, their 2019 album ‘Black Anima’ returned to their gothic roots, offering darker, moodier textures while still packing a punch. Their music style? Think ‘Evanescence’ meets ‘Paradise Lost’, with a little bit of ‘Deftones’ thrown in for good measure. It’s heavy, it’s melodic, and it’s darkly beautiful. Cristina’s soaring vocals juxtaposed with Andrea’s growls create a dynamic that few bands can match, both in the studio and live.
So, after a quick cleanup, and a moment for most of the smoke, smog, call it what you will, to dissipate, the lights dimmed once again, and Lacuna Coil made their grand entrance. Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro, are gothic metal royalty. They take their places, whilst the crowd let them know that they are here for them. And with that, they open their set with “Blood, Tears, Dust”, from ‘Delirium’. It’s an explosive, mechanical beat, with Andrea’s guttural roars playing off Cristina’s ethereal voice. Right away, it’s a reminder that Lacuna Coil is an expert at mixing beauty with brutality. “Reckless” comes next, taken from ‘Black Anima’. Cristina leads this one with her soaring vocals, delivering that punchy chorus with all the power she’s known for. Andrea’s harsh counterpoint made it the perfect back-and-forth.
Then, “Trip the Darkness” from ‘Dark Adrenaline’. The crowd lit up—this one’s a fan-favourite, and for good reason. It’s dark, groovy, and hits hard, with Cristina weaving through the verses before the chorus explodes. “Apocalypse” keeps the chaotic energy surging, especially with Andrea taking the lead, his deep growls pounding through the verses, while Cristina’s chorus lightened things just enough to make it stick.
Next up was “Oxygen”. The balance in this one, between the band’s heavy riffs and Cristina’s melodic clarity was spot on, showing just how tight Lacuna Coil’s live performance has become. With “Layers of Time” from ‘Black Anima’, they went a lot heavier. Andrea growling through the verses with intensity, and the crowd responded with a sea of headbanging whilst Cristina’s voice soared above it all, ethereal and haunting. “Our Truth”, an absolute classic fan favourite from ‘Karmacode’ was up next. In it, Cristina’s voice had the crowd captivated, her soaring vocal juxtaposed with the thundering rhythm section pushing the song forward. That chorus still hits like a tidal wave after all these years.
“Entwined XX” followed, it’s a reimagining of an old favourite from ‘Comalies XX’. The XX versions gave these songs fresh power, and Cristina’s vocals were, again, otherworldly, while Andrea’s roars added extra punch and a sinister depth. The ominous “Now or Never” has Andrea on lead, his dark growls leading the charge while Cristina’s haunting vocals danced over the brutal, instrumental assault. The band then launched into “Heaven’s A Lie XX”, another reworked version but still packing the same emotional punch. Cristina’s voice again soared while Andrea’s harsh vocals added layers to the emotional depth.
“In The Mean Time” returned the atmosphere to somewhere dark and forbidding, with the band’s blend of industrial and gothic metal tones ringing out across the venue, followed by the hauntingly beautiful “Veneficium”, Cristina’s performance here was nothing short of stunning, her voice is sublime. The crowd took it up a level when they played “Hosting the Shadow”, a lesser-played track but one that’s heavy on atmosphere, Andrea taking charge with his brutal vocals while Cristina’s harmonies floated eerily over the top of the chaos.
Then came “Enjoy the Silence”, the ‘Depeche Mode’ cover everyone was waiting for. Lacuna Coil have made it their own, instilling their gothic vibe with Cristina’s voice adding a haunting quality to the familiar melody, the band’s heaviness amplified the melancholy of the song to a new level, a fan favourite and a great twist on this 80’s classic. “Never Dawn”, from ‘Comalies XX’, closed the main set—Andrea and Cristina’s harmonies blended perfectly as the crowd seemed to sing to with every word.
For the encore, Lacuna Coil came back with “Aeon XX”, “Tight Rope XX”, and the massive “Swamped XX”, these were all reworked versions from their earlier albums, sounding better for it coming across as fresh and furious live. To wrap things up, they finished with “Nothing Stands in Our Way”, a defiant anthem that had the crowd chanting along, a perfect end to a night of dark, Italian, Gothic magic.
Blind Channel brought the energy; Lacuna Coil brought the soul. Both bands leave having left their mark on Rock City; it’s safe to say that every fan in the room walked away knowing they’d witnessed something special. Two very different bands, but both are at the top of their game. This one’s gonna stick in my memory for a long time.