In a groundbreaking move, Italian gothic metal legends Lacuna Coil and Moldovan alternative metal powerhouse Infected Rain have joined forces for a collaborative full-length album titled Sleepless Empire, slated for release in December 2025 via Century Media Records. The album marks a bold creative union between two of the most dynamic acts in modern heavy music, blending dark atmospheres, electronic textures, and fierce vocal interplay.
A Fusion of Shadows and Strength
Lacuna Coil, following the success of Black Anima (2019) and their 2022 reimagining Comalies XX, began teasing new material in early 2024. Sleepless Empire builds on their signature sound—brooding, cinematic, and melodic—while embracing heavier industrial and nu-metal influences brought in by Infected Rain’s frontwoman Lena Scissorhands. The result is a fierce, emotionally charged album that explores themes of insomnia, technological overload, and spiritual decay in the digital age.
Recorded throughout 2024 at SPVN Studios in Italy and IR Studio in Chisinau, the album was produced by Lacuna Coil’s Marco Coti Zelati, with contributions from both bands’ members across songwriting and arrangement.
Powerhouse Vocals, Relentless Emotion
The album features a powerful trio of lead vocals: Cristina Scabbia’s soaring melodies, Andrea Ferro’s aggressive growls, and Lena Scissorhands’ ferocious intensity. Together, they create a vocal dynamic that is both visceral and haunting—an evolution for both bands and a treat for longtime fans.
Unveiling the Darkness: Lead Singles
Several singles have already sparked anticipation, including:
- “Never Dawn” – A high-energy anthem featured in the Zombicide: White Death game soundtrack.
- “In the Mean Time” – Featuring Ash Costello of New Years Day, this track dives into feelings of isolation with a melodic hook and thunderous breakdowns.
- “Hosting the Shadow” – A standout collaboration with Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe, offering blistering riffs and existential lyricism.
- “Oxygen” and “Gravity” – Atmospheric, introspective singles with cinematic music videos shot across Italy and Eastern Europe.
- “I Wish You Were Dead” – A brutal, emotionally raw closer unveiled just weeks before the album announcement.
A New Chapter for Both Bands
More than just a split album, Sleepless Empire is a conceptual and artistic fusion that redefines boundaries in modern metal. With themes ranging from emotional exhaustion to personal rebirth, the album serves as both a cathartic release and a sonic assault.
Tour and Special Editions
To celebrate the release, Lacuna Coil and Infected Rain will co-headline select European festivals in early 2026, with a North American tour in the works. Fans can pre-order limited-edition vinyl, deluxe box sets (including a collectible dice-oracle game), and exclusive signed prints starting in October.
Sleepless Empire promises to be one of the most compelling metal releases of the year—uniting continents, genres, and generations in a shared scream into the void.
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