Without a doubt, the Italian six-piece LACUNA COIL is one of the hardest-working and rapidly-progressing gothic metal outfits of our times. Within three short years since their original incarnation under the more generic name Ethereal (originally founded by today's main composer Marco Coti Zelati), the band have released two EP's and two full-length albums, each of which showed distinct and marked progression from one to the next. Although the early demos were little more than tentative first steps for the band, they were offered a deal with Century Media Records and great things were soon anticipated in the vein of long-term artistic development that has become the label's trademark for many years now.

The band's self-titled six-song MCD released in 1998 garnered them a tremendous amount of interest for a new band, and particular praise was given to the dual vocal stylings of Cristina Scabbia providing angelic relief to Andrea Ferro's more harsh delivery. Of course, detractors soon wondered if the band was little more than another shallow metal band fronted by an exotic beauty, so the band redoubled their efforts, welcoming Cristiano Migliore on guitars and Cristiano Mozzati on drums just prior to recording of their first full-length effort, In A Reverie. It was the strength of the songwriting on this record which confirmed the band's staying power and growth potential, and their enviable ability to recreate their songs in a live setting which soon netted them separate tours alongside the likes of Samael, Lacrimosa, Grip Inc., and Skyclad, interspersed with high-profile Dynamo and Gods Of Metal festival appearances. The band kept their presence alive in 2000 amidst all the touring with a five-song EP, Halflife, which saw the band enlisting second guitarist Marco Biazzi and reaching new heights in terms of their material as well as their demand, allowing the sextet the opportunity to undertake their first headlining tour of Europe.

Realizing the importance and strong expectations awaiting their second album, LACUNA COIL secluded themselves during songwriting of their second full-length until the band were thoroughly satisfied and confident. It was only then that the band stepped foot into the confines of Woodhouse Studios in Hagen, Germany to begin the recording of Unleashed Memories, with producer Waldemar Sorychta (Sentenced, Samael, Tiamat) returning to the producer's chair.
While the Halflife EP was more restrained, for this album the band wanted to sharpen their edge with a renewed guitar attack. Unlike the legions of gothic metal bands who balance ethereal female and growling male vocals, LACUNA COIL instead focus on crafting a thrilling unity of vocal styles and musical textures, resulting in a unique and altogether mercurial sound. The results can be heard instantly between Cristina's penchant for unfolding one heavenly lyrical melody after another while Andrea has never sounded more confident, playing the perfect counterbalance. Sorychta also pushed the band to deliver their tightest and most accomplished performance to date, to which they more than ably responded resulting in what is by far the band's most complete and enriched effort to date and heralding a new dawn for LACUNA COIL as that rarest of breeds - a leader - in a world of "here today, gone tomorrow" followers.