Lacuna Coil’s record label, Century Media, have reported the following today:
Thanks to its best-selling week yet, Comalies, the third album from the Italian sextet Lacuna Coil, has officially passed the 100,000 SoundScan mark in the United States. This is a landmark achievement for both the band Ð which is performing on OzzfestÕs second stage throughout the summer Ð and their label, the Los Angeles-based independent Century Media Records. Moreover, Lacuna Coil is now believed to be the top-selling Italian rock artist of all time, while Comalies has shattered all Century Media worldwide sales totals to date, surpassing such landmark releases as TiamatÕs Wildhoney and Iced EarthÕs Something Wicked This Way Comes.
ÒWe are happy to be the first Italian band on Ozzfest, and weÕre even happier to know that Comalies has done so well,Ó says the groupÕs front woman, Cristina Scabbia. ÒAmerican fans have truly opened their arms to us, and we canÕt wait to perform for them throughout the summer.Ó
ÒItÕs made us proud to watch Lacuna Coil grow over the years,Ó says Century Media President/General Manager Marco Barbieri. ÒSuccess couldnÕt happen to a nicer, more deserving band. We knew that once people listened to the group and heard their story, theyÕd immediately grasp the appeal and see that Lacuna Coil is undoubtedly a career artist whose best is yet to come.Ó
Lacuna CoilÕs American breakthrough was the result of relentless touring, organic radio success, heavy video airplay and a sound that has been acclaimed by Billboard, Entertainment Weekly and virtually every rock publication of note. Throughout 2003, the band toured with such well-known artists as Opeth, Danzig, Type O Negative and Anthrax. Immediately prior to Ozzfest, the group completed a two-month North American theater tour with P.O.D., Blindside and Hazen Street.
On the radio front, the smash hit ÒHeavenÕs A LieÓ and current single ÒSwampedÓ Ð both R&R Active Rock Top 50 success stories Ð were warmly embraced by nearly 100 commercial stations across the country, including such tastemakers as WAAF-FM (Boston). Last fall, WAAF invited Lacuna Coil to play acoustically live on the air; the performance can be heard on a special double-disc edition of Comalies released earlier this summer that also features newly recorded acoustic renditions of four fan favorites, the radio edits of ÒSwampedÓ and ÒHeavenÕs A LieÓ and the stunning music videos for the tracks, both directed by Patric Ullaeus (In Flames, Dimmu Borgir). Earlier this year, the ÒHeavenÕs A LieÓ video scored the #1 spot on Fuse TVÕs viewer-vote ÒOven FreshÓ program, besting such famed acts as Britney Spears, Pink and Maroon 5, while the MTV2 HeadbangerÕs Ball world premiere of ÒSwampedÓ was accompanied by a live, televised acoustic performance, the first since the seminal program relaunched last year.In addition to Ozzfest, Lacuna Coil Ð recently voted Òthe next big thingÓ by readers of Metal Edge magazine (who also named Scabbia Òfemale performer of the yearÓ) Ð will be playing Òoff-festÓ shows throughout the summer. The group will also deliver in-store acoustic performances at select Borders Music locations in August. That same month, the soundtrack for the forthcoming Sony Pictures film Resident Evil: Apocalypse Ð which includes ÒSwampedÓ Ð will be released. Meanwhile, Scabbia will be spotlighted in the following monthÕs issue of Stuff magazine.
The flagship label of the Century Family, Century Media Records was founded in 1988. Its American branch opened three years later. With nine offices around the globe, the label employs more than 150 people worldwide. Featuring a rich catalog of such influential acts as Iced Earth, Opeth and Stuck Mojo, the labelÕs leading artists today also include Shadows Fall, God Forbid and Nevermore. Distributed domestically by Caroline, Century MediaÕs American branch has experienced unprecedented growth in recent years. In fact, ComaliesÕ achievement marks the second time this month that one of the labelÕs releases has crossed the 100,000 threshold; the other was Shadows FallÕs 2002 recording, The Art of Balance. That groupÕs new album, The War Within, will surface this September.
May I offer my congratulations to both Lacuna Coil and Century Media! Well Done!!
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