"This time around music has been our refuge from some of the darkest days of our life and that's why the new songs have such a variety of feelings... some stuff is pretty angry, probably the heaviest we've ever written, some other songs are intense, loaded with velvet dark emotions and there's even a little space for some light at the end of the tunnel," says LACUNA COIL's male vocalist Andrea Ferro.

"People are asking me if we're going back to our roots or if we're taking another step forward in a new direction... Well, to be honest I just feel that this is 100 percent a LACUNA COIL record and that is what really matters to me. I just love the songs and we felt a big wave of inspiration. The energy with Don in the studio is sky-high and we're ready to kick some ass."

"Collectively, we did so much in between 'Shallow Life' and this one," adds LACUNA COIL's female vocalist Cristina Scabbia. "We have lots of different experiences between us. We've been loved and hurt, we grew up, we shrunk inside a little keeping ourselves together and our roots watered and are alive. I still can't believe that the energy in between us is getting better and better, but I guess that's what being a real family means."

Regarding the musical direction of the new songs, Ferro stated last month, "Some stuff is . . . probably the heaviest we have ever written. But then we have some cool songs with a dark, 'old-school' vibe, and then some other rocking songs which are a bit more modern and anthemic sounding." Scabbia added, "I just want you all to listen to it 'cause I think the old fans will be pleased as well as the new one fans. The collection of songs is the perfect balance between an older and a newer style of rock metal — with a heavy punch and melancholic shadows."

Once LACUNA COIL completes the recording sessions for the new album, the band will spend the summer performing at a select number of European festivals, including Greenfield, Graspop Metal Meeting and Sonisphere in Spain.

When asked how the new material is sounding, Cristina said in a 2010 interview with Kerrang! magazine, "It's still a rock sound. I like the direction we took on 'Shallow Life' and this is going to be in that vein. I still love metal to death, but at this point I like rock more. I like being able to bring different things that are not necessarily from metal to the album because I like the contamination between sounds. I like that music is always evolving and that you can be free to take sounds and mix them together."

Regarding whether there are any other surprises in store, Cristina said, "At this stage I actually don't know. We don't plan that, because in some ways I like to stay with that classic sound and in some other ways I like to do something completely different and surprise people. I've learned over the years that you cannot make everyone happy. If you stay classic, there will be some who say you're not innovative, and if you're innovative, people will complain that you sold out or you went off the rails. I can honestly say I don't care anymore. We want to be free to do whatever we want. We love rock and roll and we love metal, but we don't want to put any limitations on what we might make."