2024 has Lacuna Coil in a collaborative mood. Earlier in the spring, the Italian metal vets teamed with New Years Day vocalist Ash Costello to deliver “In the Meantime.” Now, they’ve tapped master Lamb of God howler Randy Blythe to go line for line with Cristina Scabbia on the inky “Hosting the Shadow.”
The new single begins with a mix of melancholy synth-and-string patterns and goth-metal chord swings, but by the time the first verse kicks in, Blythe gets extra growly while contemplating living as a loner. Scabbia runs her towering vibrato hard in the chorus, likewise lost and alone within an absence of light. But by song’s end, both singers are left “laughing” with their shadows.
“‘Hosting the Shadow’ is a trip through light and dark, where silence reveals its hidden secrets. Obscure moments can become occasions to evolve, to learn to master one’s own shadow — which is crucial in order to prevail,” the band said in a statement. “Randy Blythe did an incredible job on this track, we absolutely adore his voice and his evil laugh! Our admiration for him is infinite and to have him as a guest on this song is a dream come true.”
For his part, Blythe called Lacuna Coil part of his extended metal family, and was stoked to hop on the track. He added: “We’ve played shows together all over the world, and I’ve always wanted to jump onstage and sing with them — I can’t wait until it actually happens with ‘Hosting the Shadow’!”
You can hear Lacuna Coil’s latest single up above.
While the band hit U.S. stages earlier in the spring, they set off on a run of European dates in October. You’ll find the full run of shows below.