Lacuna Coil vocalist Andrea Ferro recently opened up about the financial realities of being in a modern metal band. He emphasized that passion for the lifestyle is essential in today’s music industry. His comments were shared in an interview with Metal Global.
Ferro addressed the misconception that successful touring bands are becoming wealthy. He explained that the music industry has changed dramatically since its heyday.
“We still love the lifestyle, because if you don’t love the lifestyle, you can’t do this job. Because this is the level we play. We make a good living with our music, but we’re not becoming rich; we’re not millionaires or anything like that. It’s not the ’80s anymore,” Ferro said. “And so if you do wanna do this, you really need to love what you do. Otherwise you would do another job. It is not possible to do this job if you don’t really love the lifestyle, the traveling, the meeting people every night and playing for them.”
The vocalist also reflected on the enduring passion that he and his bandmates share for their craft.
“So me, Marco [Coti Zelati, bass] and Cristina [Scabbia, vocals], we still have this passion, just like it was 20 or 25 years ago, and we still love to do this. Obviously we’re not getting any younger, so we kind of try to have a schedule which is doable, like three shows, a day off, three shows, a day off, so we can enjoy and we don’t have to overstress our bodies and getting tired,” he continued.
Despite their efforts to maintain a sustainable touring schedule, Ferro acknowledged that the demands can still be intense.
“Although, for example, the first tour we’ve done for [the latest Lacuna Coil] album [2025’s ‘Sleepless Empire’], we’ve done 85 days with, like, 16 flights in South America, and then two months in North America on the bus with Machine Head and In Flames, and then another week of headlining shows. So it’s been intense anyway, but sometimes you can do nothing about it,” he explained. “But in general, we try to have a more comfortable approach so that we don’t get too tired or burned out. But overall, we love the lifestyle. We love writing music, we love exchanging experiences with the people, staying on the road with our crew. It’s still a big thing for us, it’s still something that we love to do, and I don’t see us stopping anytime soon. We’re not a band that thinks about 20 years from now but I’m sure we are gonna keep going for a while, [for as long as] we can physically [do it].”
Ferro’s comments come as Lacuna Coil continues to promote their latest studio effort. The album marks a significant milestone in the band’s long career.
Wikipedia reported that “Sleepless Empire” is the band’s tenth studio album. It was released on February 14, 2025. Marco Coti Zelati produced the album. He also contributed bass, guitars, and keyboards to the recording. The current lineup features the three founding members Ferro mentioned—himself, Scabbia, and Coti Zelati—alongside drummer Richard Meiz and guitarist Daniele Salomone.
The band has undergone some lineup changes in recent years. Wikipedia noted that Daniele Salomone joined as guitarist in 2024. He replaced longtime member Diego Cavallotti who departed in mid-2024. Salomone previously played with Cavallotti in the band Inverno. Richard Meiz has been the band’s drummer since 2019. He recorded drums for “Sleepless Empire.”
Ferro and Scabbia have been the iconic dual vocalists for Lacuna Coil since the band’s early days. Ferro joined in 1994 and Scabbia in 1996. Their longevity and continued passion for music have been central to the band’s identity and success over the past three decades.
The Italian gothic metal band continues to tour actively in support of “Sleepless Empire.” They maintain their commitment to connecting with fans around the world despite the financial challenges of modern touring. Their dedication to the craft, as Ferro emphasized, remains driven by love for the music and lifestyle rather than financial gain.
