Lacuna Coil + Nonpoint @ Chalk, Brighton, 29 November 2025
The last night of a UK tour is usually something special, and for Italian symphonic goth metal titans Lacuna Coil, this final date was yet another delicious helping of metal mastery and mayhem. Chalk is a small club, and that intimacy creates an intense environment for both band and audience. Completely sold out, and with everyone in good spirits, it was clear from the outset that this was going to be a memorable evening. Unsurprisingly, no one was disappointed, with a set drawn from across the band’s extensive career.
With a new album released this year, it was inevitable that some of the fresh material would be aired, yet these songs were received just as joyfully—and apocalyptically—as their older, more familiar offerings.
Although there’s a gothic element in Lacuna Coil’s music, this shouldn’t be misread as doom and gloom. Far from it. Tonight was a completely joyous celebration. The band’s great strength lies in their ability to blend numerous musical styles into a dramatic, melodically rich maelstrom. They are not defined by a single genre but have evolved in their own inimitable way. With thirty years in the business, they do things on their terms—and clearly, there’s no reason to question it. It worked back then, and it continues to work now. Lacuna Coil grow stronger with every album and performance.
Tonight was no exception. Opening with two tracks from Black Anima, Layers of Me and Reckless, the band hit the stage with a visceral punch. Vocalists Andrea Ferro and Cristina Scabbia are phenomenal as they switch vocal duties, each bringing their distinctive style—Andrea with his dirty, venomous growls and Cristina with her clean, operatic clarity. Not only do they sound different, they move differently, commanding the stage in their own ways. Together, they remain a force to be reckoned with.
The first song from the latest album was Hosting the Shadow, a track that on record features Randy Blythe of Lamb of God. He wasn’t present tonight, but the live rendition still impressed and was warmly received.
From here, the band were unstoppable, unleashing surefire material that earned rapturous responses. They were on fire. Guitarist Daniele Salomone, hooded and almost spectral, ripped through riffs like a man possessed, while the rhythmic engine of Marco Coti Zelati on bass and Richard Meiz on drums provided the perfect backdrop for the band’s sonic assault.
Even when turning the clock back to Comalies, things remained exciting, with Heaven’s a Lie and Swamped presented in their reworked XX forms. Lacuna Coil have never been afraid to experiment, and tonight’s audience made it abundantly clear that every risk continues to pay off.
All too quickly, the main set came to an end with a storming Nothing Stands in Our Way. Fortunately, the band returned for a four-song encore—three tracks from the new album—and as they closed with Never Dawn, it was clear we had witnessed something very special indeed.
Lacuna Coil Setlist
- Layers Of Me [Black Anima]
- Reckless [Black Anima]
- Hosting the Shadow [Sleepless Empire]
- Kill the Light [Dark Adrenaline]
- Die & Rise [Broken Crown Halo]
- Spellbound [Shallow Life]
- In the Mean Time [Sleepless Empire]
- Intoxicated [Dark Adrenaline]
- Downfall [Delirium]
- Heaven’s a Lie XX [Comalies XX]
- In Nomine Patris [Sleepless Empire]
- Blood, Tears, Dust [Delirium]
- Gravity [Sleepless Empire]
- Oxygen [Sleepless Empire]
- Nothing Stands in Our Way [Broken Crown Halo]
Encore
- The Siege [Sleepless Empire]
- I Wish You Were Dead [Sleepless Empire]
- Swamped XX [Comalies XX]
- Never Dawn [Sleepless Empire]
It’s been a few years since we’ve heard from Nonpoint, the Nu Metal band from Fort Lauderdale. With ten albums under their belts, they possess an enviable back catalogue, yet have released no new material since 2018. That said, it was a welcome sight to have them back on UK soil supporting Lacuna Coil.
Their sound is tricky to pigeonhole. It’s hard-driving Nu Metal, yes, but with a strong hardcore influence, and they’re not afraid to mix things up further by incorporating Hispanic and Puerto Rican elements—switching to Spanish for Buscándome and Rabia.
Nonpoint are an intense live experience, and Chalk was already rammed before they hit the stage, clearly as big a draw as the headliners. They did not disappoint. Lead vocalist Elias Soriano delivers rapid-fire vocals, spitting out lyrics with remarkable precision. With songs such as Chaos and Earthquakes, Alive and Kicking and Bullet With a Name, they possess a wealth of strong, catchy material. The band were clearly enjoying themselves as much as the audience—the enthusiasm was infectious.
If there was a weak point, it was their cover of Phil Collins’ In the Air Tonight. Although adapted into their own style, it didn’t quite fit. Personally, I’d have preferred forty minutes of original material rather than including the cover. Still, it was only a minor blip; the rest of the set was impressive and well-received.
Nonpoint Setlist
- Breaking Skin
- What a Day
- Chaos and Earthquakes
- Dodge Your Destiny
- Buscándome
- Ruthless
- A Million Watts
- In the Air Tonight (Phil Collins cover)
- Rabia
- Alive and Kicking
- Bullet With a Name
