Tonic Mixtape: Lacuna Coil

Talk about an iron maiden!

After several years and countless magazine covers calling her the sexiest woman in metal, Lacuna Coil singer Cristina Scabia mocks its all with her band's latest release, Shallow Life. Of course, this album isn't musically shallow at all, instead taking their goth-metal sound and updating it with more alt-rock leanings to reach a wider and larger audience.

Did it work? Well, the Italian band continues to dominate back home, and the Don Gilmore-produced album recently debuted at No. 16 on the Billboard 200. That is, of course, a career high for group.

The Milan-based group is already well known in metal circles, scoring a genre hit with the 2006 Karmacode album and landing a main stage slot on that year's Ozzfest tour. Shallow Life, meanwhile, is reaching new fans with hit singles like "Spellbound" and "I Like It," both of which are featured below. And for those curious, the "Spellbound" video is actually shot in the Gold Restaurant owned by fashion gurus Dolce & Gabbana.

Maybe you haven't listened to heavier music since Metallica's black album, but Lacuna Coil might just have you bangin' your head one more time. Check 'em out and see!