If you’re a fan of gothic metal then Lacuna Coil’s name has probably crossed your radar. For over 25 years, the Italian metal band has paved its way with haunting melodies and an atmosphere that’s hard to match. Frontwoman Cristina Scabbia recently brought her iconic soaring operatic vocals to Xbox Game Pass’ Metal: Hellsinger’s Dream of the Beast DLC. However, her passion for gaming is seen in more than just her music.
Metal: Hellsinger has garnered some serious love for how it melds together the tight rhythm-based timing action that made the Guitar Hero and Rock Band franchises successful in the 2000s with the frantic shooter action of Doom and Painkiller. The stellar soundtrack was written by Two Feathers, consisting of Elvira Björkman and Nicklas Hjertberg. Together they enlisted the help of heavy metal icons such as System of a Down’s Serj Tankian, Dark Tranquillity’s Mikael Stanne, Trivium’s Matt Heafy, and Soilwork’s Björn ‘Speed’ Strid just to name a few. Fans of metal music and some of the best FPS games should check it out.
It was during Gamescom when Cristina Scabbia caught a live performance of some Metal: Hellsinger songs that she knew she wanted to get involved: “I went there to see the show because some of my friends were performing, and I was so stoked to be there because the whole production was incredible” continuing with: “I met with Two Feathers, and we talked about working together briefly, and it actually worked out. I’m very honored to be in the Metal: Hellsinger family because I love the song, and it was a nice challenge”.
Cristina Scabbia has been a prominent Twitch streamer for the last few years, and her official account has now racked up just shy of 40,000 followers. Recent broadcasts have seen her playing through the Resident Evil 4 Remake and Destiny 2: Lightfall which has meant that she’s been able to reach a new audience outside of Lacuna Coil, as well as being prolific in the popular ‘Just Chatting’ category.
She started out streaming as a hobby to pass the time when lockdown first came to her hometown of Milan: “At first I was skeptical, but I took this chance”, Scabbia says, “My channel became like a bar where we can meet new people, and make a safe space for fans and newcomers to talk about everything from how your day is going, happy moments, and also incorporates my love of video games”.
What began as a hobby to pass the time during the pandemic quickly became a way for Cristina Scabbia to unwind between touring with Lacuna Coil: “I never expected so much excitement around it, and I’m still continuing with it years later because I love the community”. It’s given her a new way to enjoy playing games in her downtime: “I used to sit in front of my computer alone playing video games, but now I can reach out to people who are feeling could be feeling lonely to be entertained. I’m proud of my channel”.
Unlike some musicians who leap to Twitch streaming, such as Trivium’s Matt Heafy, Cristina Scabbia made the decision not to sing or perform on her account. “I wanted to keep things separate from Lacuna Coil because it would be weird for me to be singing songs by myself, and I didn’t like the idea of being told to sing this or that. I want people to find out more about who I am behind the stage in real life.” She adds: “I want to show my duality where I can be this mysterious dark empress on stage and then be the nerd with the hoodie and super colorful clothes. I’m not making up a character; they are both me”.
Both sides of Cristina Scabbia have been accurately captured through her contribution to Metal: Hellsinger with the title track that scores one of the most intense shooters to grace us since the amazing Doom Eternal dropped back in 2020. If you’re you play on Xbox Series X or PC then it’s well worth checking out as a PC Game Pass or an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriber.
