Italian metal vets Lacuna Coil are currently a couple men down, with news coming today (February 14) that guitarist Cris "Pizza" Migliore and drummer Cristiano "CriZ" Mozzati have left the band.
The departures were revealed today (February 14) over on the group's Facebook page, with a joint statement from the remaining four band members noting that unspecified reasons have led Migliore and Mozzati to put the focus on their family lives instead of the band.
"Both Pizza and CriZ have had big changes impact their lives recently," the statement reads, adding, "We know how stressful and difficult it can be to balance both real life and the life of a professional touring musician, and we have nothing but total respect for their decisions to focus on their families and lives at home."
An additional statement from singer Cristina Scabbia explains that there was no drama behind the split, saying: "I believe this being THE most friendly split (I cannot even call it so, cause it sounds bad) happened to a band. Not a fight, no ego problems, no anger: a decision taken in the most serene way from Criz and Pizza and fully accepted from the rest of LC."
Migliore, meanwhile, thanked the band and fans for their support over the years, and Mozzati said that while his decision to leave Lacuna Coil wasn't an easy one, he needed a change of pace.
"I'm leaving my 'second family' Lacuna Coil because I need this change in my life... this hasn't been an easy decision at all and I've come to it with pain in my heart, because together we laughed and cried; we fought and gave all our lives to this amazing band," he said. "Together we lived the dream for 16 wonderful, intense and unforgettable years. All you guys around the world gave me such positive and sincere vibes and emotions that will stay embedded in my heart for the rest of my life! I want to say thank you Coilers, friends, crew, partners, and people that listen to our music for being such an inspiration for me. To my brothers and sis I'd like to say the following: Never stop to kicking asses, you sure know how to!"
It's unclear at present who will step in to the vacant positions, but the departure comes just as the band are prepping for the release of their next LP, Broken Crown Halo. As previously reported, the set was recorded at an "age-old studio in Milan" full of vintage gear with producer Jay Baumgardner (Sevendust, Evanescence) and engineer Kyle Hoffmann (P.O.D., Bush). It was previously revealed that the album was inspired by a series of personal issues and changes the band experienced over the last few years, and is described as "a dark vision of a near future when survival is second nature."
Broken Crown Halo will be released April 1 through Century Media Records.
The departures were revealed today (February 14) over on the group's Facebook page, with a joint statement from the remaining four band members noting that unspecified reasons have led Migliore and Mozzati to put the focus on their family lives instead of the band.
"Both Pizza and CriZ have had big changes impact their lives recently," the statement reads, adding, "We know how stressful and difficult it can be to balance both real life and the life of a professional touring musician, and we have nothing but total respect for their decisions to focus on their families and lives at home."
An additional statement from singer Cristina Scabbia explains that there was no drama behind the split, saying: "I believe this being THE most friendly split (I cannot even call it so, cause it sounds bad) happened to a band. Not a fight, no ego problems, no anger: a decision taken in the most serene way from Criz and Pizza and fully accepted from the rest of LC."
Migliore, meanwhile, thanked the band and fans for their support over the years, and Mozzati said that while his decision to leave Lacuna Coil wasn't an easy one, he needed a change of pace.
"I'm leaving my 'second family' Lacuna Coil because I need this change in my life... this hasn't been an easy decision at all and I've come to it with pain in my heart, because together we laughed and cried; we fought and gave all our lives to this amazing band," he said. "Together we lived the dream for 16 wonderful, intense and unforgettable years. All you guys around the world gave me such positive and sincere vibes and emotions that will stay embedded in my heart for the rest of my life! I want to say thank you Coilers, friends, crew, partners, and people that listen to our music for being such an inspiration for me. To my brothers and sis I'd like to say the following: Never stop to kicking asses, you sure know how to!"
It's unclear at present who will step in to the vacant positions, but the departure comes just as the band are prepping for the release of their next LP, Broken Crown Halo. As previously reported, the set was recorded at an "age-old studio in Milan" full of vintage gear with producer Jay Baumgardner (Sevendust, Evanescence) and engineer Kyle Hoffmann (P.O.D., Bush). It was previously revealed that the album was inspired by a series of personal issues and changes the band experienced over the last few years, and is described as "a dark vision of a near future when survival is second nature."
Broken Crown Halo will be released April 1 through Century Media Records.