Italians R Kool

Something I was just reminded of while listening to the new Lacuna Coil (so far, so good- although Cristina has this pseudo-yodeling theme that she keeps returning to which makes me think I'm listening to the same song over and over):

I hate the "Letters" section in any magazine after they've run a list issue. Like 2 months ago when Revolver had the "Hottest Chicks in Metal" issue, and the new issue is chock-full of people writing in to say "OMG YOU FORGOT THE CHICK FROM THE GATHERING HOW COULD YOU???" and "What's wrong with you guys? You totally left the bassist from Kittie off the list." And they inevitably go on to essentially deliver their OWN list, suggesting 5 or 6 other people the magazine so egregiously neglected to feature, surely securing their spot in hell.

I do not honestly believe that these people give a shit who was on the list originally. I think they just cream their jeans at the prospect of getting their letter printed with all their hipster, esoteric comments intact. It makes them look totally hardcore, because they know that the chick from Buddha's Ghost Penis Living in Your Cereal, who are an unsigned proto-avant metal post-emo yodelcore band from Minnetonka who don't even exist yet is the hottest thing to walk the earth.

And then there are the ones who write in to say "Thanks for the 'Hottest Chicks in Metal' issue. It's nice to see women in music getting attention for something other than their looks."

Um.

FlibberdeeWHAT?

Need I remind you it was called the HOTTEST chicks in metal- and they weren't referring to their individual specific temperatures? These women, for the most part professionals in their late 20's, weren't asked the salient questions one usually finds in music rags, such as about vocal technique. They were asked things like "What do your parents think about you being in a metal band?" and "Do you get groupies?"

Yes, thank you for the focus on THAT. I'm certainly happy their talent is finally being recognized.

Not that I mind the poster of Cristina Scabbia and Angela Gossow from that issue which I have hanging in my office. But let's call it what it is- despite the obvious article title, the magazine's sorry attempt to spin it as informative in the abstract was pretty insulting, and the willingness of women fans out there to believe the hype is even worse.

And getting back to this new album, I'd just like to say- for the record- that I have no problem with the DM cover. "Enjoy the Silence" is one of my favorites, it was probably fun for them to do, and I don't see the inclusion of it on the album as an admission of weakness or a lame filler track (as seems to be the general consensus on teh intarwebs, mostly by people who then go on to call others faggots, exponentially increasing the value of their opinion).