Lullacry

Hailing from Finland, Lullacry formed as a melodic hard rock band fronted by a female singer and anchored in pop metal despite occasional gothic touches. The group first took shape in the mid- to late '90s under the name Coarse, issuing the demo Downwards and appearing on the Suomi Finland Perkele compilation. Multiple personnel shifts later brought Tanya into the fold as lead vocalist; her edgy yet accessible pop delivery sharpened the band's identity and prompted the change to Lullacry. In fall 1998 the newly named outfit tracked its initial demo, Weeper's Aeon, then issued the promotional discs Sweet Desire and Alone in 1999. Live visibility grew through opening slots for the Gathering and prominent sets at Tuska Metal Fest and Nummirock Festival, drawing favorable notices in several mainstream music publications. The band cut its debut album, Sweet Desire, for Heart, Trust, and Respect Records and released it in late 1999; the title track later surfaced on the double-CD compilation Millenniumliitto, a Spinefarm Records best-seller. Throughout 2000 Lullacry performed on assorted Finnish television programs while gaining airplay and coverage from national radio outlets and print media. By year's end the lineup of lead vocalist Tanya, guitarists Sami and Sauli, bassist Heavy, and drummer Jukka secured a contract with Spinefarm Records. The resulting album Be My God appeared in 2001 and was subsequently licensed by Century Media Records.