Lucifer bring their 70’s occult infused doom to a new home. Germany’s Nuclear Blast is now responsible for further eerie landscapes for the band’s fifth studio album – Lucifer V.
Opener “Fallen Angel” is certainly a monumental mass of electrifying rock n’ roll, led by charismatic singer Johanna Platow Andersson whose melodies really lean into the overall aesthetic. This is confirmed by the band’s strongest track “At The Mortuary”, a glorious blend of Abba but with organs and a bleak undercurrent which is impossible to tear yourself away from, especially with its singalong chorus and plethora of solos.
As the album moves into “Riding Reaper” the quality you hear makes it less than surprising that since their inception nearly a decade ago that have been nominated twice for a Swedish Grammy in the category ‘Best Hardrock/Metal Album’, as well as the Swedish Radio Award P3 and several GAFFA nominations! The song writing in particular feels particularly elevated , something that continues with the ballad “Slow Dance In A Crypt” which has subtle piano elements swirling throughout that make you weep into your drink.
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“Maculate Heart” picks up the pace with a more upbeat delivery, more in keeping with hard rock with some nice acoustic flourishes. This is followed up by the sweeping doo-wop of “The Dead Don’t Speak”. This song is dominated by an amalgamation of the band’s previous offerings, with a generous serving of organs and drums.
Prominent basslines are rife on the atmospheric “Strange Sister” which also has some really nice backing vocals that weave nicely into concluding track “Nothing Left To Loose But My Life”. Doom-laden grooves sway throughout with a delivery that the Devil himself would be tapping along to.
Again, Lucifer have managed to conjure up a strongly influenced collection of tracks that could become their most critically acclaimed album to date.
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Header image by Chris Shonting
Lucifer V is released on 26th January
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