Genre: Heavy Metal/Doom
Metal
Release Date: June
16, 2015
Label: Rise Above Records
Sometimes
there is nothing like listening to a band whose sound harkens back to an
earlier era, and Lucifer is just that band. Formed in June of 2014, this
four-piece draws its inspiration from such music pioneers as Led Zeppelin,
Black Sabbath, and Deep Purple. The band consists of Johanna Sadonis (vocals),
Gaz Jennings (guitar), Dino Gollnick (bass), and Andrew Prestridge
(drums). They sure do gel for such a
short time together and the results are very good.
Lucifer, I is their debut album and it is a strong
presentation. With eight songs that run just under three quarters of an hour, Lucifer, I is a carefully crafted work
of art that uses all of its time in a purposeful manner. It is clear that their
creative and musical juices were flowing when they embarked on this project.
The
sound of Lucifer, I is nothing short
of heavy and energetic, with more than its hints of darkness. There is an
ominous atmosphere that pervades the album, the type that sends one fleeing
inside and latching up the door as something evil rolls into town. The
brilliant opener, “Abracadabra,” dazzles with its deep, rich sound and its dark
atmosphere that sets the tone for the rest of the album. At the forefront,
though, are the amazing vocals that just steal the show. They are haunting and
powerful, and are the perfect fit for Lucifer’s dark and heavy sound.
With
some deep and crushing riffs, “Purple Pyramid” has a nice heavy rock sound that
harkens back to a 70s hard rock sound. The music rolls along very evenly and
the guitar gives a stand out performance by stealing the show at the end. Next
up is the slick “Izrael” to take the sound in a different, slightly softer
direction. The music is more melodic and has a hypnotic quality to it. The
vocal performance is as fantastic as ever. It is smooth, effortless, and
enticing. The guitar is striking and on point as well. It is easy to understand
why this was chosen as the album’s first single. As one might expect from its
name,
“Sabbath”
is heavy, dark, and saturated with gothic atmosphere.
Getting
off to a slow and foreboding start, “White Mountain” does not stay so languid
long before the drums and guitar ramp it up for a kicking and animated sound. “Morning
Star” is probably the most memorable and thrilling song on the album. The sound
is as heavy and dark as can be. The vocals are stellar, full of passion and
anguish, but the guitar is the main attraction here. They are prominent from
the beginning and absolutely unleash in the second part of the song. The doom
and gloom of “Total Eclipse” make it a nice candidate for Hell’s soundtrack, if
it had one. “A Grave for Each One of Us”
is a strong closer. The guitar has a nice groove to it, the vocals are alluring
and crisp, and the sound is crushing and heavy.
Lucifer’s Lucifer,
I is a triumphant debut album, making Lucifer a band to keep an eye on, as
they grow in the years to come. They have produced a very economical album
without a wasteful song, and they exude a confidence and a cohesion of a band
that has been together longer than a year. If you are into doom metal or the
heavy metal sound of the seventies, then you will want to check this album
out.
4.5/5 Stars
Key
Tracks: Abracadabra, Izrael, Morning Star
Tracks:
1.Abracadabra
2.Purple Pyramid
3.Izrael
4.Sabbath
5.White Mountain
6.Morning Star
7.Total Eclipse
8.A Grave for Each One of Us
Tracks:
1.Abracadabra
2.Purple Pyramid
3.Izrael
4.Sabbath
5.White Mountain
6.Morning Star
7.Total Eclipse
8.A Grave for Each One of Us
Brian McKinnon - Write A Music Review Sr. Staff
August 3, 2015
Review
Provided By Write A Music Review