The German/Swedish contingent known as Lucifer are back with their third album, not surprisingly titled Lucifer III, and their retro-styled '70s hard rock, doom, psyche, and occult sounds are better than ever. The current line-up of the band is comprised of founder Johanna Sadonis on lead vocals, her now husband Nicke Andersson on drums & guitars (Hellacopters, Entombed), guitarists Martin Nordin & Linus Björklund, and bass player Harald Göthblad. This new Century Media platter features nine new tracks and clocks in at roughly 40 minutes of music.
From the outset, it's apparent that Lucifer III is even more memorable than its heavy yet accessible predecessor, the hooks ever present, the psychedelic grooves leaping through every step of the way, the doom laden riffing consistent as always, and Johanna's vocals consistently outstanding, as if she stepped out of Haight Ashbury circa 1968. Kick off track "Ghosts" is as addicting as it gets, upbeat and plenty rockin', while "Midnight Phantom" has a certain amount of atmosphere, swirling organ seeping through the hard rock haze and Johanna soaring over the top. "Leather Demon" ups the ante with some crunchy riffing and furious rhythms, easily a top track here, and they follow that up with the equally frantic "Lucifer", images of Deep Purple and Uriah Heep popping up, but it also has the bluesy swagger of modern day Graveyard. The bluesy doom of "Pacific Doom" snarls and crawls, enticing vocals oozing over heavy grooves and mid-'70s Scorpions sounding guitars, while Andersson's pounding drum fills drive the dirge laden, Black Sabbath styled stomp of "Coffin Fever", stabbing lead guitars zig-zagging about and beefy riffs providing plenty of headbanging moments. The band opt for another bluesy upbeat hard rocker with "Flanked By Snakes", the guitar fuzz thick and the Hammond organ swirling, the latter which sticks around for the Purple/Heep influenced hard rocker "Stay Astray", a tune that also features a killer chorus with a dynamite Johanna belting it out, and the melancholy yet hooky "Cemetery Eyes" closes out the album, piano, melodic bass, and jangly guitars allowing for the vocals to really shine.
Once again, Lucifer have knocked it out of the park, and though it's been stated plenty that the bands name might ultimately keep them out of the mainstream, their music is tailor made for rock fans of all ages. It's delightfully groovy, plenty heavy, and those vocals...third time is certainly the charm people!!!
Track Listing
1
Ghosts
4:04
2 Midnight Phantom
4:12
3
Leather Demon
4:51
4
Lucifer
3:56
5
Pacific Blues
4:07
6
Coffin Fever
4:11
7
Flanked by Snakes
3:34
8
Stay Astray
4:38
9
Cemetery Eyes
5:48
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
