LUCIFER — Lucifer III (review)

Album · 2020 · Hard Rock

3/5 · 2020-04-13
Nightfly

I first came across Lucifer on the release of their debut album back in 2015. Although clearly vocalist Johanna Sadonis’s baby that album greatly benefited from the presence of former Cathedral guitarist Gaz Jennings. Lucifer I was largely a traditional doom metal album and a very good one it was too. Jennings only stuck around for the one album before moving onto the short lived Death Penalty and by II Lucifer had a completely new line up apart from Sadonis including Entombed drummer Nicke Andersson. The sound of the band had also changed with them now going for a retro occult rock/proto metal style.

Moving onto III the band seemed to have settled on the occult rock style with little trace of doom metal in their sound these days. Whilst that’s a shame there’s no denying that III is a good solid example of that retro sound that has been pretty prevalent over the last decade or so. The playing is tight but loose and Sadonis’s smooth and haunting vocal delivery is the perfect voice for this sort of stuff. Overall the songs are more or less what I was expecting with a sound very much rooted in the 70’s. Most are good with some catchy melodies on offer, if a bit on the play it safe side, but there’s nothing here that stands out from the pack to lift the album above the ordinary until final song Cemetery Eyes kicks in with really strong melodic riffing and a slightly longer running time allowing the band to stretch out a bit. A few more songs as good as this one would have raised the bar and earned it an extra star, but it’s too little too late.

Not bad by any means then but in a genre that seems to have been done to death it’s not essential listening and the weakest of their three albums so far I’d say. However if you were a fan of II then I’m sure you’ll enjoy this one too.

more than 2 years ago
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adg211288 wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Hmm the riffs and vocals remind me of Blood Ceremony but without all the extra psych and folk bits. Kind of seems like the poor man's version of to be honest. It's passable enjoyable. I think I'll agree with your 3 stars.

Nightfly wrote:

more than 2 years ago

I like the first one the best out of the 3 so was a bit disappointed by the direction of the second which is still a decent album though. III is worth a listen but can't see me going back to it.

Unitron wrote:

more than 2 years ago

I really liked the second album, found the first boring and this sounded pretty boring too. I think they're at their best when they're playing energetic like California Son, Dancing With Mr. D cover, or anthemic 80's metal in Phoenix. They lose me when they go all slow and doom.

adg211288 wrote:

more than 2 years ago

I remember enjoying their first one but not being blown away by it. Skipped over the second. Your review doesn't sell me on this one changing my mind, but I might check it out sometime.