It’s been a few years since we last heard from the disciples of darkness known as Lucifer. Well, that’s not entirely true. It was just this past November that I caught them live for the first time since high school, alongside occult rock pioneers Coven and sons of Sabbath Early Moods no less. Having not seen the now international band since the release of their namesake debut album way back in 2015, it was a total trip to watch their incredible musical evolution brought to life onstage: An evolution that continues to unfold on their latest album, Lucifer V.
Whereas 2021’s Lucifer IV brought back many of the doom elements of their debut, Lucifer V largely retreats back to the ’70s heavy metal/hard rock territory of II (2018) and III (2020). This isn’t to say V is completely devoid of doom moments. In fact, Lucifer utilizes bleak atmosphere and hefty riffs in their own unique way, usually fusing them into ballad. Such is the case on cuts like “The Dead Don’t Speak” and “Slow Dance in a Crypt”, the latter coming off as a doom metal torch song. Such musical oddities are to be expected when diving into a Lucifer affair.
The ’70s metal flag continues to wave proudly on the opening anthem that is “Fallen Angel”. With its old school riffing that lies somewhere between Sabbath and Purple and singalong chorus, it’s pure Lucifer: A melee of hooks and heaviness! “At the Mortuary” stands out as the doomiest cut on this album (and the doomiest Lucifer cut in a while for that matter), while “Strange Sister” dares you not to headbang and air guitar. It’s moments like this that you realize if this were 1974 instead of 2024, Lucifer wouldn’t be out of place on an episode of Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert.
The real highlights of this album, however, are those moments when Lucifer go in for the kill with sugar-coated ’70s occult pop metal akin to Spectres era Blue Öyster Cult. If you’re well versed in BÖC outside of “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” and the two other songs classic schlock radio chooses to play once in a blue moon, then you know exactly what sound I’m talking about. Bright production, punchy guitars, and walls of vocal harmonies dominate on “Riding Reaper” and “Maculate Heart”. The fact that this dynamic duo is currently not in rotation at every so called rock radio station in the country is an absolute tragedy. Granted, there is a “radio edit” of “Maculate Heart” attached as a bonus track, so hopefully some stations have the balls to play it in between whatever D grade Slipknot clones are currently ruling the airwaves.
While I’m not immediately certain where V ranks in the Lucifer canon (time will tell), I can safely say it is yet another great album from one of the greatest bands on the classic metal/hard rock scene today. They never fail to amaze me with their knack for retro authenticity and flat out rockin’ jams. If you told me they wrote and recorded these songs after listening to Sabbath, Purple, BÖC, and Thin Lizzy (on vinyl, of course), I’d believe it. Here’s to hoping more current acts take these cues, reimagining the old and making it new.
8 out of 10
Label: Nuclear Blast
Genre: Heavy Metal/Hard Rock
For fans of: Black Sabbath, Blue Öyster Cult, Ghost