ALBUM REVIEW: Lucifuge – Infernal Power

German Black-Thrash barbarians LUCIFUGE are back with their 4th full length album. Out via Dying Victims Productions on April 30th.

Ripping right into speeding Heavy Metal riffs with a mighty pounding of drums and the oh-so-satisfying “ough” before blackened vocals emerge atop sleazy and grooving riffs, this immediately feels like its going to be blasting on repeat. Naturally we see plenty of anthemic and memorable sections interspersed with venomous blasting ferocity that takes all the best of Extreme and Traditional Metal to deliver us into an inferno of pure molten steel. The bellowing mystical brutality rings out from the earlier moments and quickly builds momentum as warbling leads add further old school excellence to the blistering savagery. It is easy to predict that we are due a banger from start to end.

Raging forth the destructive blastbeats and stone-forged riffs spew forth with a thunderous galloping brilliance that act as a perfect instrumental accompaniment to the pure vitriol of the vocals, blended with a raw yet perfectly audible mix that keeps everything in check to howl with their magnificently maniacal Black-Thrash assault. The dark forces present on this record have all the malice one could desire from the Black Metal element of things while the barbarian thrashing overhaul gives the songs a mighty and unforgiving speed, all tied off with a huge influence from 80s NWOBHM and Speed Metal glory for that extra anthemic, in-your-face approach. Overall, this triumphant slice of steel will have all headbangers called to arms and ready for war.

Cutting through rock with their razor-sharp metallic onslaught, there is no faltering through the latter part of the album, blasting out all of the passion they can fit into 35 minutes of powerful, superb Heavy Metal. Between the various subgenera incorporated into their sound, there is a diverse sonic approach with atmosphere and sheer heaviness in abundance yet everything feels coherent and never drops that infectious momentum and the endless rhythmic battering that will keep any metalhead on their toes. Merciless barbarity is never far from the horizon, each moment feels action-packed and the build-ups to total carnage always remain gripping. The firestorm of passionate Heavy Metal mastery is palpable on this record and successfully incorporates so many of the boldest and best moments in the history of Metal into their sound. It is a real struggle to find negatives here, unless you simply detest old school Black-Thrash / Speed Metal, you will almost definitely adore this ripping recording of blasphemous artillery.

Lucifuge are a new name to me, however this could not be a more memorable first impression. While the resurgence of Blackened Speed Metal and its various contemporary sounds has brought an armada of superb bands forth from the underground, Lucifuge are one of those gems in the rough with a really gritty sound and some of the better songwriting with tons of variety within a primitive sound. This is one to blast loud for all headbangers out there.