Lucifer
w/ Savage Master
January 23, 2020
Atlanta, GA – The 529
Savage Master and Lucifer are two bands you have probably heard a lot about on my blog. Why? Because they fucking kick ass and to have both bands on tour together was a show that I was going to attend come hell or high water. Hell, if I were in the hospital, they’d have to wheel a bed in with an IV attached. You get the point. I was not going to miss this show for anything and am I fucking glad I was there.
Louisville, KY metal queen, and minions Savage Master hit the stage opening with “Ready to Sin” from their With Whips and Chains album. It sounded like a fucking freight train coming at me headfirst. The sheer volume of the band was making my chest pound. Lead vocalist Stacey Savage took the stage like she has been doing this for 20 years. “With Whips and Chains” came in without warning and I found myself thrusting my fist in the air and singing along with the chorus. Savage Master offered up a healthy serving of new material from their latest album Myth, Magic & Steel. With four of the ten songs in their set being new songs, Savage Master proved how proud and strong they stood behind their new material and rightfully so. “Blood on the Rose” was without a doubt a highlight for me to hear of the new material.
Savage Master killed things off with “Death Rides the Highway,” which has become a metal classic in its own right. This was the first song that drew me in as a fan of Savage Master and they closed out their set like it was the last time they’d ever play it. The energy was off the charts and even with the absence of their drummer Littlejohn, Savage Master couldn’t be crippled. Filling in with only one rehearsal to prepare, Death of Kings drummer Amos Rifkin stepped up and gave it his all which only seemed to drive the band to play harder than ever. Savage Master continues to grow and is damn well near becoming an unstoppable juggernaut if they’re not already there now. The future of metal looks fucking good with Savage Master in the picture.
The last time I saw Lucifer was back in 2015 when they were on tour as a support act for High on Fire. Even back then, Lucifer possessed so much power that it seemed impossible to see them as a support act to anyone. Getting to see them headline for the first time was something I was so excited about for months and needless to say, it was well worth the wait. Johanna Sadonis and her band of rock masters (drummer Nick Andersson, guitarists Martin Nordin and Linus Bjorklund, and touring bassist Phil Shouse) took the stage to an eerie intro tape and went right into “Faux Pharoah” off of their latest album Lucifer II. The packed room was very vocal in their appreciation for Lucifer and when that kind of energy is present, it’s contagious and I could feel it.
Without even a stutter, Lucifer slammed straight into “Abracadabra” from their debut album, and this had the crowd pumping their fists and banging their heads. The band was so full of life and they had that fire that shows me that they are a band that is out not just to entertain but to conquer audiences. Only two songs in, Lucifer was absolutely killing it and I was loving it. The band played like they’ve been playing together all their lives and lead vocalist Johanna Sadonis captivated everyone with her Stevie Nicks meets Ozzy Osbourne stage persona and distinct, powerful vocals that filled the room.
I was so impressed with how much thought went into the sequencing of their setlist. There was a steady flow of songs that kept the show engaging and never losing my attention. The setlist featured a great mix of songs from both of their albums, Lucifer I and Lucifer II such as “Eyes in the Sky,” “Dreamer,” and “Morning Star.” The highlights of the evening for me was hearing a new song called “Ghosts” that will be on their forthcoming album Lucifer III and an absolutely roof-raising cover of the Black Sabbath classic “Snowblind.” Lucifer delivered a really fun and unexpected cover of ZZ Top’s “Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers,” and closing their powerhouse set with the energetic rocker “California Son” left me wanting more.
Lucifer is, without a doubt one of the best bands on the scene. Their live performance is captivating, entertaining, and full of fire. Lucifer isn’t fucking around. They are out to dominate and to take every country and every city by storm. Lucifer had Atlanta in their sweaty palms and left everyone seeing one of the best shows of 2020 (and it’s only January.) On this particular night, Lucifer was the best fucking ticket in Atlanta, and to anyone who missed it, I pity you. I pity you.
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