Lucifer – Lucifer III
Release Date: March 20, 2020
Coming off the heels of a highly successful North American tour and the critically and fan acclaimed Lucifer II album, Lucifer has returned with, you guessed it, Lucifer III. Lucifer III is an album that I was highly anticipating, and I couldn’t wait to hear what Johanna Sadonis & Co. had in store for us.
Lucifer III kicks off with “Ghosts,” which right away reminded me of “Locomotive Breath” by Jethro Tull, but as the chorus kicks in, the song takes on a very Paul Stanley (think solo album) vibe. It’s a really great way to kick off the album, and I love right away that the song embodies the influence of two truly iconic artists mixed into one.
“Midnight Phantom” is a stellar track that definitely has a lot of KISS influence to it. From the incredibly soulful vocals of Sadonis to the Ace Frehley-esque guitar solo, this is pretty much the best KISS song never written. The eponymous track is kind of a letdown following a handful of really strong. I am never a fan of songs named after a band’s name, with the exception of “Black Sabbath and “Iron Maiden.” This particular track does feel contrived. While I didn’t hate this song, it’s definitely not their strongest moment.
“Coffin Fever” is a dark, brooding piece of groove pizza that showcases Sadonis’ ability to really use that lower register of her voice and then souring up to the heights of her voice to drive home a powerful chorus. I love this song because it breaks up the vibe of the album and brings things down just a bit without causing it to lose momentum. I hate to keep going back to the KISS reference, but I honestly mean that is the biggest of compliments. I feel like this sound is very suiting for Sadonis’s voice and compliments the lyrical content of the songs.
“Cemetery Eyes” is definitely my favorite song on the album. It has such a dark, ominous vibe in the verses, and there is a fantastic bridge that leads into a fan-fucking-tastic chorus that gave me all the feels. This is a fantastic song in all aspects. Great lyrics and a stellar delivery from the band but very much a KISS song.
Lucifer III is a really fun album to listen to. I have listened to it a few times, and I honestly can hear a heavy-handed KISS influence. I know that bands usually hate to be painted into a corner, but the guitar solos are definitely Ace Frehley, and while Sadonnis had a distinct voice all her own, it’s hard not to picture Paul Stanley delivering these songs when his voice was at his prime. Lucifer went from being a somewhat doomy, dark band to exploring the influence of a more melodic influence. I’m sure they won’t like my KISS comparisons, but honestly, I mean it as a huge compliment. There are way worse bands someone could sound like, and at least Lucifer picked a great band to wear on their sleeves.
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