I have been a fan of vocalist/songwriter Johanna Sadonis since her days in the metal band The Oath. When she formed Lucifer I was ecstatic and rocked hard by the release of the debut album, Lucifer I. The 2nd album was a step in a new direction but it was a dynamic change and it was something that proved Lucifer to be an unpredictable band. With the release of their third album titled, you guessed it, Lucifer III, the fire seemed to be settling and not burning quite as hot but I still enjoyed it. The release of Lucifer’s aptly titled Lucifer IV was something I was looking forward to, and as I usually do with bands I love, I had the bar set high for it. Unfortunately, Lucifer IV missed the mark and even after 4 or 5 listens and letting it sit a bit, Lucifer IV still left me feeling a bit, well, bored.
Don’t get me wrong; the album isn’t bad at all. I don’t think it sucks, and I believe that this lineup of Lucifer is stellar. As a live band, the energy and passion comes through and cuts through the venues like a hot knife through butter, but on record, Lucifer IV feels more like a butter knife trying to cut through a raw potato. It tries, but it just doesn’t succeed.
This isn’t to say that Lucifer IV doesn’t have its moments. “Bring Me His Head” may be one of my favorite Lucifer songs to date. It’s got such a great groove to it, and it channels old school KISS but the song “Wild Hearses” was a real disappointment for me. It is pretty much “Electric Funeral” by Lucifer IV. As for the other songs on the album? Honestly, they just kind of bore me. There is very little dynamic between each song, and after a few songs, they all kind of run together.
Musically, the band sounds so tight and having a consistent lineup (minus a full-time bassist) benefits the band because it has created a more solidified sound. Sonically the music has more character than the last two albums, and lyrically it is solid and interesting, but vocally, it feels like Sadonis is holding back. I’ve seen Lucifer live a couple of times, and she can let it rip, but she sounds like she’s restrained a bit on this album. I would love to hear her belt it out with power as she did for the first two albums.
With Lucifer I and II, I felt like I was being served a great steak dinner, with Lucifer III I felt like I was served some great take-out Chinese food, but with Lucifer IV, I feel like I was served a Big Mac combo meal from McDonald’s. I fucking LOVE McDonald’s, but I would prefer the steak meal. In a nutshell, Lucifer IV is not a bad album at all, but for a band that put out two of my favorite modern metal albums, Lucifer IV didn’t hit the mark. Lucifer IV is a forgettable album, and it’s not the album I would go to when I want to listen to Lucifer. I would love nothing more to see Lucifer spread its wings a bit more and challenging themselves creatively and deliver an album that I wouldn’t see coming from a mile away. The fire isn’t out just yet but it is definitely not burning as hot as it once was. Hopefully, next time around Lucifer will bring something new to the table and rekindle the fire.
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