Lucifer – V
Release Date: 26th January 2024
Label: Nuclear Blast
Bandcamp
Genre: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Doom, Occult Rock.
FFO: The Oath, Blood Ceremony, Tribulation, Spirit Adrift, Unto Others, Blue Oyster Cult, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple.
Review By: Mark Waight
During 2024 a decade will have passed since Lucifer arrived on the scene and to help celebrate this milestone, they are releasing V their fifth studio album. Following on from I to IV and averaging a quality album every couple of years with V makes Lucifer a very creative and hard-working band indeed. Lucifer who formed in Berlin, Germany in 2014, but who now operate out of Stockholm in Sweden have previously been nominated for the Best Hard Rock/Metal at the Swedish Grammys in 2021 meaning they certainly have a solid history and pedigree for producing mighty fine music.
Lucifer’s music has its roots in the Hard Rock of the 1970s but also draws upon other genres to produce a much more Multi-Genre Modern Metal sound, and V further enhances that position by also planting their feet firmly in the present. During 2023 Lucifer supported Ghost on their European tour and have upcoming tours to North America and Europe in 2024 with Coven, Angel Witch and The Night Eternal.
Lucifer is Johanna Platow Andersson (vocals), Nicke Andersson Platow (drums), Linus Bjorklund (guitar), Martin Nordin (guitar) and Harald Gothblad (bass).
Opener, Fallen Angel, plays out wonderfully like a 70s Hard Rock classic with a lovely bluesy riff and pulsating pace that just keeps giving. If you love the old days, then this will tick all your boxes and then some. Rock!!
Second up is At the Mortuary with its doomy and Sabbathesque opening giving this track a very retro feel. We drift along between dark and light moments, with some devilishly hot keyboards delivering that Gothic edge to proceedings.
Riding Reaper is a bit more upbeat with a nice tempo and some sweet vocal harmonies inviting you to join in and sing-along. Some fierce guitar playing gives it that additional smile factor too.
Slow Dance in a Crypt drops things down a notch but also gives us the opportunity to really appreciate Johanna Platow Andersson’s crystal-clear vocals, and they are indeed stunning. Stylish and memorable.
A Coffin has no Silver Lining, but this song has a vein of gold running right through it. The bass riff is right on point and helps deliver an epic, multi-layered tune with the help of a very tight band performance. You will dig it!
The acoustic opening to Maculate Heart leads us nicely into this groovy hippy fest of a song that will have you grinning from ear to ear as soon as the hard on the hammer beat kicks in, so “bring it on”!!!!
Next up is The Dead Don’t Speak, which as a composition in fact does speak volumes about the skill set of Lucifer as a band and the incredible journey of growth they are on. A highly polished performance!
Rock along with Lucifer to Strange Sister which delivers such an authentic glimpse into the old days that it is certain to get you a moving and a grooving. You won’t be able to help yourself from “oohing” along to its earworm of a chorus, either. Far out, man!!
Curtain closer Nothing Left to Lose But My Life is a slower and more haunting tune that will stay with you for a while. The vocals are incredible, and a truly spine-tingling guitar solo give it a bit of added spice as well as depth. You will especially love the air raid siren finale!
If you like some good old-fashioned Hard Rock, then Lucifers latest release V is a must for your list of albums to check out in early 2024. There is plenty for everyone to enjoy on V with every track on the album standing up well on its own merit because Lucifer are simply great story tellers. Highly recommended! 
(4.5 / 5)
