Band:	Lucifer
Album:	Lucifer V
Style:	Doom metal, Hard rock
Release date:	January 2024

01. Fallen Angel
02. At The Mortuary
03. Riding Reaper
04. Slow Dance In A Crypt
05. A Coffin Has No Silver Lining
06. Maculate Heart
07. The Dead Don't Speak
08. Strange Sister
09. Nothing Left To Lose But My Life
10. At The Mortuary [Halloween edit]
11. Maculate Heart [radio edit]

"Think, Bart. Where have you seen Roman numerals before? I know... Rocky V! That was the fifth one".

Retro faux-satanic group Lucifer return with another collection of classic rock tales from the crypt; rather than merely digging up and re-animating their heroes of old, Lucifer V sounds vital and alive. Instead of sounding like a modern reincarnation of their evident influences, Lucifer stake a claim to being masters of their own domain; it is true, the devil does have the best music.

In their tenth year of existence, Lucifer mark this anniversary with their strongest release to date, with the band's gradual refinement of their sound across successive releases matched by their most accomplished songwriting to date. The band's deft mixing of doom and classic rock on tracks like "At The Mortuary" and "The Dead Don't Speak" makes for an infectious sound that will hook you in. The mix of guitar riffs reminiscent of 70s rock alongside the use of keyboards transports you back to a time when KISS and Alice Cooper were poster boys of the satanic panic; if music could produce images, then Lucifer's would be sepia-toned.

Sadonis' vocals fit the sound that the band aim for like a glove: powerful, yet retaining a hint of mystery and sultriness. The band are well aware of this, with "Slow Dance In A Crypt" carried by her performance, along with other songs seemingly built to highlight her vocals such as "Nothing Left To Lose But My Life". While the band are no slouches in their own right, they know what their main selling point is. If there was to be a satanic siren, then Sadonis' vocals would be it.

The production work on Lucifer V serves to highlight the charm and retro vibes of the music, capturing the warm sound of an LP on a turntable rather than polishing and compressing everything to sound modern. This gives tracks like "Maculate Heart" the best of both worlds for the benefit of listeners.

This, however, in turn, leads to where Lucifer V may not appeal to listeners, that being something central to the band's sound, with the band looking to breathe life anew into the past, rather than conjure up a fresh new sound of their own. While the band can overcome such scepticism with quality and talent, those who want something new will likely find Lucifer to not be to their liking, despite the quality of sonic wares on offer.

The occult offerings on Lucifer V are perhaps the most compelling of the band's career, the culmination of ten years and five albums of evolution and progress. A strong start to the band's tenth year, and to 2024 in general.