Luzifer - Iron Shackles Review

Writing a review requires some special attention to the album and to the band. It may be the band name, the album name, some quirky features as tones of voice, guitars or else, band’s pic, anything that may rise the interest and the attention. Sometimes it takes more time to get the band, other times it’s pretty easy. It’s not that easy to explain what attracts my interest other the music. But as my dear fan knows anything can do it. Some bands are easier to review than others. As a rule, the big guns are easier to review just because they are big guns, that is, there are so many things about to write. Most of all, many of those bands have a history with me. Or better said, I have a history with them… hehehehehehehe In fact, the interest is risen not only by the music performed. That’s another rule. People like me tend to write about any fact of the band or the album.

Ok, then, now let’s talk about Luzifer and “Iron Shackles,” shall we?

Well, this is the case where the band and the album have so many things to write about. So many that I’m afraid to forget any of them. In many aspects Luzifer follow the Teutonic scholl of Heavy Metal. Especially regarding to the bass lines which are prominent and strong. Vocals follow strictly the power and the glory of many vocalists Teutonic Metal has offered us throughout the years. That said, there are other features that make the band stand out of the crowd. First of all, the band has a strong personality. That kind of band that the fan recognizes while playing. That personality comes from three very interesting things. One of them is the keyboards tone that sounds the same as the old Moogs and Hammonds from the 1960s. Check “Wraith of the Sorceres” out to get what I’m saying. This tone differs so much from the music the is playing that attracts the fan at the very first sight giving it its very unique personality. The other is the slight and subtle 1950s mood in some songs as in “Der Goldene Reiter” where the keyboards combined with vocals give a very exquisite and quirky mood. I myself have no attraction to the 1950s rock but I have to say that the mix Luzifer do got me. “Der Goldene Reiter” has also a subtle gothic mood as well. That mixed with the powerful Old School Heavy Metal contrast a lot and I really love contrasts. The last, but not least, is the guitar tones in the solos.

It seems to me that Luzifer being a side project from the guys of Vulture lets them free to try some weird stuff as they really did here. I don’t think any fan would take this band for serious. It takes some courage due to the strange and unsual textures aplied here. However, my guess is that the overall result will satisfy the fan. Or at least try.

Luzifer “Iron Shackles” will be released on March 25th via High Roller Records.

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