LUCIFER'S HAMMER - Victory Is Mine EP

November 23, 2017, 6 years ago

(Shadow Kingdom)

Mark Gromen

Rating: 8.0

review heavy metal lucifer's hammer

LUCIFER'S HAMMER - Victory Is Mine EP

Rarely compelled to put pen to paper (metaphorically) to rave about just a few songs, but this four-tracker from Chilean outfit Lucifer's Hammer warrants not getting lost in the avalanche of digital promos flooding the scene on a daily basis. Apparently named after the track on the introductory Warlord EP, Deliver Us (a magnificent piece of music to aspire towards), was impressed with last year's full-length debut and now there's more Iron Maiden inspired, aggro-traditional metal to proto-thrash, long on instrumental passages, with a bit of aggressive vocals. 

Lone exception is “The Destroyer” closer, atypical of what's found elsewhere. Apparently a cover, although I know nothing of the song, or it's originators, Legend. “The Valley Of The Shadow of Death/Justice Denied” opener, beyond the seemingly Judas Priest inspired title, begins with a “Hellion/Electric Eye”-like, slowly building crescendo, before launching into the more aggressive, main body of the song, filled with twin leads and Maiden riffs a plenty. Class of the bunch is “Thousand Nights (O.O.T.S.)”. A wild ride of changing dynamics, sort of “Remember Tomorrow” meets “Innocent Exile”, it's a construct that exceeds their limited experience. With spoken voiceovers cropping up throughout “Warriors Of The Storm”, it does just the opposite. After a nearly acoustic start, it rages, then goes for a subtle mid-section (Rush's “Cygnus X1” anyone?), before a storming gallop to the end. Can't wait to hear some more!



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