Two years off the back of the self titled debut, Glenn Danzig and his cronies reunite with Rick Ruben for another stab at their metallic tinged blues rock. Taking a vigorous stride forward, Lucifuge marks the solidifying of ideas heard on the first record while turning up the intensity, a nuance you could easily miss. Its a sweet and simple progression that has very much the same blueprint and aesthetics yet a learner, harder Heavy Metal approach brings out a touch more aggression and attitude in the guitars while Danzig himself revels in his voice, finding much comfort and ease in this tone he has carved for himself.
Opening with meaty temperate grooves and harmonics loaded into classic metallic fretting, the rock and wail is illuminated with more intermittent guitar leads, mini solos and licks over the top of mighty power chords, raising the energy for Danzig to steal the show with his deep burly voice, flexing Country accents and tinges of Southern sounds in his bluesy performance. He sounds born of hell, weathered yet youthful, full of energy but engaged with life's burdens. It culminates with strings of classic lyrics and choruses to sing along too, as well as many big riffs which often come front and center when the songs shift to the slow and hellish elongated grooves reminiscent of Doom Metal and mainly Black Sabbath on a couple of tracks.
"I'm The One" goes full Country, an athletic acoustic guitar bustles in the silence between Danzig's musings, a lone hi hat holds the tempo down with its steady rattle. It feels as if the track will erupt into overdrive but it never quite comes. Its followed by a string of sterling songs that lead to "Blood And Tears", a slower, sorrowful song that plays like an old timers ballad, peaked by a solo and illuminated by the soft glow of a buried organ. The record is a shade better than its predecessor, my enjoyment still feels a little limited but it gets steadily more infectious with more exposure. I really get the impression these records would of dazzled be blind in my youth!
Favorite Tracks: Killer Wolf, Her Black Wings, Blood And Tears
Rating: 8/10