ALBUM REVIEW: The Devil’s Breath – Lucifer Star Machine

LUCIFER STAR MACHINE have been working hard in the recording studio and have produced their fourth album The Devil’s Breath. The five-piece group have been reinvigorated since 2014 after moving to Germany, where they released the well-received record Rock ‘n’ Roll Martyrs. But how does The Devil’s Breath stack up against their previous offering?

The new record begins with The Void while some bands go for a slow intro to build up the song or have some form of instrumental, the intro for this particular song begins with clippings from the news and the sound of someone flicking through the channels, before all hell breaks loose with explosions and sirens leading into a heavy opening riff. The drums and bass join in to really knock the tempo up another level, and vocalist Tor Abyss adds a real thrash element to the song with his unique style. Combine everything together and you have yourself a real skullcrusher to begin proceedings.

The opener really sets the tone for the rest of the record, and gives a real flavour of what is to be expected for the rest of the album. While the first song has more of a thrash element to it, there are some songs which give a more classic metal feel.

There are a number of tracks that stand out for all the right reason, but narrowing it down to just a couple, the first one is Baby, When You Cry. This one starts off at a tad of a slower tempo compared to the opener, but the riffs tick things over nicely in the intro and throughout the song. Abyss’s vocals are more heavy metal than thrash, giving another edge to his style of singing, though there’s still a haunting presence to them, and it doesn’t take long before you’re tapping your foot along to the beat.

Another one that is a real highlight is Eat Dust, which from the opening seconds has more of a emphasis on the bass, and even as the song progresses it is certainly more prominent than other tracks on the album. This one sways more towards the thrash side of things through the vocals and guitars, while also giving off an air of old school punk and certainly has elements of THE RAMONES and MISFITS.

If it’s that kind of style that you enjoy, then one honourable mention comes towards the end of the record – Evil Blood. It is the shortest song on the record, and is arguably the one with the highest tempo, and is fantastically heavy. It is a headbanger’s dream and really epitomises the punk style of the band.

On the whole then The Devil’s Breath is a bit of a mixed bag in terms of the sound; if you’re a thrash fan, then definitely this is worth picking up, though the same can be said for the punk rockers and classic metallers amongst us. LUCIFER STAR MACHINE haven’t tied themselves down to one particular style of music or style, which gives them more flexibility when it comes to producing songs, and makes the record a brilliant listen.

Rating 8/10

The Devil’s Breath is out now via The Sign Records.

Like LUCIFER STAR MACHINE on Facebook.