Lucifer’s Hammer - Be and Exist

Angry Metal Guy 60

The reason why the NWoBHM sound has remained so enduring and viable is its relative simplicity and accessibility. The style is based in hard rock with punk overtones and it was always intended to be catchy and easy to enjoy. Bands like Iron Maiden, Angel Witch, and Diamond Head were pros at crafting infectious tunes you could remember after one exposure. To this day a massive amount of metal acts incorporate elements of the sound or rip it off lock, stock and barrel to try to emulate their heroes. Chile’s Lucifer’s Hammer definitely fall into the latter category, releasing album after album of music carefully curated to sound like it came out of the U.K. circa 1981. I enjoyed 2019s The Trip for all its lovingly retro sounds, and here comes fourth album Be and Exist. And little has changed in their sound and direction. They’re still in NWoBHM mode and content to bash lockers in the old school. This is hardly a bad thing unless you demand modernity and innovation in your listening regimen. If you like hard-rocking metal with hooks and a sense of fun and youthful energy though, then maybe Lucifer’s Hammer belongs in your toolbelt.

If you heard any classic 80s albums from England, proper leadoff track “Real Nightmares” will offer no surprises. It’s exactly what you probably imagine when someone references NWoBHM. The classy, catchy riffs are from that bygone era as are the dueling axe harmonies. It sounds like a happy middle ground between Maiden and Satan with Diamond Head icing, and how could that ever be bad? It isn’t at all, and the song is entertaining and easy to love on first spin. From there it’s one 80s anthem after another, full of all the bells and whistles you expect from the style. “Glorious Night” is like early Def Leppard meets Raven, which works better than you might expect, making it a highlight. “Antagony” is a mid-tempo riffster with hooks and a cool edgy vibe. “Son of Earth” is a touch more proggy but still all about those riffs and the classic 80s gallop.

Elsewhere, “Medusa Spell” is so period-perfect and rowdy as to be a proper historical record. There are no bad tracks present, with all being easy-to-digest doses of retro metal, and I must extend full credit to the band for making the 6-minute instrumental “The Fear of Anubis” as enjoyable as it is. I grew up in the era where metal bands felt compelled to include instrumentals and more often than not, I skipped them. This one is quirky and exciting enough to leave on and enjoy the ride. At a tight 37-plus minutes there isn’t much here to be considered chaff and almost the songs are all in the 4-minute window so they breeze right by.

As with any NWoBHM-styled album, the guitars are expected to carry nearly all the water. Luckily Hades and Hypnos are up to the task, churning out reams of classic-sounding riffs and harmonies. There’s a ton of Smith/Murray dynamics and flair in what they do, and bits n’ pieces of Thin Lizzy too. The riffs power every track and keep things interesting as they keep you nodding along. Hades also handles vocals and while he isn’t blessed with a powerful range, he has a bit of the same style as Satan’s Brian Ross and even drops some ear-splitting highs at times. The band lives and breathes this stuff and they’ve clearly spent a lifetime marinating in their chosen sound. Now they make it their mission to preserve it for a new generation.

Lucifer’s Hammer is a bit like the poor man’s Kryptos, perpetually rocking the world with ancient sounds. I doubt they will ever drop an album that blows the doors off the metal scene but they’re content to toil away in their own little time capsule doing what they love. They’re good at what they do and Be and Exist is as fun as The Trip was. They’re a bit rough around the edges, but the talent and writing are there. If you love the era when Britain ruled the metal world with an iron fist, you will find much to enjoy here. Old man metal will never die!



Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Dying Victims
Websites: facebook.com/lucifershammerband | instagram.com/lucifershammerband
Releases Worldwide: June 14th, 2024

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