Review: Lucifer Star Machine - The Devil's Breath

Here's a trick I learned from years of reviewing records; you can usually judge a record by it's cover. I'm exaggerating a little bit, but when you consider a bands name, album artwork and title of the record, it usually adds up to something close to what you're expecting. When I am wrong, I am surprised. When I'm wrong AND it's good, I'm pleasantly surprised. My first listen to The Devil's Breath by Lucifer Star Machine is the latter of the two and let me tell you why.

When I saw their name, I instantly expected some kind of third rate retro "stoner" occult doom shit with fuzzy guitars and lyrics about bong wizards. Which would have been fine. That's what half the records I get sent are these days and I don't particularly mind, but that's not what I found on The Devil's Breath.

Lucifer Star Machine kick into this record with "The Void" and demolished my expectations with a ripping melodic almost hardcore punk, kinda Propagandhi vibe that showcases their musical efficiencies in both shredding, and constructing memorable hooks. From there on out the band continues to demonstrate an adept touch at combining rock and roll and punk rock with touches of heavy metal and hardcore. Dissect the DNA of this German quintet and you'll find Motorhead, Ramones, Bad Religion, Cock Sparrer, Social Distortion, and Turbonegro. If you're looking for a new, fast, and catchy, look no further.

There's not a lot to dislike here if you're a fan of any of the aforementioned bands and styles. Though "Eat Dust" sounds like a good Transplants song, which is not a good thing, and the record is too long at over 42 minutes. Those are my only complaints and I can overlook each.

The Devil's Breath reminds me a lot of Booze & Glory's latest album Hurricane not necessarily in sound, but in demeanor. Lucifer Star Machine sound fully confident and competent to write exactly the music they like, genres be damned. That's a rare and mature quality of any band playing what at it's roots is punk rock and roll.

I wasn't familiar with this band before hearing this record, but I suspect if I were to listen to their discography in reverse chronological order, I'd find that The Devil's Breath is their best work to date. I'm not going to do that though because I'm arrogant and don't want to be wrong.

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