Review: Lüger ‘Revelations Of The Sacred Skull’
Lüger hail from Montreal, Canada and their particular brand of sleazy doom rock/heavy metal has always been an infectious riot ever since I first came across them on 2020s Cosmic Horror EP. Their newest work, ‘Revelations of the Sacred Skull’, looks to keep this party rolling with more Motörhead/Discharge/High On Fire inspired tunes for those of us who enjoy a beer, Mad Max and maybe even some trippy ’70s psychedelica that is out now through Heavy Psych Records.
Black Acid kicks in with a filthy biker metal riff, immediately hitting that Motörhead/crust punk nerve with a joyous abandon. This record is loaded with references to all kinds of classic metal, from the killer hooks of speed-metal-classic-in-the-making Motörcity Hellcats to the galloping crust punk vibes of Bloodmoon.
You’ve also got some classic doom rumblings (even an air raid siren!!) in the lumbering intro to The Sacred Skull and the mesmerising Sabbathian groove of Night Of The Serpent Woman. Kudos to whoever put that eerie, almost King Diamond-esque high notes in the background of The Sacred Skull as well, that is awesome.
loaded with references to all kinds of classic metal, from the killer hooks of speed-metal-classic-in-the-making Motörcity Hellcats to the galloping crust punk vibes of Bloodmoon…
You’ve even got a dose of grim sludge in the nasty yet cinematic Vipère, which actually follows my favourite track here, Toxic Sludge, a crusty heavy metal banger that feels very outlaw biker in spirit. That is a track that has spun around and around my head since my first listen to it, as has the spacey desert rock of closer The Rise Of Witchcraft, where hazy clean guitar and organ-led melodies combine into an acid trip stomp for modern psychedelics. It has everything those who worship classic doom and partake of the herb could want, like Mercyful Fate jamming with Mount Salem while Matt Pike watches.
You can tell that Lüger are probably an insanely fun live proposition, and this alcohol and exploitation fuelled raucous blast of heavy metal is just what you need if you’re feeling a bit down and need something to kick your arse into gear. It’s a bit like Chrome Division if they’d been raised on ’70s B-movies as well as Easy Rider. Revelations Of The Sacred Skull is a shit ton of fun.
Label: Heavy Psych Sounds
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram
Scribed by: Sandy Williamson
