Genre: Heavy Metal
Country: Japan
Label: Iron Oxide Records
Year: 2022
Metalucifer need no introduction. Their name is wedded with Heavy Metal not only because the continuous use of the term in their song titles.
Metalucifer started in 1995 as a side project of Gezol, vocalist and bassist of the legendary Japanese Black Metal act SABBAT, but quickly turned into regular band with its own identity. Except releasing several mini albums, singles and live albums, Metalucifer released 3 studio albums: “Heavy Metal Drill”, “Heavy Metal Chainsaw” and “Heavy Metal Bulldozer”.
“Heavy Metal Ninja”, the new double mini album (with a playing time of 46 minutes) of the Japanese includes 4 brand new songs, each recorded in 2 versions: with English vocals and with Japanese vocals.
Nothing innovating or experimental here. But who cares about all these proggy shit when pure steel is melting through your speakers? Truth be told the songs sound much better with Japanese lyrics. Darker, definitely more cult and totally obscure while the English seems to refine them. Great N.W.O.B.H.M. inspired guitar work, catchy tunes and melodies and (mostly) uplifting rhythm make the final result so accessible to anyone and at the same time new or fresh while familiar too.
