Its been two years since the Dutch Death Metallers released their EP:" Brimstone Altar". Now they return with their first full-length album due out on 5^th October 2018 on Invictus Productions. LUCIFERICON are a study in patience and poise. Founded in 2009, it wasn't until 2012 when the band's first public recording, "The Occult Waters" EP, reared its shadowy head. Although "The Occult Waters" was the band's debut, the seemingly "new" LUCIFERICON was actually comprised of a number of metal scene veterans, its members having done time as DESTROYER 666, PENTACLE, MALICIOUS DREAM, and Excision among others. Naturally, at this stage, the quartet deeply understood the Metal of Death and proceeded to offer a unique, more atmospheric twist on it. Four years later followed another EP, "Brimstone Altar", to further critical acclaim. Here, LUCIFERICON's Death Metal was blackened to a crisp, its robust recording allowing every evil nuance to spill from the sound field and further bewitch the eardrums.

With that envious foundation judiciously set, at last arrives LUCIFERICON's first full-length recording, "Al-Khem-Me". Tongue-twistingly titled but aptly so, "Al-Khem-Me" keeps apace with the developments of "Brimstone Altar" and further masters the art of the "patient payoff." Its Blackened DEATH literally explodes from the very first seconds, but the band's songwriting builds detail upon subtle detail despite the obvious aggression employed. Utterly gnarled and gnarling, the lurch 'n' lunge across "Al-Khem-Me" creates a bewilderingly slipstreaming effect, dragging the listener into a distant, nameless vortex, but always with a keen knack for memorability. For above all, this is METAL, unbending and unyielding, forged in fire and wielded as a weapon; it just so happens that LUCIFERICON's is one fully set on attack, its intensity steeped in the grand traditions of late '80s / early '90s death.

With mezmerizingly detailed fully vertical artwork by none other than Adrian Baxter and rounded out by guts-crushing production, "Al-Khem-Me" heralds the grand arrival of LUCIFERICON! The instance that "Inside the Serpent's "I"" opens up you just know that its gonna give out some heavy hits. The brutal drum beat is fast enough to male you truly appreciate the melody as a whole. The pace is frantic, but controlled in a way that True 90's Death Metal forms did. The guitars are both beautifully technical and devastatingly powerful. The melody is so catchy that you're probably tapping your foot or bobbing your head without realizing it. Vocals are dark but not too distorted, as that would have taken away the aspect of Pure Death Metal/ He holds his own throughout, as they all do. It's a fantastic start to the album. Welcome, LUCIFERICON!

"Succubus Of The 12th Aether" holds nothing back from its previous. Its true to its own form as a growing album already. The pace slows down from the frantic start to allow the technicality of the guitars to shine. The vocals don't remain in silence for long, returning in true force, powerful and in control, but taking nothing away from the instrumentalist beauty. The drum beat once more is totally on que, its played well enough to hear throughout and not be drowned out like so many others do. The band knows exactly how to support each other's sounds, and how to enhance their own. This album is beginning to seem like a hidden gem has been found.

"Flesh unto Void, Void unto Flesh" has the feel to it that the guys are giving the album a creative feel, but not throwing too many new ideas around straight away. Tim is once again on form on the drums, creating a thick beat that the guitarists are only too happy to strum along to. The dark theory behind the sound is easy to see. Its how Death Metal should be. No additional crap, just pure talent. The sound by this point is amazing and could go on to taking this to the next level. Along with the band. "Azothoz : The Alpha & Omega of Zoa-Azoa" is another short blast of pure-fucking-awesomeness! The vocals are short outbursts, but fast paced enough to hold into the bridge. The guitars are once again flirting with your ears, showing partially what they can do. There are many bends, but they help allow further depth into the song itself, the tension boils up and over, showing us more of what rageful talent they have.<