Lüger – Revelations of the Sacred Skull
Release Date: 10th February 2023
Label: Heavy Psych Sounds
Bandcamp
Genre: Rock, Heavy Metal, Punk.
FFO: Motörhead, Venom, Tank, Pentagram, The Stooges.
Review By: Hillary Wisniewski
Canada is a country that is typically associated with hockey, maple syrup, moose, friendly people, and universal health care (my American self envies that last one quite a bit). It also happens to be a land of some seriously amazing musicians. Adding to the roster of fantastic acts from the Great White North are Montreal rockers, Lüger. Formed in 2013 after the dismantling of the garage punk band Jimmy Target & the Triggers, these Canucks have spent years honing their sound and wowing audiences with their high-energy shows. Lüger boasts a “…blend of acid-fueled proto-doom is as sleazy as can be and they are standing where Heavy Metal and Punk are crossing swords as they preach gory exploitation and sex shockers flicks. Fast, loud and heavy northern outlaw rock’n’roll.”
Revelations of the Sacred Skull is a surprisingly versatile album. At times it sounds like something straight out of the most debauched days of 80s era Sunset Strip. Raw, fast, and dirty riffs mesh well with thunderous low end. But wait – that is not all that is offered up for your listening pleasure. After these boys say wham, bam, thank you ma’am, they shift gears and punch you in the gut with a force. Sabbath level doom and gloom rolls out like smoke in the air of the dirtiest club bathroom. How Lüger is able to pull this off without a hitch is incredibly impressive; we have all heard acts switch up their sound only to have it fall flat. Not happening here. The interplay between all of the dynamics on this record is intense and damn enjoyable. Spitfire and whiskey laden vocals fit well throughout this work and give a bit of a nod to Motörhead. Punk rock energy and attitude is interspersed throughout; it is obvious these boys did not forget their roots.
The only thing that I found to be slightly off-putting were some of the lyrics. At times they might be a bit forced, which is probably most evident in the song Toxic Sludge. In reality, there are only so many words that you can rhyme with the word sludge, so I get it. But I also think this isn’t an album that is going to have people looking for some deep meaning in the songs or mystical lyricism. Bottom line-if you are looking for something that will keep you on your toes and blow away your eardrums, then this album is calling your name.
(4 / 5)
