Maiden-inspired bands are a dime a dozen. Rarer are the more directly inspired Maiden bands – you know, the ones that actually sound like Maiden – playing at a level as high as Chile’s Lucifer’s Hammer. Though I was only vaguely aware of the band before Be and Exist, their fourth album, I knew of the quality attached to the name. A handful of listens later and I am sold on the sound.
To be fair to Maiden, there have been at least six or seven distinct iterations of the band. The Final Frontier this is not. Be and Exist sits fairly comfortably in that Number/Piece/Powerslave pyramid of perfection: honest-to-goodness heavy metal played with character, emotion, and purpose.
More interesting than the Maiden influence, perhaps, are the touches of KISS, Dokken, and other classic mid-late 1970s and 1980s acts. The impact may be less obvious at times, but it’s felt nonetheless, the title track being a notable highlight. Above all – Maiden, KISS, Dokken, Diamond Head, etc. – the blueprint here is a solid foundation of tried and true heavy metal and hard rock that does not mess about.
The Number/Piece/Powerslave comparison is equal parts sound and experience. Stellar songs such as “Son of Earth,” the title track, and “Real Nightmares” would form the backbone of any great record. That they’re the rule and not the exception here speaks to the quality of the record which – if I have not yet made clear – is exceptionally high. As catchy as it is, “Real Nightmares,” for example, is a particularly convincing opener that quickly establishes a high bar that the band meets throughout.
An addictive, fun, and rewarding listen, Lucifer’s Hammer’s Be and Exist reveals itself in stages. The first full playthroughs are satisfying enough. But give it time and it becomes almost impossible to extricate yourself from it. End of year list material.
