German Lucifuge do not refute the notion that punk is a close cousin of metal, but they approach to support this idea from a slightly different angle than some Swedish hardcore punk bands I have recently reviewed on these pages. Instead, and probably building on their earlier black metal upbringing, the Germans arrive at punk beginning with thrash, part Teutonic, part Onslaught and part blackened variety. Add exacerbated and overblown metallic guitar sound, just grinding buzzsaw with reverb, cymbals crushing all over the place, Motorhead solos, voice all piss and vinegar, and even though Infernal Power lasts only 32 min you will have a total audio overload by the time the album is through.

Breakneck non-stop (title track), tripping all over itself (Temples of Madness), d-beating start to finish (Leviathan Arise) or shifting into d-beat from somewhat slower ready to gallop rhythm (Black Battalions), Infernal Power keeps the momentum going, even if Lucifuge does throw in an abrupt break a couple of times (Beneath the Eyes of the Black Flame, The Doors of Hell May Shake). This is mostly fast music, including fret climbing lead (Temples of Madness), and the goal is to drill it in mercilessly, whether double bass crushes all around or some subtle tempo changes make their presence known (The Doors of Hell May Shake). Lucifuge won’t dazzle you with you riff variety either, there is one or two meat & potatoes riffs per song, but they will absolutely tattoo them on your brain and latch onto your aural senses. Catchiness, next to speed, is another ingredient in this concoction. To slide the cherry on top, or savory sauce on top of the steak, for less elegant comparison, the band can drip their songs in melody completely (Black Battalions), extend melodicism in small riff barbs to hook you further (Beneath the Eyes of the Black Flame), lurk melody in the blackened tremolo (Heresy Shall Remain), or slow it down and become almost romantic and pained as if this was some Finnish black metal (Midnight Sun).

To show off their inspiration, Lucifuge cover Japanese maniacs G.I.S.M. on Good As It Is in what is probably purer punk, where total riffing noise is combined with lasing solos and high piercing melody. Infernal Power isn’t long, but it is a veni, vidi, vici album of sorts, where all commanding statements are made straightforwardly and right off the bat. If you can withstand the assault and take the album on, you will still find yourself subjugated by its rawness, power and rebellious spirit.