Photo by Ester Segarra

Lucifer (the band) was formed by German vocalist Johanna Sadonis following the breakup of her previous band The Oath after just one album. While her former bandmate Linnéa Olsson would join up with Finnish goth-rockers Grave Pleasures, Sadonis would partner with guitarist Gary “Gaz” Jennings of the legendery U.K. doom act Cathedral. Together they worked on what would become Lucifer’s debut album, a hypnotic sludge-tinged traditional metal opus laden with occult imagery.

I spoke with Sadonis after Lucifer’s recent Toronto set opening for High on Fire and Pallbearer. In the new crop of traditional metal bands that are flooding the heavy music scene, the occult connection can be simply theatrical, while other acts hold those beliefs close to the chest. Sadonis and I chatted about her spiritual influences, and how the band cultivated their sound in the shadow of their former bands and a slew of contemporaries.

Lucifer are currently touring Europe and the U.K. with Paradise Lost. Their debut album Lucifer I is available now on Rise Above Records, and you can trip out to their video for “Izrael” here.