Band – Lucerne Hammer
Album – Demo
Country of Origin – Canada
Genre – Black Metal
Release Date – March 29, 2025 (digital) / July 18, 2025 (Cassette)
Label – Fiadh Productions (Cassette Version)
Author – Hayduke X
At the end of March, The Moss Knight, better known for his work in the fantasy synth scene, dropped an I.E.D. in the midst of the music scene. Entitled Demo, (because that’s what the first releases of any black metal project are called, right?) this explosive release made a bold statement of intent in the field of black metal. The brief release (a whopping 13:48) wastes no time in establishing the new solo project as a force to be reckoned with. Raw, with a great sense of melody, but no frills to speak of, Demo is lean, fiery, emotional, and utterly gripping from start to finish.
The weapon known as the Lucerne hammer, from which this project takes its name is a combination spear and hammer on the end of a long pole – a polearm used for defending against and attempting to dismount enemies attacking from horseback. Polearms, generally speaking, were the weapons of the peasantry, that is the historical working class. I find it unlikely that this wasn’t a conscious choice on the part of the artist behind this project. The Lucerne Hammer Bandcamp page includes the line, “eat the rich, fuck the bastards, death to fascists” and Metal Archives lists the lone theme of the project as anti-fascism. Demo is itself a weapon, handcrafted by a member of the working class (as polearms sometimes were), to be used in the battle against oppression.
On top of the philosophical and political nature of the project, the music is just really, really good. Unrepentantly fiery, mournful, but with embedded hope, Demo is a rousing emotional affair. It seems to suggest that, while things are bad, we can come together and win in the long run. Blistering rhythms underpin some really exceptional riffs. The structure and counterpoint created by these elements houses the howls of despair and righteous anger. And what of these howls? They include lyrics like the following from the first track:
prey on the weak for far too long
by my steel you’ll hear a bloodsong
hanged from the bough, a red dawn
your gold can’t save you now
bloodsong
There is no doubt what these battle anthems stand for. Grab your preferred polearm and join in the chant!
Biography: Hayduke X has been writing for MoshPitNation since June of 2016. He is also a contributor to The Metal Wanderlust. Prior to joining the MoshPitNation team, Hayduke published reviews on his own blog Rage and Frustration. In addition, he has DJ’ed an online metal radio show of the same name as his blog, written for TOmetal.com, done interviews for Metal Rules, and collaborated with The Art of B Productions to create video interviews with a wide variety of bands.
