Lucifer's Hammer

USA black/death metal band. Formed 1986. Line-up:Todd Cushman - vocals Mike Seabrook - guitar / keyboards Andy Smith - bass (ex-Masochist) John Caldwell - drums For almost twenty years, Lucifers Hammer have provided metal fans the utmost in deathly doom metal. Hailing from Jackson, Michigan, the group was formed in 1987 by brothers Todd and Rob Cushman, who founded the group. Describing their style as "Graveyeard Metal", Hammer adeptly combines elements of the death, black and doom metal genres in order to create their wicked blackened hymns from beyond the grave.

Formed 1986.
Line-up:Todd Cushman - vocals
Mike Seabrook - guitar / keyboards
Andy Smith - bass (ex-Masochist)
John Caldwell - drums

For almost twenty years, Lucifers Hammer have provided metal fans the utmost in deathly doom metal. Hailing from Jackson, Michigan, the group was formed in 1987 by brothers Todd and Rob Cushman, who founded the group. Describing their style as "Graveyeard Metal", Hammer adeptly combines elements of the death, black and doom metal genres in order to create their wicked blackened hymns from beyond the grave.

Influenced by artists such as Venom, Celtic Frost, Sodom, Hypocrisy, Edge of Sanity, Dimmu Borgir, Pink Floyd, Emperor, Bestial Warlust, Dark Throne, Mayhem, Merciful Fate/King Diamond, Cathedral, My Dying Bride, and Bathory, Lucifers Hammer combine these influences in order to form a bleak sound that is like none other, manifesting dark sonic passages intended to haunt the dreams of listeners with abyssful tonality .

The group recorded their first demo cassette in 1988 entitled "Tales Of The Midnight Hour", which is an extremely rare recording. Raw and tempered with caliginous nature, this recording would signal to the world the emergence of one of America's most consistantly devastating metal ensembles. Hammer released their second demo, "Descent Into Beyond" in 1989 to a warm reception from Michigan metalheads who were intrigued by the group's dark atmosphere and overall themes of doom and despair.

1992 saw the release of the band's third demo, "The Burning Church", which was released well before Burzum made church burning fashionable. This album would feature the guitar talents of a young Sean Peters, who would go on to play in Masochist before joining forces with Summon. In 1995, Lucifer's Hammer produced a fourth demo entitled "Hymns To The Moon", which received rave reviews in the underground metal press. Vocalist Todd Cushman's lyric writing abilities, which had always been very strong, progressed to new heights with this release, featuring lines such as the following, taken from "Garden Of Solitude Beyond", "Ascend beyond the sun, soul of infinite space. Before whom time is ashamed and understanding. Dark, through thou art afar thy rays are on the earth. Your tears fall for the dead..."

In 1997, The band produced their first full length CD, the appropriately titled platter of doom, "The Mists Of Time." Here's what the respected underground publication, Metal Rules had to say about the release -
"The Mists of Time runs the gamut of shitheavy, crazy and ethereal, spooky and sinister. This is a real professional affair, everywhere from the packaging to the sound quality. Keyboards are essential to the Lucifer's Hammer sound, and create a real threatening feel. They are the King Diamond of pure, black, mystical graveyard metal. The musicianship is top notch..."

The group released their second full length disc in 2001, "Ghosts Of Fall", which included six new tracks and the "Hymns To The Moon" demo, complete with a remixed version of "Dark Tower." Emphasized by guitarist Mike Seabrook's evil guitar chugging, drummer John Caldwell's pounding rhythms, the deep growls of Andy Smith's bass rumblings and most certainly, vocalist Todd Cushman's graveyard chants, "Ghosts Of Fall" is an epic dose of doom--laden death metal that fans of extreme music should not miss.

Lucifer's Hammer has had the honor of sharing the stage with many of the biggest names in the extreme metal scene including Dimmu Borgir, Slayer, Morbid Angel, Incantation, Infernal Faith, Eyegouger, Autopsy, Pungent Stench, Solitude Aeturnus, Vital Remains, Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, and Mortician amongst many other international, national, reigonal and local artists.

Lucifer's Hammer are currently preparing songs for their latest yet-to-be-titled disc for Castle Blakk Recordings which is certain to be their darkest platter of supernatural doom yet.