German band Lucifer have officially revealed the cover art and track listing for their new album "Lucifer IV". That will be released on October 29, 2021.
Vocalist Johanna Sadonis said about the cover: "As a kid I was fascinated by Madonna's 'Like A Prayer'. A sexually liberated and very powerful business woman dancing in front of burning crosses. But that was considered self indulgent and blasphemous to many men, and unfortunately also some women. It was the ultimate provocation of "the whore". To me figures like her and so many other women that try to express themselves freely and the backlash that follows, are symbolized by the eternal witch that gets put up on the stake and must be burnt to death. As a female in this world and in the business I’ve had my own share of emotional and physical abuse. It has not made me bitter but very defiant. The artwork, as well as some of the lyrical content of this album is my personal "Fuck You" to the patriarchy, to the men and their codependent women that have or have tried to belittle, gaslight, emotionally assault and spread untruths about me - the ones that tried to keep me from making music. Did I have to sign a contract to keep me silent in the past? Yes I have. But, here I am, continuing to make one album after the next with my great peers in Lucifer. Try to put me on the stake and I’ll laugh in your face. You can’t hold down my spirit. You can also look at the cover this way; the woman gets the role assigned of the ever so maternal holy Mary or the whore but not Jesus? So I decided I’m gonna get up on that damn cross myself then. Time to move over. I drew a sketch and we had it built by our cross carpenter general. Unfortunately not by Jesus, the carpenter, himself. One of my favorite photographers, Ester Segarra, masterfully captured the real life scene after my mock idea, that consisted of a wooden Jesus on a crucifix set aglow from below to symbolise the burning fire of the stake. If you see this cover as a mockery of Christianity great whatever tickles you! But it is so much more than that. And that is just the cover. I cannot wait to let the music speak, come album release!"