New Music Review : Crystal Viper - Queen Of The Witches : CD Album Music Review by Craig Hartranft : Dangerdog Music Reviews

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Crystal Viper: Queen Of The Witches

Heavy/Power/Thrash Metal

4.0/5.0

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AFM Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 08.02.2017

After nearly a four year absence, largely due to founder, vocalist, and principal songwriter Marta Gabriel battling health problems, Poland's Crystal Viper returns with a new album, Queen Of The Witches. According to Gabriel, it's something of a concept album telling the story of witches and true evil. How metal is that? Musically, the album is a return to form for Crystal Viper: their modern interpretation of traditional "keep it true" metal, blending heavy, power and thrash metal with Gabriel's song composition and vocals at the forefront.

Crystal Viper

And that last sentence basically sums up any Crystal Viper album. Is there anything more to be said besides, just push repeat. Perhaps a few observations are in order. For an album centered upon the founder's vocal delivery, Ms Gabriel is largely muted in the heavier power/thrash metal songs. Additionally, Gabriel leans very much to the pitched screamo side of metal vocals, which makes her voice more acute, piercing, and not always understandable. Her voice is heard better within ballad-like metal anthems When The Sun Goes Down, Trapped Behind, and We Will Make It Last Forever.

For another observation, musically, and once more, Crystal Viper easily nails the traditional heavy metal genre. Whether it's the power metal pacing, twin guitar harmony, or blazing leads, for classic heavy metal Crytal Viper will always be the real deal. It doesn't hurt to have some heavy metal veterans to help you in this pursuit. Venom's Mantas lays down a fiery lead within Flames Or Flood; Ross The Boss delivers a soaring lead within Do Or Die. Cementing their metal roots Crystal Viper covers Grim Reaper's See You In Hell and Exciter's Long Live The Loud, as bonus tracks on the CD and LP respectively. Looks like you're going to want to buy both.

After a four year hiatus, Queen Of The Witches is a fine comeback and return to form for Crystal Viper, a solid album of classic heavy power metal. Recommended.

Crystal Viper - When The Sun Goes Down

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