New Music Review : Crystal Viper - The Cult : CD Album Music Review : Dangerdog Music Reviews : Craig Hartranft

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Crystal Viper: The Cult

Heavy/Power Metal

4.0/5.0

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Listenable Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 27.01.2021 | Released: 12.02.2021

After a brief hiatus some years ago, Poland's Crystal Viper, featuring founder and vocalist Marta Gabriel, roared back to the European metal scene with 2017's Queen Of The Witches. The band hasn't looked back. Despite some modest personnel changes, Crystal Viper continues to record, tour, and play festivals (except when there's a pandemic). Now the band returns with their eighth long player The Cult, joining the Listenable Records label and featuring new drummer Cederick Forsberg.

Crystal Viper

What has not changed for Crystal Viper is their ongoing commitment to traditional heavy power metal, loaded with gallop and groove, rabid riffs, blistering guitar solos, and Gabriel's assertive vocal presence. After a modest instrumental opening, the pedal stomps the metal for the fast and furious Providence. The speedy power metal continues with Down In The Crypt, Flaring Madness, and The Cult with some fine twin guitar harmony. For some variation, Sleeping Giant offers listeners a strong guitar solo start before building to a steady heavy metal anthem. The song wraps up with another sharp guitar solo. Also moderate in pacing is Whispers From Beyond which has the slightest doom metal feeling. Alternatively, Forgotten Land offers more of that fine guitar harmony over a rhythm section that offers both speed and rock groove, propelling the song to an equally speedy guitar solo. Don't be tricked by Asenath Waite's softer start as it quickly jumps into some more power metal with strong guitar lines.

All said, Crystal Viper excels at creating classic and enduring heavy metal, and The Cult is another fine and entertaining addition to the genre. Recommended.

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