CRYSTAL VIPER – Legends

Crystal Viper sends out an important message to the world with their Legends album. Although it seems like another Fantasy release, the message behind it lays the path to darkness and the evil that man is capable of doing. Banishing evil won’t send it to the pit to stay; evil always returns in different shapes and in new forms.

80s-oriented Heavy Metal is hard to come by these days, but Crystal Viper charged forward in the vein of Iron Maiden, Manowar, Doro, old Helloween & Iron Fire, Running Wild, and Hammerfall. The Legends album, which is a way better turn for the band in comparison to their previous album, Metal Nation, is a great addition to the up-coming classic Heavy Metal invasion. Even if you aren’t looking for the revival of NWOBHM as it happened in Sweden, this is Traditional and Speed Metal getting back their rightful recognition as the masters of the Metal genre.

With their melodic riffing comes the stellar voice of the band’s vocalist / guitarist Marta “Leather Wych” Gaberiel, who is a sort of Doro mixed with Leather Leone. Along with a sharp-edged production issued by a joint effort by Mariusz Pietka and Bart Gabriel, what more can you really ask out of a good Heavy Metal album.? Crystal Viper didn’t assemble new grounds for Heavy Metal, however, they give huge respect to the gods that made true Metal.

Every single track of Legends has a meaning of its own. Nevertheless, all are connected to the same topic, which is easily conveyed on the intro track of “The Truth”. Through this track, you will find the understanding needed in order to capture what the band has to say. The best tunes are the true Metal anthem “Blood Of The Heroes”, the huge cover for the Accept classic “TV War”, hero’s ballad of “Sydonia Bork”, drowning in the black waters of “Secrets Of The Black Water”, and the sinful night of “Night Of The Sin”.

Legends is a Metal sweeper; it proudly shows the essence of what the meaning of Classic Metal is in the present and how the 80s will forever be the best Metal years.

Tracklist

1. The Truth
2. Ghost Ship
3. Blood Of The Heroes
4. The Greed Is Blind
5. Sydonia Bork
6. Goddess Of Death
7. Night Of The Sin
8. Secrets Of The Black Water
9. Man Of Stone
10. Black Leviathan
11. TV War [Accept cover]

Lineup

Marta Gabriel – Vocals & Guitars
Andy Wave – Guitars
Tom Woryna – Bass
Golem – Drums