I first came across this leather clad Polish crew a few years back when their debut album ‘Curse Of The Crystal Viper’ landed on the mat from legendary distro Black Tears. It was a very rough and ready affair both in construction and performance but within the unruly riffs and unfocused songs there was something seriously good fermenting. They had a serious, galloping approach to heavy metal with a great guitar sound and the vocals of Marta (somewhere between Doro and the much missed Erika Swinnich, ex-Ignitor). So I left them alone for a while.
And here they are again, on full length number four and all grown up?
I’ll say.
Firstly, thank the lord Dio they haven’t gone all power metal slick. This is gnarly sounding pounding riff driven stuff with those powerful vodka scarred vocals still racing for the sky, so best go somewhere else for your Rhapsody sugar hit. This is high energy beer, leather and sweat stuff which makes room for itself with a huge bloody sword swing. Yes we are also firmly in Sword and Sorcery and horror territory lyric wise so if you can’t handle that, take the door marked ‘Emo’ before it’s too late. The line up has shifted a bit too and is now founder Marta Gabriel (guitars and vocals), Andy Wave (guitars), Tom Woryna (bass) and Ian ‘Golem’ Danczak (drums); a tight, traditional metal formation.
So what about those songs? Lord the songs. Five years has turned their song writing broom handle into a well tempered sword. Hooks fly at the flick of a wrist or the snarl of a phrase. The sound is classic heavy metal; the twists of Maiden in the guitars, Running Wild in the unfettered and unconcerned joy, Doro at her fist punching best on choruses like the excellent Fire Be My Gates, even the touches of tempo change and sombre moments that bring to my mind Twisted Tower Dire or Isen Torr. It is up tempo stuff too, no time for ballads here, but it never gets to merge into one single mess either thanks to those song writing chops.
There appears to be a ‘witch’ theme here and Witch’s Mark hacks down the door in glorious riffing style and tosses out a melody in the vocals that opens up vistas of hard riding and desperate battles. It’s Your Omen just goes full on speed metal for the throat with a beautifully, gloriously bouncy riff and hook line that plunges into cracking lead breaks and out again like a heavy cavalry attack. The title track has an epic Maidenesque soar to the chorus nailed to a more gritty, thumping riff that almost batters through the door marked ‘ boogie’ but just tugs those heartstrings of all you old warriors all the same.
It just goes on as good as this all the way down the line. Fire Be My Gates may be my current favourite but honestly it’s like being in the world’s best metal bar and being given eight free drinks.
They close with two curious offerings: Vader’s Tyrani Piekiel and the title song Crystal Viper did for the film Robin Hood: Ghosts Of Sherwood. The former surprises by being a fine showcase for how Vader’s song writing can translate away from death metal and how Crystal Viper can up the tempo even more when needed. The latter I guess qualifies as the sole ballad and actually is rather good with a softer atmosphere, a little semi-acoustic work and the gentle side of the vocals in places too with a lush, lilting melody. Not a clue about the film, though.
Anyway, verdict time: so much fun that my skull aches from the head banging. Fantasy themed heavy metal does not get much better than Crimen Excepta. Great riffs, superb rhythm section and vocals that soar and plunge with real fire and passion. Just buy it already.
Now excuse me but I need to chuck another witch on the fire and then go and give that dragon a good kicking.
(9/10 Gizmo)
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