Crystal Viper are a formidable force in the European Heavy metal scene. Their sound, a tight blend of traditional heavy metal, Euro Metal and NWOBHM has been refined over the years and the band has been highly consistent in terms of their releases and their live performances. Their most recent album, 2021’s “The Cult” was a surprise entry into my top 20 of the year list, beating out several more prominent bands including NWOBHM legends Iron Maiden. Now, merely four months on, Crystal Viper are back with an eight track E.P containing four live in the studio tracks, one slice of brand new material, two covers and a reworking of one of their classics.

Given that this is a release merely months after their last album, ‘The Last Axeman’ can be seen more as a big budget promotional device which showcases what Crystal Viper can currently do for those who haven’t heard their latest material or haven’t heard them before. It’s timing is quite fitting in a way given how the start of the European festival season is round the corner, and if Crystal Viper were on any of the bills, this would be a good place to start with in terms of familiarising yourselves with what to expect from them sound wise. At the same time, it can be said that this is a bit of a pointless release, merely a check-box exercise to possibly fulfil commitments to a release stipulation in their deal, or just a way to try and drum up more interest in order to open new touring avenues. The fact that only one of the 8 tracks is unheard until now material will no doubt make cynics take notice and speak up and also the fact that half the tracks are all off 2021’s ‘The Cult’ doesn’t really open up avenues to hear a bit more of the band’s back catalogue… But this aside, lets actually talk about the music.

Opening this release is a long-time fan favourite “The Last Axeman”, a traditional heavy metal anthem of the band. It’s rich melodies, searing riffs and commanding performance in the vein of the band’s more recent musical approach works well, showing the blend of 80’s metal legends like Maiden and Helloween with a more refined modern edge. New track “In The Haunted Chapel” has plenty of musical similarities to material from ‘The Cult’ and it shares some of the Lovecraftian themes in the lyrics, something which all the tracks on ‘The Cult’ had in common. Cover songs “Ulitsa Roz” by ARIA and “It’s Electric” by the legendary Diamond Head are strong offerings, staying true to the band’s sounds along with retaining the familiarity of the original artist’s version and much like other covers the band have recorded, they are performed well. In these four initial tracks, you get the full experience of just how versatile Crystal Viper are in terms of their sound and style, and if you were wondering what the band would sound like live, then the next four tracks have you covered. “The Cult”, “Asenath Waite”, “Whispers From Beyond” and “Flaring Madness”, all tracks from “The Cult” have been recorded live in the studio from their performance in the #RockOutSessions. On these tracks, you get the raw live experience of Crystal Viper as well as a taste of what to expect from their most recent full-length release when it is performed live, and given the song selection, these four tracks are sure to not disappoint!

There isn’t much else to say really about this release. Usually an E.P is a great way to draw attention to upcoming tours or to keep the consistency ticking over during a long period of time before a full-length release is out, but to release one so soon after an album is still a puzzling thing… But it could also be a marketing master-stroke. Either way, you have eight solid tracks of heavy metal from a band known for their consistency and high standard of musicianship. Enjoy!

(7/10 Fraggle)

https://www.facebook.com/crystalviperofficial

https://listenable-records.bandcamp.com/album/the-last-axeman