CRYSTAL VIPER is a Female Fronted Traditional Heavy Metal act from Poland, founded in 2003 and led by the singer & guitarist Marta Gabriel. After doing 3 full length studio albums, several single and EP releases, appearing on a bunch of compilations, after touring in most of the European countries, and showing up on many important festivals (incl.: BANG YOUR HEAD (Germany), KEEP IT TRUE (Germany), MASTERS OF ROCK (Czech Republic), HEADBANGERS OPEN AIR (Germany), MAGIC CIRCLE FESTIVAL (Germany), STEEL FEST (Italy), SKULLS OF METAL (Spain) and many others), the band managed to establish their position in the underground. Due to Marta's charismatic voice and stage presence, the band was often placed in one line with acts such as Warlock, while melodic, fast songs brought comparisons to acts such as Running Wild and Accept...
 

...but 2011 brought a lot of changes. At the end of the year (after playing successful live show as a special guest of Blind Guardian) the band entered recording studio with producer Bart Gabriel (Jack Starr's Burning Starr, Sacred Steel, Mortician), and recorded their heaviest, most dark and aggressive album titled "Crimen Excepta" - a concept effort about holy inquisition, black magic and witches, where fiction is mixed with historical facts. The album's artwork was painted again by the legendary French artist Chris Moyen (known from cooperation with acts such as Slayer, Trivium, Beherit or Blasphemy). The CRYSTAL VIPER members decided to hide their influences no longer, and showed the world they are fans of Black & Death Metal as well: as the first Heavy Metal band ever, CRYSTAL VIPER recorded a cover version of a classic Death Metal anthem. Their version of the classic Vader song "Tyrani Piekiel" ("Tyrants Of Hell") - which will be available as the bonus track on the limited edition of the new album - is special because of one more reason: the band invited VADER mainman Piotr "Peter" Wiwczarek to the recording studio, so you can hear their amazing vocal duet of Marta and Peter. It's of course not the end of surprises: the band didn't forget about their NWoBHM influences as well, and in the title track you can hear one more special guest: David Bower of HELL, and fans who will decide to buy vinyl version of "Crimen Excepta", will receive another special gift – a cover version of the classic Demon song "Night Of The Demon". And last but not least - all the three versions of the album (CD, vinyl and digital download) will include one more special bonus track: "Ghosts Of Sherwood", a theme song CRYSTAL VIPER lately recorded for the forthcoming 3D cinema horror movie "Robin Hood: Ghosts Of Sherwood".

How to sum up the new CRYSTAL VIPER album, "Crimen Excepta"? It's heavy and dark, but still very classic. Old school influences of bands such as Mercyful Fate, are mixed here with riffs that could land on some classic Iron Maiden album, and die hard Metal attitude of bands such as Nifelheim - not to forget about amazing vocals of Marta Gabriel, who sounds like the younger sister of Chastain's Leather Leone. Welcome to the world of CRYSTAL VIPER: a world full of Flying Vs, tube amplifiers, real drums, leather and chains! This is Heavy Metal all the way!

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