Concept records can be a mixed blessing for bands looking to further that creative input. I’ve always considered King Diamond’s Abigail and Iron Maiden’s Seventh Son of a Seventh Son as pinnacles for this type of format, so when Crystal Viper decided to enter the fray with their own offering; it got me immediately interested.
So for those in the know, Crystal Viper is led by Polish dynamo Marta Gabriel, who wrote the music and lyrics to the band’s fifth release Possession. The album is said to follow the plight of a young girl named Julia, as major twists and turns takes her on a journey throughout each song. There are certainly dark overtones on some of the tracks, specifically on the opening intro “Zeta Reticuli” and then hitting home on “Julia Is Possessed” thanks in large part to sinister background growls from Santaniac (vocalist of Desaster).
There are also influences from bands like Dio, Black Sabbath and Mercyful Fate to help drive the melodic narrative, especially on a track like “Fight Evil with Evil” and then again on “Mark of the Horned One”. Both tracks are in fused with bold and impassioned vocals supplied by Marta, proving her skill as a singer. She’s definitely the main attraction and her prowess as a guitarist doesn’t go unnoticed. She can bust out the riffs aplenty from track to track and on a number like “You will Die You will Burn” she is superfluous.
Overall, Possession is well crafted, meticulously arranged from track to track and this is something I admire on traditional metal of this ilk. There are some big moments, pensive twists and turns and stellar riffing to really drive the concept home. This is Crystal Viper finding their range and creating one of the best releases to date. Possession is a winner as far as I am concerned and deserves to be ranked among some of the best concept records as noted at the top of this review.
Kenneth Gallant, Editor HMS
Older reviews