You know what the sign of a great album is? The sign of a great album is when upon first listen, all you can do is sit there with a dumb look upon your face. You try to find words, but the only thing that comes out of your mouth, besides drool, is an unsophisticated one word expression like “Wow.” or “Damn.” That’s currently where I’m at with the latest album from Crystal Viper, The Cult.
One of the finest and most well rounded power metal albums I’ve heard in recent years, The Cult is Crystal Viper’s ascension to the upper echelon of 80s metal worship. This band has it all: memorable songs, twin guitar leads that stand toe to toe with Smith and Murray in their prime, powerhouse vocals, and pummeling rhythms. What more could you ask for? Now it should be noted that Crystal Viper does not play your typical Wacken friendly power metal. Rather they specialize in a dark, ominous take on the genre, similar to US cult heroes Chastain.
The songs on The Cult largely float between three different styles. First, there’s your straightforward old school power metal. This is heard on cuts like the title track, “Forgotten Land”, and “Lost in the Dark”. The vocals are victorious and the riffs are sharp as steel. It’s as good as power metal post-Thundersteel can get. Then there’s your high speed battle hymns. I’m talking about “Down in the Crypt”, “Asneath Waite”, and “Flaring Madness”. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems each speed metal oriented track gets faster in succession, with “Flaring Madness” being the fastest. New drummer Cederick Forsberg delivers some double bass insanity on this neck snapper.
Lastly, there’s even a handful of songs that dabble in…wait for it…folk metal! For your typical, mainstream metal site, this would be no big deal. Here at Defenders of the Faith, I think this is the first time yours truly has even typed the words “folk metal”. This subgenre, consisting of shitty beards and shittier music, has been the bane of my existence from the time I got into heavy metal. Yet Crystal Viper makes it not only tolerable, but highly enjoyable. If every folk metal song sounded like “Sleeping Giants” or “The Calling”, I’d drink mead out of an alehorn like a cosplaying jackass too.
All in all, The Cult is a serious album of the year contender and it’s only January. If you yearn for maximum power at maximum speed, Crystal Viper is the band you need. Raise your swords to the heavens and join The Cult!
9 out of 10
Label: Listenable Records
Genre: Power Metal
For fans of: Chastain, Warlock, Dio