Crystal Viper - The Silver Key - LP COLOURED

CRYSTAL VIPER take no prisoners, and strike back with a brand new studio album: “The Silver Key”! Due to all lyrics being once again inspired by the works of the father of Cosmic Horror, Howard Phillips Lovecraft, the album is a natural continuation of the previous full length release, “The Cult”, which came out on Listenable Records in 2021. In fact, working title of the new album was “The Cult II”. However, “The Silver Key” is an album with very own identity and character, and is without a doubt the most intense release that CRYSTAL VIPER ever recorded.

“The Silver Key” is heavier, faster, but at the same more epic and melodic than their previous works. In the past the band was very often balancing between Power Metal and Heavy Metal, but here, there’s no doubt that we are talking about pure Heavy Metal. First few minutes of new album make it obvious that we’re dealing with worshippers of Metal gods such as JUDAS PRIEST or IRON MAIDEN, as the album is full of epic and catchy vocal lines, twin guitar leads, ripping solos and all of this with massive, yet very dynamic rhythm section. The band had very unique approach to songwriting and production which was almost like a tribute to the mentioned classic acts, but except that CRYSTAL VIPER decided to show their love for the Metal culture and its current state, and incorporated in their songs several new elements, characteristic for other subgenres. So don’t get fooled by the term “female-fronted” which usually is associated with softer genres: CRYSTAL VIPER, founded and led by the vocalist and bassist Marta Gabriel (for the record: who for the last few years played rhythm guitar for the band), is simply as that METAL, and very serious about it.

Since the release of the debut album in 2007, the band keeps on touring, and is playing at both huge festival stages and small venues, being faithful to their very own words - we are Metal Nation! With “The Silver Key” being 9th (!) studio album of the band, it’s also clear they’re one of the most hard working and most determined acts of the new generation.

“The Silver Key” was produced and mastered by the Heavy Metal veteran Bart Gabriel, and was recorded and mixed by Rafal Kossakowski. Its cover artwork was painted by respected Guatemalan artist Mario Lopez, who was also responsible for the cover artwork of the previous album, “The Cult”. Like before, CD and vinyl version of the album will include different bonus tracks. "I guess everyone expected us to record another classic Heavy Metal cover songs, but we have decided to do something unusual this time, and we recorded BATHORY and MISFITS covers" says Marta Gabriel. "Both bands had huge influence on me, Quorthon was an amazing composer, and I actually even named my horse after him! And as our new album has both this very in-your-face energy and horror vibes, we thought that the MISFITS song will also be a very good choice" she adds.

Side A:
01. Return To Providence (1:43) / 02. Fever Of The Gods (4:09) / 03. Old House In The Mist (4:21) / 04. The Key Is Lost (4:07) / 05. Heading Kadath (4:03) / 06. Book Of The Dead (4:03)
Side B:
07. The Silver Key (5:01) / 08. Wayfaring Dreamer (3:58) / 09. Escape From Yaddith (5:04) / 10. Cosmic Forces Overtake (4:46) / 11. Scream ! (Bonus track on Vinyl only)