#icedearth — Public Fediverse posts

Crystal Viper – The Silver Key Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier

I’ve been with Marta Gabriel and her heavy/power metal outfit, Crystal Viper, since their stellar 2012 release, Crimen Excepta. Not only is Gabriel an axe master, but her riffs and voice undoubtedly inspired similar power metal acts, like Unleash the Archers. But, Crystal Viper hasn’t been as consistent as they once were. The last few albums I’ve reviewed have ranged from disappointing to very good, including a Disappointment o’ the Year for 2019’s Tales of Fire and Ice. But, being a fan of her riffs, solos, and voice, I’m always looking to be surprised by a Crystal Viper record. Since its conception, the constant members of Crystal Viper have been Gabriel (previously Leather Wych) and guitarist, Andy Wave. Through the years, we’ve seen bassists and drummers come and go. This time, Gabriel has taken up the bass, skipping the middleman and getting right to it. But, being that our lead figure is now working with vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, piano, and sharing songwriting duties, is this too much to hope for on The Silver Key?

On the surface, fans of the band will be pleased to know that nothing has changed between previous releases and The Silver Key. For the rest of you, continue to be posers. Gabriel doesn’t slow down and, with the help of her husband’s production skills, we continue to get dynamic releases that let the guitar harmonizations rise to the surface, allow the bass to make a presence, and smoothe the drums into the mix so they are their most-effective rhythm piece. You can also expect a tight, 40-minute record with ten, high-energy pieces that combine bangers, ballads, and soaring choruses. While you can’t expect much diversity in how the band crafts their albums, The Silver Key has a lot of surprises that completely floored me—not only on the first listen, but each one after.

After a soothing, spacey instrumental, the band wastes no time grabbing you by the balls and dragging you down the pavement with “Fever of the Gods.” This thing is a banger, suggesting a band having a Hell of a fun time pounding this one out. The riffs are killer, the vocals are powerful, and the melodic leads on the back half are a nice addition. Other heavy tracks into the blistering-fast riff and drum work on “Book of the Dead” and “Escape from Yaddith.” Both have the rolling riff style that brings to mind the relentless picking styles of Iced Earth and Blind Guardian, driving the songs with unforgiving speed. The first has a marching quality, much like “The Key Is Lost,” but without the fun, old-school qualities of NWoBHM. Instead, “Book of the Dead” has some nifty sinisterness in the vocal performance with a massive chorus, slick guitar harmonization, and solo work. “Escape from Yaddith” is a unique track for its speed and the shocking harmonizing guitars that sound like something from the first two Dissection records. Yeah, you read that right. And it continues into the closing track, “Cosmic Forces Overtake.”

On the power metal side, “Heading Kadath” and the title track are some of the best. The former opens with heavy-metal harmonizations before it dives into the power style of Unleash the Archers. The harmonizing guitars are the focus of this song, moving it along with great energy and a huge chorus. That said, the best chorus on the album comes in “The Silver Key.” After opening with a power metal intro, the band wastes no time delving into this massive, singalong chorus that repeats multiple times toward the end for maximum effort. Between the builds and climbs, it centers around a mid-paced groove and some gorgeous, passionate soloing after the song’s midpoint. Even the heavily sappy, piano-based follow-up transitions the album beautifully between this song and “Escape from Yaddith.” The only ballad on the album, “Wayfaring Dreamer” is a two-person show of piano and vocals that lets Gabriel explore every range of her voice without completely drenching it in cheese.

After years of absorbing the best and worst Crystal Viper has offered, I didn’t think they had it in them to create something as great as The Silver Key. For the first time in years, I haven’t felt this excited by Gabriel and co. since the good ole days. But, the performances are tight, Gabriel’s vocals are stellar, and the flow of the record works well. For the first time in a while, songs even carry themes and riffs from one track to another, building on the momentum and moods from previous tracks—specifically in the last three songs. The band also sounds as if they enjoyed writing and performing this material. That said, I wish there was as much bass as guitar because, from what you can hear, Gabriel does a fantastic job on the instrument. Doing so would, undoubtedly, make it a bit more powerful in the mix. Regardless, The Silver Key is a powerful album with plenty of fun moments, a good mix of moods, and great performances. I’m not gonna lie, I’m happy for them, and I’m happy for myself because I’m going to be listing this baby.

Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Listenable Records | Bandcamp
Websites: linktr.ee/crystalviper | facebook.com/crystalviperofficial
Releases Worldwide: June 28th, 2024

#2024 #40 #BlindGuardian #CrystalViper #Dissection #HeavyMetal #IcedEarth #IronMaiden #Jun24 #ListenableRecords #PolishMetal #PowerMetal #Review #Reviews #TheSilverKey #UnleashTheArchers

Crystal Viper – The Silver Key Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier

I’ve been with Marta Gabriel and her heavy/power metal outfit, Crystal Viper, since their stellar 2012 release, Crimen Excepta. Not only is Gabriel an axe master, but her riffs and voice undoubtedly inspired similar power metal acts, like Unleash the Archers. But, Crystal Viper hasn’t been as consistent as they once were. The last few albums I’ve reviewed have ranged from disappointing to very good, including a Disappointment o’ the Year for 2019’s Tales of Fire and Ice. But, being a fan of her riffs, solos, and voice, I’m always looking to be surprised by a Crystal Viper record. Since its conception, the constant members of Crystal Viper have been Gabriel (previously Leather Wych) and guitarist, Andy Wave. Through the years, we’ve seen bassists and drummers come and go. This time, Gabriel has taken up the bass, skipping the middleman and getting right to it. But, being that our lead figure is now working with vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, piano, and sharing songwriting duties, is this too much to hope for on The Silver Key?

On the surface, fans of the band will be pleased to know that nothing has changed between previous releases and The Silver Key. For the rest of you, continue to be posers. Gabriel doesn’t slow down and, with the help of her husband’s production skills, we continue to get dynamic releases that let the guitar harmonizations rise to the surface, allow the bass to make a presence, and smoothe the drums into the mix so they are their most-effective rhythm piece. You can also expect a tight, 40-minute record with ten, high-energy pieces that combine bangers, ballads, and soaring choruses. While you can’t expect much diversity in how the band crafts their albums, The Silver Key has a lot of surprises that completely floored me—not only on the first listen, but each one after.

After a soothing, spacey instrumental, the band wastes no time grabbing you by the balls and dragging you down the pavement with “Fever of the Gods.” This thing is a banger, suggesting a band having a Hell of a fun time pounding this one out. The riffs are killer, the vocals are powerful, and the melodic leads on the back half are a nice addition. Other heavy tracks into the blistering-fast riff and drum work on “Book of the Dead” and “Escape from Yaddith.” Both have the rolling riff style that brings to mind the relentless picking styles of Iced Earth and Blind Guardian, driving the songs with unforgiving speed. The first has a marching quality, much like “The Key Is Lost,” but without the fun, old-school qualities of NWoBHM. Instead, “Book of the Dead” has some nifty sinisterness in the vocal performance with a massive chorus, slick guitar harmonization, and solo work. “Escape from Yaddith” is a unique track for its speed and the shocking harmonizing guitars that sound like something from the first two Dissection records. Yeah, you read that right. And it continues into the closing track, “Cosmic Forces Overtake.”

On the power metal side, “Heading Kadath” and the title track are some of the best. The former opens with heavy-metal harmonizations before it dives into the power style of Unleash the Archers. The harmonizing guitars are the focus of this song, moving it along with great energy and a huge chorus. That said, the best chorus on the album comes in “The Silver Key.” After opening with a power metal intro, the band wastes no time delving into this massive, singalong chorus that repeats multiple times toward the end for maximum effort. Between the builds and climbs, it centers around a mid-paced groove and some gorgeous, passionate soloing after the song’s midpoint. Even the heavily sappy, piano-based follow-up transitions the album beautifully between this song and “Escape from Yaddith.” The only ballad on the album, “Wayfaring Dreamer” is a two-person show of piano and vocals that lets Gabriel explore every range of her voice without completely drenching it in cheese.

After years of absorbing the best and worst Crystal Viper has offered, I didn’t think they had it in them to create something as great as The Silver Key. For the first time in years, I haven’t felt this excited by Gabriel and co. since the good ole days. But, the performances are tight, Gabriel’s vocals are stellar, and the flow of the record works well. For the first time in a while, songs even carry themes and riffs from one track to another, building on the momentum and moods from previous tracks—specifically in the last three songs. The band also sounds as if they enjoyed writing and performing this material. That said, I wish there was as much bass as guitar because, from what you can hear, Gabriel does a fantastic job on the instrument. Doing so would, undoubtedly, make it a bit more powerful in the mix. Regardless, The Silver Key is a powerful album with plenty of fun moments, a good mix of moods, and great performances. I’m not gonna lie, I’m happy for them, and I’m happy for myself because I’m going to be listing this baby.

Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Listenable Records | Bandcamp
Websites: linktr.ee/crystalviper | facebook.com/crystalviperofficial
Releases Worldwide: June 28th, 2024

#2024 #40 #BlindGuardian #CrystalViper #Dissection #HeavyMetal #IcedEarth #IronMaiden #Jun24 #ListenableRecords #PolishMetal #PowerMetal #Review #Reviews #TheSilverKey #UnleashTheArchers

Portrait – The Host Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier

Boy, life has changed since I last reviewed Sweden’s Portrait. Returning to the review of their 2021 release, At One with None, I apparently went off on a rant about working on this bitch of a diesel truck I called Karen. Now I’m here sitting in the AC, somehow with a position that titles me as a professional writer and editor. I know, it’s hard to believe based on my reviews. If it weren’t for all the writing I had to do for that job, maybe I’d be more coherent when it was time to pen a review for AMG. So, fuck you. But, I digress. Portrait is back with a new platter of King Diamond and Mercyful Fate worship. So, if your name is Doom et Al, you can leave and never come back. For the rest of you, The Host is the biggest album the band has ever released. With albums that typically range from eight to ten songs with forty-five to fifty-minute runtimes, the band has thrown all their restraint to the wayside to deliver fourteen tracks in seventy-five minutes. And more than ever, the band continues to take the KD/MF sound of old and mold it into their own.

Besides increasing the overall output of The Host, there are other differences between it and previous releases. Guitarists, in particular, are a revolving door for this band, and now they’ve added little-known axeman Karl Gustafsson to the fold. While the classic Mercyful Fate dual-guitar technique has never been foreign to Portrait, the harmonizations, dueling guitar solos, and mismatched guitar leads are even more abundant on The Host. Another difference, particularly when compared to At One with None, is the wide-open dynamics that allow the tasty bass to rise to the surface. Why the band allowed Tommy Hansen to bury the bass in At One with None’s pitiful master is beyond me. Especially considering they didn’t do that with their previous album, Burn the World. This time, the band’s very own vocalist, Per Lengstedt, took to the boards to mix and master their most adventurous album yet. With the stage set, how does the band fair on their first full concept album since conception?

After a short instrumental, “The Blood Covenant” gets the story going with a blistering-fast, old-school Mercyful Fate lick as our protagonist, a soldier fighting in the Crusades, renounces his loyalty to God in favor of Satan. Why? For greater safety in battle and the protection of his lover. As the riffs and stellar drum work carry the song, our pained soldier screams at the skies in tasty falsetto and gruff vocal fashion. The follow-up track, “The Sacrament,” is where things really get exciting as it sports one of the better choruses on the record and sees our protagonist stealing the holy bread from the church to perform a ritual at the crossroads. The song sees Lengstedt reach deep into his vocal repertoire with big, booming, multi-layered vocals and even hints of Symphony X riffage. But you’ll discover it’s not all balls-to-the-wall heavy metal when our hero says goodbye to his love in “One Last Kiss.” On his way to battle, this somber piece alternates between clean guitars and the power-ballad heaviness of Iced Earth. But, overall, I get a lot of Puppet Master sadboi vibes when King says farewell to Victoria in “So Sad.” Though, this song is a tad heavier.

While the band members proclaim their obvious influences, they continuously strive for listeners to understand they are no copycat. That statement has never been truer for songs like “Dweller of the Threshold” and “Sword of Reason (The Steel of Revenge).” The first track is a speed metal fanatic that rips and roars through various riffs as a mysterious character comes into our hero’s life, showing him the fate of his home and lover for denying the cross. Never in my life did I know I needed King Diamond falsettos on a speed metal track, but I did. The song also sports some fantastic guitar harmonizations that bring back the feels from early-day Mercyful Fate. After the Dweller guides the protagonist to revenge over the death of his lady friend, an unsavory blacksmith crafts a mighty sword to kill the priest who burned everything in his life. This intense track of vengeance is difficult to pin down because, during its five-plus-minute existence, it travels through black, death, heavy, and thrash offerings that keep you guessing what the next minute will bring. But the album’s epic is the closing, eleven-plus-minute “The Passions of Sophia.” Combining gorgeous clean guitars and vocals with Iron Maiden characteristics and King Diamond falsettos, we witness the sad demise of our hero. Revenge has been sought and it’s his time to disappear from this world and reunite with his love.

The Host is a great record and one of the more unique releases from Portrait. We all know I love a good story to go with my music, and Portrait delivers it. While a touch on the long side, the songs flow nicely between each other and the storyline. The production is quite satisfying but it’s obvious this was a monumental task for an up-and-coming producer. After multiple listens, it becomes apparent that the bass makes its way further up in the mix as the album progresses. While Fredrick Petersson’s bass contribution to the band is always a treat, the balance begins to fall apart as we near the end. By the time we get to “The Passions of Sophia,” the hammering bass is so strong that it distracts this perfectly good finisher. And that’s mainly why I cannot award this record higher. Though, I wish I could. That said, The Host shows a band breaking that copycat wall. It has a great story, impressive dual guitar work, and a flow that keeps me returning for more.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Metal Blade Records | Bandcamp
Website: facebook.com/portraitsweden
Releases Worldwide: June 21st, 2024

#2024 #35 #HeavyMetal #IcedEarth #IronMaide #Jun24 #KingDiamond #MercyfulFate #MetalBladeRecords #Portrait #Review #Reviews #SwedishMetal #SymphonyX #TheHost

Portrait – The Host Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier

Boy, life has changed since I last reviewed Sweden’s Portrait. Returning to the review of their 2021 release, At One with None, I apparently went off on a rant about working on this bitch of a diesel truck I called Karen. Now I’m here sitting in the AC, somehow with a position that titles me as a professional writer and editor. I know, it’s hard to believe based on my reviews. If it weren’t for all the writing I had to do for that job, maybe I’d be more coherent when it was time to pen a review for AMG. So, fuck you. But, I digress. Portrait is back with a new platter of King Diamond and Mercyful Fate worship. So, if your name is Doom et Al, you can leave and never come back. For the rest of you, The Host is the biggest album the band has ever released. With albums that typically range from eight to ten songs with forty-five to fifty-minute runtimes, the band has thrown all their restraint to the wayside to deliver fourteen tracks in seventy-five minutes. And more than ever, the band continues to take the KD/MF sound of old and mold it into their own.

Besides increasing the overall output of The Host, there are other differences between it and previous releases. Guitarists, in particular, are a revolving door for this band, and now they’ve added little-known axeman Karl Gustafsson to the fold. While the classic Mercyful Fate dual-guitar technique has never been foreign to Portrait, the harmonizations, dueling guitar solos, and mismatched guitar leads are even more abundant on The Host. Another difference, particularly when compared to At One with None, is the wide-open dynamics that allow the tasty bass to rise to the surface. Why the band allowed Tommy Hansen to bury the bass in At One with None’s pitiful master is beyond me. Especially considering they didn’t do that with their previous album, Burn the World. This time, the band’s very own vocalist, Per Lengstedt, took to the boards to mix and master their most adventurous album yet. With the stage set, how does the band fair on their first full concept album since conception?

After a short instrumental, “The Blood Covenant” gets the story going with a blistering-fast, old-school Mercyful Fate lick as our protagonist, a soldier fighting in the Crusades, renounces his loyalty to God in favor of Satan. Why? For greater safety in battle and the protection of his lover. As the riffs and stellar drum work carry the song, our pained soldier screams at the skies in tasty falsetto and gruff vocal fashion. The follow-up track, “The Sacrament,” is where things really get exciting as it sports one of the better choruses on the record and sees our protagonist stealing the holy bread from the church to perform a ritual at the crossroads. The song sees Lengstedt reach deep into his vocal repertoire with big, booming, multi-layered vocals and even hints of Symphony X riffage. But you’ll discover it’s not all balls-to-the-wall heavy metal when our hero says goodbye to his love in “One Last Kiss.” On his way to battle, this somber piece alternates between clean guitars and the power-ballad heaviness of Iced Earth. But, overall, I get a lot of Puppet Master sadboi vibes when King says farewell to Victoria in “So Sad.” Though, this song is a tad heavier.

While the band members proclaim their obvious influences, they continuously strive for listeners to understand they are no copycat. That statement has never been truer for songs like “Dweller of the Threshold” and “Sword of Reason (The Steel of Revenge).” The first track is a speed metal fanatic that rips and roars through various riffs as a mysterious character comes into our hero’s life, showing him the fate of his home and lover for denying the cross. Never in my life did I know I needed King Diamond falsettos on a speed metal track, but I did. The song also sports some fantastic guitar harmonizations that bring back the feels from early-day Mercyful Fate. After the Dweller guides the protagonist to revenge over the death of his lady friend, an unsavory blacksmith crafts a mighty sword to kill the priest who burned everything in his life. This intense track of vengeance is difficult to pin down because, during its five-plus-minute existence, it travels through black, death, heavy, and thrash offerings that keep you guessing what the next minute will bring. But the album’s epic is the closing, eleven-plus-minute “The Passions of Sophia.” Combining gorgeous clean guitars and vocals with Iron Maiden characteristics and King Diamond falsettos, we witness the sad demise of our hero. Revenge has been sought and it’s his time to disappear from this world and reunite with his love.

The Host is a great record and one of the more unique releases from Portrait. We all know I love a good story to go with my music, and Portrait delivers it. While a touch on the long side, the songs flow nicely between each other and the storyline. The production is quite satisfying but it’s obvious this was a monumental task for an up-and-coming producer. After multiple listens, it becomes apparent that the bass makes its way further up in the mix as the album progresses. While Fredrick Petersson’s bass contribution to the band is always a treat, the balance begins to fall apart as we near the end. By the time we get to “The Passions of Sophia,” the hammering bass is so strong that it distracts this perfectly good finisher. And that’s mainly why I cannot award this record higher. Though, I wish I could. That said, The Host shows a band breaking that copycat wall. It has a great story, impressive dual guitar work, and a flow that keeps me returning for more.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Metal Blade Records | Bandcamp
Website: facebook.com/portraitsweden
Releases Worldwide: June 21st, 2024

#2024 #35 #HeavyMetal #IcedEarth #IronMaide #Jun24 #KingDiamond #MercyfulFate #MetalBladeRecords #Portrait #Review #Reviews #SwedishMetal #SymphonyX #TheHost