Many Old School Metal bands have a hard time when dealing with musical clichés of the genre. It's because some still have to find a better way to express as themselves, and not a copy of any other band that already existed. Some have success, others not that much, but this problem still lives in many. But it doesn't appear on the work from the Polish quintet CRYSTAL VIPER on "The Cult", their latest album.

Their music is a blend between many European schools of traditional Heavy Metal with some touches from classic German Power Metal, with a good technical level, charming melodies, excellent choruses (as can be heard on "Whispers from Beyond"). Maybe this album is showing the peak of the musical potential, but just for now (their future is really becoming great). Once more, Bart Gabriel produced an album from the band, having Cederick Forsberg on the mixing. Both of them created a clean, defined and modern sonority for "The Cult", being heavy and aggressive, but keeping their musical work clear for everyone understand. A fine work, indeed.

The album is excellent from the beginning to its end, and it's not fair to point to one or other song as their best moments. But I dare to say that "The Cult" (what a great work from guitars on riffs and solos), "Whispers from Beyond" (a brutal and grasping heavy weight can be felt, along with a great set of melodies, and a solid crushing work on bass guitar and drums), "Down in the Crypt" (a massive energy comes from it, and the vocals are perfectly matching with the instrumental parts), "Sleeping Giants" (this one shows a fine set of slow paced tempos, and the melodies become more evident), "Forgotten Land" (a song with clean influences from Hard Rock due the charming chorus), and... No, forget about it, it's not so simple to leave one or other song out... And to make things even more complicated, the bonus tracks "Trial by Fire" (from the LP version) and "Welcome Home" (yes, a KING DIAMOND cover that is really amazing on their hands, and play solos, here is Andy LaRocque) are excellent as well.

I Remember that I had complaints on their past album. Now, I want to congratulate the band for their evolution, and state that they're really one of the finest bands on Old School along BURNING WITCHES and ENFORCER. So taste the poison of CRYSTAL VIPER on "The Cult", and surrender.