Crystal Viper stands as a formidable force in the heavy metal scene, spearheaded by the visionary founder, Marta Gabriel. Since its formation in 2003, the band has exhibited unwavering strength and resilience, celebrating two decades of remarkable achievements, including an impressive discography and electrifying live performances. In a gracious gesture, Marta graciously took time out from her busy schedule to grant us an insightful and in-depth interview, shedding light on the band’s journey and accomplishments.

ANSWERS BY MARTA GABRIEL
(VOCALIST, BASSIST, GUITARIST)

THE NWOTHM: First up can you introduce us to the members of the band and where you are from?

Marta: Crystal Viper is a heavy metal band that boasts an international lineup. Me, Andy, and Kuba come from the Silesian region of Poland, while Eric calls Germany home.

THE NWOTHM: How did Crystal Viper form and is there any insightful story surrounding its formation?

Marta: I founded Crystal Viper in 2003, I wanted one of my dreams to come true: to play in a real heavy metal band. During the following three years, the band was more of a project than a regular group as I searched for the right members to join me. Throughout that time, I recorded numerous demo and rehearsal tapes, compilation tracks, and performed several local live shows with many different musicians. Finally, the first official line-up came together in 2006, and since then we try to keep the flame of heavy metal alive.

THE NWOTHM: How did you choose the Crystal Viper as the band’s name? And is there any background to it?

Marta: While there may not be an elaborate story behind our band name, we did have a clear vision for it. Our goal was to create a name that sounded both “metal” and cool, and that included two words, a noun and an adjective, just like some of my favourite bands such as Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden or Virgin Steele. I’m not sure now, but I think the name for our band came to life on the bus!

THE NWOTHM: As a band, who would you say your biggest influences in life have been, both musically and outside of music?

Marta: My passion for music started at a young age. When I was just seven years old, I became a pupil in music school, where I learned to play the piano. Looking back, I believe that this experience had the biggest impact on my future musical life. Even as a child, I was composing my own songs, and as I grew older, I began to learn how to play the guitar and bass guitar. I was discovering my first favourite rock and metal bands, and started to dream about creating my own band, the real metal band – that’s how Crystal Viper came to life. Each member of Crystal Viper has their own favourite bands and unique influences, but I truly believe that we all share a deep appreciation for iconic acts such as Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest or Manowar. 

THE NWOTHM: How would you describe the Nwothm/heavy metal scene in Poland?

Marta: Poland has always been known mostly from extreme genres such as black and death metal. However, in recent years, I noticed few new names on the local metal scene, not many, but still!

THE NWOTHM: What new Nwothm/heavy metal bands would you say are ones to watch right now?

Marta: I recommend you to check Polish bands like Shadow Warrior, Roadhog, Axe Crazy or Ironbound. And when it comes to non-Polish bands, I would recommend Solicitor!

THE NWOTHM: In your music collections what records would you say are your most prized possessions/favourites?

Marta: I wouldn’t consider myself a collector, as I just buy albums that I genuinely enjoy. However, I do have one particularly precious item in my collection, which is a Judas Priest box set autographed for me by none other than the mighty Glenn Tipton.

THE NWOTHM: If you could play with any band or musician from the past or present, dead or alive who would it be and why?

Marta: I would love to share the stage with Omen with J.D. Kimball, Bathory, Thin Lizzy, Scorpions, Iron Maiden… Why? The answer is simple: these are some of my favourite bands.

THE NWOTHM: How do you go about writing lyrics for your records and where do you gain inspiration from?

Marta: My creative process works similarly whether I am working on lyrics or music. As a sensitive person, I draw inspiration from everything in my surroundings. Whether it’s a song playing in the background, how people treat me, or even the sound of rain at night, I absorb it all like a sponge. And when I wring out that sponge, a new song is born.

THE NWOTHM: How do you feel about the resurgence of vinyl/ cassette in recent years?

Marta: I absolutely love cassettes! For me, they bring back fond memories of my younger years when I used to ride the school bus with a walkman attached to my belt and Iron Maiden’s ‘Somewhere In Time‘ cassette playing. It’s a nostalgic reminder of those good times.

THE NWOTHM: Can you tell us more about your releases prior to ‘The Cult’ and any stand out songs you think people should check out?

Marta: Our latest release, “The Cult,” marks our 8th album to date. While all of our albums are melodic heavy metal, each one has its own unique flavour, as they were composed and recorded during different periods of our lives, each inspired by different moments and experiences. I’m not able to recommend you stand out songs, as the list would be huuuuuge, haha!

THE NWOTHM: From your previous releases, which songs would you say are your personal favourites?

Marta: I’m afraid I can’t really pick a favourite Crystal Viper song. Truth is, I love ’em all! As a person who has composed 95% of the band’s material, I might be a bit biased though. But you know what’s really interesting? I absolutely love playing some of Crystal Viper tunes live. “I Fear No Evil”, “In The Haunted Chapel”, “The Last Axeman” and “Night Of The Sin”.

THE NWOTHM: Can you tell us more about the artists behind your artworks?

Marta: We’ve been working a lot lately with an amazing artist, Mario Lopez. He can whip up a cover art that perfectly captures the exact vibe you’re aiming for. Plus, he’s one of the chillest dudes out there, always easy to work with. Did I mention his talent is off the charts? ‘Cause it definitely is.

THE NWOTHM: Your latest release is  ‘The Cult’ Can you tell us about the album, the songs and the writing process behind the record?

Marta: The recording process for ‘The Cult’ album was surely an interesting experience. As you might have guessed, we were smack in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, so we had to record our tracks separately in our home studios. But here’s the thing: even though we were miles apart, the end result is freakin’ amazing! We’re all super proud about how it turned out. It’s an album inspired by H.P. Lovecraft novels – it might seem to be a concept album, but each song tells different story. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to it yet, I highly recommend checking out ‘The Cult’, ‘Sleeping Giants’ and ‘Asenath Waite’, – those tracks are pure fire! 

THE NWOTHM: Do you have any favourite places or countries that you love to play? 

Marta: If you let me and my band play with our instruments on stage, and turn up the volume, we can rock out anywhere, even in a meadow. But seriously, we love to travel and meet new people, go to new places and learn about different cultures. To us, the whole world is an amazing place to perform live music.

THE NWOTHM: What are your tour plans for 2023? Do you have any big shows lined up?

Marta: This year, I am focusing my efforts on composing new material for both the upcoming Crystal Viper album and my own solo project. And finally, we’re hitting the road with many shows lined up. Plus, we’re stoked to finally make our way to a new continent. Let’s keep this heavy metal train rollin’!

THE NWOTHM: Where can people check you out on social media and buy your music/merch?

Marta: You can find the official Crystal Viper profiles on both Instagram and Facebook, as well as mine as a solo artist. So don’t forget to give us a follow on our social media channels, so you can stay up to date on all the latest news and happenings in our world. You can get our merch mostly on live shows, but we’re working on launching our official webshop.

THE NWOTHM: Is there anything else you would like to mention?

Marta: Thank you for the interview. Metal maniacs: your continued support is deeply appreciated, and we look forward to sharing our music with you all. See you on tour!