Female fronted "True" Metal band. The group was formulated during 2002 in Katowice by singer Marta Gabriel (a.k.a. "Leather Wych") and her husband and producer Bart Gabriel. Proudly wearing their influences, a December 2003 rehearsal demo cassette closed out with a cover version of SAXON's 'Denim And Leather'. However, these tracks would not be publically distributed. CRYSTAL VIPER's first offerings came with a live demo recorded at the band's inaugural concert held at the Rampa club in Chorzów on 19th March 2004. A slew of cover versions included BLACK SABBATH's 'Paranoid', IRON MAIDEN's 'Wicker Man', SAXON's 'Denim And Leather' plus OZZY OSBOURNE's 'Crazy Train'.

During 2005 CRYSTAL VIPER collaborated with musicians from NWoBHM group ELIXIR on a cover version of CIRITH UNGOL's 'Chaos Rising' for inclusion on the Solemnity Music tribute album 'One Foot in Fire'.That same year CRYSTAL VIPER's CD demo 'Strike One' hosted a rendition of ELIXIR's 'Treachery (Ride Like The Wind)'. Another 2005 demo echoed the notorious IRON MAIDEN debut being branded 'The Soundhouse Tape', this set featuring a take on W.A.S.P.'s 'Wild Child'.

The band donated their rendition of 'Wild Child' to the W.A.S.P. tribute album 'Shock Rock Hellions - A Tribute to W.A.S.P.', released by Denmark's Codiac Records in May 2006. yet another tribute offering, a take on MANILLA ROAD's 'Flaming Metal Systems', featured a guest guitar solo from KAT's Piotr Luczyk.

CRYSTAL VIPER released its debut album, titled 'The Curse Of Crystal Viper' and produced by Bart Gabriel and Axel Thubeauville at Zed Studio, on February 25th 2007 via the German label Karthago Records. Recording roster for this effort involved Marta Gabriel, guitarists Andy Wave and Piotr Brzychcy, bassist Dariusz Kachel with Tomasz Danczak (a.k.a. 'Golem') on drums. Gerrit Phillip Mutz of SACRED STEEL guested. High Roller Records published a limited edition purple vinyl 12" version of 'The Curse Of Crystal Viper' restricted to 500 copies.

An interim compilation collection, billed as 'The Last Axeman', arrived in February 2008. This assembled the group's archive non album tracks from tribute albums plus brand new material. Amongst these was a Polish language version of 'The Last Axeman', cover of VIRGIN STEELE's 'Blood And Gasoline' with guests David DeFeis and Josh Block and a live cover of MANILLA ROAD's 'Flaming Metal Systems'. Live work undertaken that year was conducted with the inclusion of second guitarist Rafal Gorny.

The group re-formulated, adding the RAPID FIRE and WITCHKING credited second guitarist Mateusz Gajdzik. CRYSTAL VIPER's 'Metal Nation' album was released on 1st February 2009 through Karthago Records on CD version and High Roller Records as a limited vinyl version. The album was recorded at MP Studio in Poland with engineer Mariusz Pietka and producer Bart Gabriel. 'Metal Nation' was mixed at the Sonic Train Studios in Varberg, Sweden by KING DIAMOND guitarist Andy La Rocque. The sessions featured three special guests, Manni Schmidt of GRAVE DIGGER, Frank Knight of X-WILD and Lars Ramcke from STORMWARRIOR.

CRYSTAL VIPER, having added DRAGON bassist Tom Woryna, played at the MANOWAR headlined 'Magic Circle' festival on Saturday 18th July 2009 in Loreley, Germany. That same year the band included their version of VIRGIN STEELE's 'Obsession (It Burns For You)' to the tribute album 'By The Gods: A Noble Tribute To Virgin Steele'.

Garry Sharpe-Young