Artist: Black Viper
Country: Norway
Label: Edged Circle Productions
Formats: 12″ EP
Year: 2023
Remember the day when you looked at the band photos on the inner sleeve of an LP, checking the shirts worn by your favourite artists to discover new bands? There’s no better reference for new music than from a musician whose work you enjoy. So when Carnivore of Cruel Force mentioned that Black Viper sounded incredibly authentic of course I couldn’t help myself to check out this Norwegian band. And it so happens they had just released their newest EP in 2023 entitled ‘Volcanic Lightning’.
Black Viper was started a decade or so ago by Sadomancer of Deathhammer fame and at one point or another also included members of Condor, Black Magic, Obliteration, Nekromantheon and Gouge. After a demo, their 2018 debut full-length ‘Hellions of Fire’ was well-received for its interpretation of US Speed and Heavy Metal. Blazing pace, falsettos, rumbling bass and pulsating drums in a mix that sounded straight from the 80’s, the style was a little bit different than most of the other bands the members have been involved in. To be precise, there are very little (proto-) Black Metal influences to be found in Black Viper, and vocalist Salvador Armijo’s clean high-pitched vocal style sets them apart from the more Blackened sound of Condor and Deathhammer. On their brand new EP the band serves us with four songs, which were conceived after the material for the band’s upcoming second album ‘Solitary Gates’ was recorded in pre-production as a result of what the band called “a damp night out”. Recorded without rehearsing, this comes straight from the heart.
First we find the title track, a song that largely follows in the footsteps of the full-length. With volatile Speed Metal glory, Agent Steel cackling vocals and continuous tension in slight tempo changes and emerging guitar riffs, the song showcases the steps the band has made since their debut. Agent Steel, Liege Lord, Exciter, Savage Grace, Iron Maiden combined into one excellent new track. There is a slightly stronger tinge of Heavy Metal in the sound, and that is even more obvious in the first instrumental ‘Ride of the Icarus’. A song conceived in early 2021, it shows a more rocking sound with delightful double guitar melody and maybe a touch of Savatage here and there. The influence of Warlord is also present all along the material, and fittingly so, the third song is a cover of the Warlord track ‘Black Mass’ which appeared on their ‘Deliver Us’ mLP. The Black Viper version stays close to the original, with Salvador Armijo emulating Damien King I aka Jack Rucker’s quite unique original performance nicely with a flair of his own style. Such a great song, which is respectfully covered. The final track ‘Phantom’ is a song from 2011-2012 and originates from the Black Magic archives. As such, this second instrumental leans a bit more towards the Heavy Metal side as well, but still fits the rest of the material like the metaphorical glove.
A bit of a spontaneously conceived EP that falls nicely between the two albums, it may not be necessarily an appetizer of the oncoming sophomore album, but we’ll take it anyway. A delightful and authentic sounding Speed/Power/Heavy Metal EP courtesy of Black Viper that certainly has me excited for ‘Solitary Gates’.
