by Vpower
The Band: Crystal Viper
Country: Poland
Answers by:
Marta Gabriel (vocals, guitar)
I talk to CRYSTAL VIPER, a heavy metal
phenomenon of the current scene. And who better to talk with than MARTA
GABRIEL. She represents all that heavy metal is about: energy, dedication,
passion and a way of living. If you have never talked to her o read any
interview before I guess you will be positively surprised by her natural charming
and her attitude. Moreover, she is not just another beauty, she delivers true
heavy metal in every Crystal Viper’s album. Enjoy it.
Hello Marta and congratulations to all the team
for your new album “Queen Of The Witches”
Marta:
Hello! Thank you!
After more than 13 years of existence and six
albums we can say that Crystal Viper is already a classic band, a big name of
the current heavy metal scene, what do you think?
Marta: To
be totally honest, I don’t count the years before recording out first album,
because that was a time of looking for right band members, Crystal Viper was
more a project back then. The first official lineup established in 2006, and
that lineup recorded our first album "The Curse Of Crystal Viper". I
don’t think that Crystal Viper is a big name on the current Metal scene, but
does it really matter? I don't think in such categories, most important is to
enjoy what we love to do: composing and playing Heavy Metal!
Cheers for that! In your opinion, what has been
the most important moment on Crystal Viper’s path?
Marta: I
suppose that for each of us that moment would be different, but for me,
personally it would be the release of our first album. When I was a teenager, I
loved to perform, to sing and to play, but I didn’t even dare to dream about
being signed to a record label, about playing live shows on a big festivals and
so on. After our first album got released, I understood that everything is
possible, all dreams can come true, and all I have to do is to believe and work
very hard.
Of course, Crystal Viper would not be what it
is without Marta Gabriel, may be you can change other pieces but not that…
Marta: I
agree with you, because from the very beginning I’m the only composer in
Crystal Viper, so the style of music that we play, is a style that I created. Our
fans and friends used to say that my voice is also very characteristic, so I
believe that without me it would be totally different band.
And talking about new members, Błażej Grygiel
is the new bass player. What can you tell us about your current line up?
Marta: With
Andy and Golem we are friends and band mates for 11 years right now. Blazej
joined the band after our previous bass player, Michal, decided to leave the
band 2 years ago. But what’s funny, it was Michal who recommended Blazej to us,
they are actually best friends.
Your new album “Queen of the Witches”, out
February 17th through AFM Records, has all what any Crystal Viper’s fan can
expect: catchy melodies, fast tempos, great guitars, awesome vocals…
Marta:
Thank you! Indeed, our fans can expect from “Queen Of The Witches” everything
that Crystal Viper is all about, classic Heavy Metal, with melodic songs,
aggressive vocals, pounding rhythms and heavy riffs.
Comparing it to previous albums what is your
opinion about this “Queen of the Witches”?
Marta: I
think this is our best album, seriously. There is a new energy, you can hear
real emotions while listening to our songs. Maybe it’s because of such a long
break, it’s been 4 years from our last album "Possession", and 3
years from our last live show, so everyone in the band was beyond excited to
work on it.
Some people still consider your debut album The
Curse of Crystal Viper your best album till date
Marta: I
know, and I can understand that, because every single person has own taste. For
me our first album was like trying if we really can do this. I was not an
experienced composer, I couldn’t play other instruments except piano back then.
I was at the beginning of my journey with singing in the style in which I sing
today, everything was very wild and, I don’t know how to name it, very
"first". Our skills were different, for sure we all are better
musicians today, than we were 11 years ago.
Marta: I’m
still the only composer in the band. It's difficult to answer how long it took
to write this album, because there is never a specific moment when “I start”
writing. I keep on composing all the time, I have literally hundreds of song
ideas. The process is the same for years, when I start working on the album I
revisit some of the old ideas, I complete them with new ideas, and I simply do
the album, without thinking how many songs I have, or how many are missing. I
don’t think about the time frames, and I don’t have any deadlines.
When composing a new album you think about what
the fan expects from you or you are just driven by the inspiration of the
moment?
Marta:
There are only inspirations. I always compose music that I love, and love to
listen, and I believe this is one of the reason that we still exist as a band. Our
music is real, we are true as musicians, we don’t pretend we are someone else. We
never try to fit in current trends, because for it wouldn't be real art
anymore. The honest art is about making what your hearts tell you to do, not
about doing what other people expect you to do.
It’s nice to see that Marta’s raspy voice
sometimes, high-pitched others, is still intact after so many years, a
cornerstone in your sound. Marta, have you developed your singing style
naturally or you have been inspired by others?
Marta: I
always try to push myself to the limits, because when I do that, I discover new
things in my voice. And of course other vocalists also have been a huge
inspiration for me, like Leather Leone, Tony Martin or Rob Halford. While
recording albums, and playing live shows, I always try to pull out what’s the
best in my voice, and I always imagine the situation I’m singing about at the
moment, because when the emotions are real, you can do an amazing things with
your voice.
"Queen Of The Witches" offers a wide
repertoire of songs that go from the classic heavy metal to the ballads or some
speed metal…
Marta: I
agree, every single song is a bit different than the others. It’s because when
I was working on songs, I was inspired by different things, and I wanted to be
sure that the music match the lyrics. All these songs are full of real
emotions, and I think you can hear that when listen to them. These changes in
the mood refer to the story that is told on the album. When you will sit down
with a booklet in your hands and you will follow the lyrics, you will see it's
all one big piece, the music and the lyrics. It's like watching a movie, but
with music instead of pictures.
Together with Marta’s voice I would say the
other big asset in your music is the amazing melodies you are able to produce
and the attitude you show in every song
Marta:
Thank you! I think that Crystal Viper songs are so melodic because of my
inspirations. I’ve always been a huge fan of music, I’m also a classical
trained pianist, so there’s been a lot of music around me from my very early
years. I’ve always loved musicals, like “Hair”, “Fiddler On The Roof”, “Phantom
In The Opera”, operas, movie soundtracks, Mike Oldfield, and all genres of rock
and metal in which you can find good melodies.
Awesome. What songs of this “Queen of the
Witches” will enter you live setlist?
Marta: It
will be faster to tell you which ones we won’t play, the ballads: "We Will
Make It Last Forever" and "Trapped Behind". Not because we don’t
want to, but because it’s not possible for us to put a grand piano on stage. I
don’t want to perform playing on keyboard, it would be weird for me. But I
really hope to perform “Trapped Behind” one day, with grand piano on stage. That
would be awesome.
Yes, that would be something not to miss at
all. I suppose you are programming an extensive and international tour to
promote your new album, what countries will you go through?
Marta: In
about one month we are going on European tour, and after that we will play
several separate live shows as well. We will play in Germany, Austria, Czech
Republic, Poland, Hungary, France, Switzerland, and Belgium. I hope more dates
will show up soon!
Marta: It’s
difficult for me to say, because when I go on stage, I totally lose control. It’s
like crossing a border of another dimension, where stage, band and people in
the crowd are the whole world. I go totally crazy, and I totally lose control,
and very often, when I go off stage, I don’t even remember what was exactly
going on! This is why I love making music, and afterwards play it live. Man, I
don’t need drugs, put me on the stage, and leave for an hour (laughing)! You
give your energy to the people who came to see you live, and afterwards they
are giving that energy back. We really enjoy what we do every single time, and
when our fans do so, this is what makes a good live show!
Yeah, that’s an amazing spirit, Marta, pure
fire I would say. I have had the
opportunity to salute Marta and I can say that although she sounds and looks as
a divinity on stage she is a very accessible person, like any metalhead
attending any gig, something that I suppose the fans also appreciate very much
Marta:
Thank you very much, nice to hear that. I just live my life as I want, I don’t
pretend and I’m not trying to be anyone else. I’m just a person, who loves
Heavy Metal, I'm a fan who keep on buying CDs and go to live shows of favorites
bands. These things are part of my life, for me Heavy Metal is not only making
music and playing in a band, it’s a lifestyle!
True as hell. Marta you have also played guitar
with Jack Starr, how did that collaboration arise?
Marta: We
have the same manager and producer, I mean Crystal Viper and Jack Starr's
Burning Starr. When Burning Starr got booked for the Keep It True Festival in
Germany, where they were supposed to record a live album, they had no 2nd
guitarist, so I was asked to join the band. We had few rehearsals in Germany,
played the festival together, and next year guys asked me to join them again,
when they were playing their tour in Europe.
In what moment did Marta Gabriel decide to
dedicate her time to the Heavy Metal? How did you start on this?
Marta: I
don’t remember the moment exactly. There was a lot of different music around me
from my early years, so I suppose I heard something somewhere, and started to
look for more. I remember first bands that made me feel like “wow, this is
awesome” were Virgin Steele, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Warlock, Blind
Guardian and so on.
Marta, surely many teenagers, and not so young
guys too :) have a photo of Marta
Gabriel on their school folders or notebooks. How do you feel about it? Do you
consider yourself a Metal icon?
Marta:
Metal icons are usually a bit older than I am (laughing). But seriously, I meet
with our fans after our live shows, and they’re usually very nice and kind,
they’re taking photos with me and ask about signing some stuff and so on, but I
know my place. I don’t consider myself as a Metal icon, but as a person who
tries to continue their legacy. Some of the Metal icons are for me Rob Halford,
Ronnie James Dio, Doro, Tony Iommi, Lemmy, Glenn Tipton (my metal god!) and
others.
Your humbleness just makes you bigger. And
finally, what are your Crystal Viper’s plans for the future?
Marta: We
currently focus on promoting "Queen Of The Witches" and on the
forthcoming tour, and after that we plan and hope to play as many concerts as
possible. This is most important at the moment.
Thank you very much for your attention Marta,
we wish you a big success with “Queen of the Witches”
Marta:
Thank you for the interview, it was a pleasure! Metallic regards to all Spanish
Metalheads, we are Metal Nation!
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