Black Viper – Hellions of Fire (Woah You Guys Do Power and/or Speed Metal?)

 

Sheah, we do power metal and/or speed metal on occasion. Got a problem with the gap in reviews? Huh? Deal with it (sunglasses drop), because most of it sucks hard. Too old school and/or not enough modern bite. Unlike thrash, which the majority of us can give a pass to regardless of how old it sounds, when speed or power metal reach too far into the olden days you feel wrinkles rise over your skin like a wave of goosebumps. That’s about what that kind of power/speed metal does to you, but Black Viper is not that kind. They got that re-envisioning going on better than and/or most, just like that neo-Renaissance chapel fresco cover. Damn but this site uses big words.

         

Power and/or speed metal combined and also from Norway? How daring. Black Viper play a dangerous game with Hellions of Fire; it comes out of the gates with handicaps including references to “cult” films like Suspiria and even a Dune drop, ugh. But mixing two of the most vapid genres in metal? These boys are dangerous and/or crazy. Better to say drazy. So what makes it not simply a package of fantasy nonsense upon neon glow posters in a black-lit room but actual medieval steel slashing open your breast to replace your heart with the fire that forged it? Black Viper play damn it. Their riff passages and solos blister blisters with the drums barely taking a breather as dude’s feet fly off. The technical skill and artistry here is simply perfect for the style, with a wizard-yell vocal delivery that makes me roll a perfect set of 18s on my d6s during character creation, get it? You’re going OP at level 0 with this one.

 

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Written by Stanley, Devourer of Souls

Black Viper – Hellions of Fire
Dying Victims Productions, High Roller Records
4 / 5