CRYSTAL VIPER To Release 'Witch's Mark' Digital Single

Polish female-fronted traditional heavy metal act CRYSTAL VIPER will release a new two-song digital single, "Witch's Mark", on March 30 via AFM Records. The single will include the title track (taken from the forthcoming full-length studio album, "Crimen Excepta"),coupled with "The Banshee", a newly recorded version of the song originally available on the limited edition MLP "The Last Axeman" (2008).

"Crimen Excepa" will be released in Europe on April 27 and in the U.S. on April 24 via AFM Records. The concept effort about holy inquisition, black magic and witches, where fiction is mixed with historical facts, was produced by Bart Gabriel (SACRED STEEL, JACK STARR'S BURNING STARR) and recorded with sound engineer Mariusz Pietka (MORTICIAN, LONEWOLF).

"Crimen Excepta" will feature two special guests: David Bower, vocalist of HELL will appear in the title track, while VADER mainman Piotr "Peter" Wiwczarek will be heard in the cover version of the classic VADER song "Tyrani Piekiel", which will be available as the bonus track on the first, limited edition of the album.

"Crimen Excepta" track listing: (Note: Even-numbered songs are "hidden" bonus tracks.)

01. Witch's Mark
03. Child Of The Flame
05. It's Your Omen
07. Crimen Excepta (feat. David Bower)
09. Medicus Animarum
11. The Spell Of Death
13. Hope Is Gone, Here's New Law
15. Fire Be My Gates

CD Bonus tracks:

17. Tyrani Piekiel (VADER cover, feat. Piotr "Peter" Wiwczarek)
18. Ghosts Of Sherwood (from the "Robin Hood: Ghosts Of Sherwood" motion picture soundtrack)

The song "Witch's Mark" is now available for streaming using the SoundCloud player below.

"We already announced that fans should expect the unexpected," says CRYSTAL VIPER frontwoman Marta Gabriel. "The new album is different than everything CRYSTAL VIPER did in the past. Of course it's still traditonal metal, and it's still CRYSTAL VIPER — but this time, everything was different, starting from the compositions, through our attitude and inspirations, up to equipment we used and the recording session itself."

She adds, "It was amazing to have Peter in the studio. We all are huge fans of VADER, and I think he was also amazed when he heard how our voices sound together in this heavy metal version of 'Tyrani Piekiel'. And when you will hear the lines of William The Judge recorded by David of HELL, you will have your jaw on the floor. We had."

CRYSTAL VIPER's last album, "Legends", was released in October 2010 via AFM Records. The CD's lyrics were based on the original Polish legends from the middle ages. The effort's cover artwork was painted by the French artist Chris Moyen, who has previously worked with SLAYER, TRIVIUM, BEHERIT and BLASPHEMY.