CRYSTAL PRIDE

Listen: FORGET THE LP! THIS is the one CRYSTAL PRIDE-item you truly need. These 3 songs are very far from the average HR/HM presented on their rather common debut album 2 years later. This is the earliest and possibly the best 80's Epic Power Metal recording in Scandinavia and definitely the finest FWOSHM EP ever, even outmatching such high-acclaimed contemporaries as ZONE ZERO, ONYX or BEHEMOTH. Got your attention? Good! Now, the songs:

1. "Silverhawk" - What a masterpiece! 7 minutes of intricate, epic Heavy Metal, starting with some mindblowing, powerfull riffing and tempochanges, then it just gets better. It's like the best parts of MANILLA ROAD, MERCYFUL FATE and earliest HELLOWEEN rolled into one. Although the drums and vocals are just a tidbit weaker than on a professional, high-budget release, the guitars are fucking riveting from start to finish. Yes, it's that good and you almost missed out on it!

2. "Sharon" - With this song they managed something truly rare; to write a melodic Metal track sounding both mellow and melancholic at the same time without ever hinting on wimpness. The only other Metal recording I've heard that touches this territory would be the heavier parts of the debut LP but UK's SATANIC RITES, but CRYSTAL PRIDE did it with so much more power and songwriting skill. It almost has a folky edge to it, in the most possitive sense of the word.

3. "Song For Jeanne d'Arc" - After a spoken intro by drummer "Bongo" (now a famous TV-show host and comedian here in Sweden) this monster of a song attack with some of the heaviest guitars in Metal this particular year. I'd rate this track as one of the top 5 greatest Scandinavian Metal songs ever (see my MOOTTORILINNUT review for a list of the others). The song is constructed in a very simple but effective manner, without a real chorus, instead concentrating on incredibly beautiful vocal harmonies on the verses and totally destructive, bonecrushing Power Metal riffing inbetween. Here is where Sussie's voice is done the most justice and really shows it's potential. As the song ends the heavy riffing fades into a mesmerizing aucustic part and it's everything METALLICA (r.i.p.) wanted to do with their "Ride The Lightning" album compressed into 1 minute - 2 years earlier!

1000 copies is quite alot for a private debut 7", but according to a story I've heard, prior to them signing for the LP their new record label Mill Records forced them to destroy a considerable amount of the singles. If that's not a crime against humanity I haven't a clue what is. Still it's far from one of the rarest of the old Swedish 7"s and it turnes up on fairs and on tradelists fairly often, at least in Sweden. Don't pay more than €30 for a mint copy. Oh whatever, just get it, OK? It's one of The Great Ones. I kid you not. It's bloody perfect. Trust me, I'm a doctor, I know these things. "Silverhawk! - flying higher, Silverhawk! - lost desire, Silverhawk! - flying higher in the skyyyy!..."
-------------------------------------

Oh Susanne, where have you been all the time? If anyone would ask me for the hottest chicks in Metal business I'd seriously tell him to take a look at the sleeve of Crystal Pride's LP from 1984 and then ask me again. She's looking like an angel there...but that's not that reason why I'm writing here. Ok, their later material wasn't that heavy anymore but on this 7" you'll get the full load of steel! For me without any question one of the best female fronted Metal EP's from Sweden! And this includes every track, starting from the melancholic "Sharon" using with a riff I heard back in 1990 on Nirvana's debut again, to the gallopping epic power hymn "Song for Jeanne d'Arc" with almost Robert Plant alike high pitched screaming and super twin leads and last but not least the doomy starting hammer "Silver hawk" with classic Power Metal middle part similar to MANOWAR's "Dark avenger" (it's Power Metal part in the middle only!). I hate myself for saying that about a Chicken Metal band, but if you don't own this EP you're simply not Metal. I'm sorry...but it's essential!