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VELVET VIPER - Cosmic Healer - 5.5/105.5/10
Summary
Massacre Records
Release date: April 23, 2021
[spoiler title=’Metal Express Radio – Ratings Scale’ style=’default’ collapse_link=’true’]
10.0: Cannot be improved! Perfect, instant classic! Essential in any record collection.
9.5 – 9.9: Fantastic, spectacular and outstanding!
9.0 – 9.4: Amazing release! It just lacks that little extra spice to make it perfect.
8.5 – 8.9: Exceptional release! Will likely rank among top ten albums of the year.
8.0 – 8.4: Great release! It has many different qualities.
7.5 – 7.9: Above average! It is an enjoyable release.
7.0 – 7.4: It is not brilliant, but has many strong points.
6.0 – 6.9: It has its moments, but is not that strong.
5.0 – 5.9: Slightly above average, does not stand out. Good outweighs bad by just a little.
4.0 – 4.9: Just below average, bad outweighs good by just a little.
3.0 – 3.9: Mediocre. There might be a song or a performance that is enjoyable, but that is it.
2.0 – 2.9: Very weak! There might be a light at the end of the tunnel, too many flaws.
1.0 – 1.9: This release gives the word “terrible” new meaning.
0.1 – 0.9: Awful! Avoid at all cost. There is nothing good to say about this release.
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User Review
( votes)The Backstory
Germany’s Velvet Viper emerged on the Metal scene with their self-titled album in 1991. The group disbanded sometime after the release of their 1992 album The 4th Quest For Fantasy. Velvet Viper reunited for the release of Respice Finem in 2018. Cosmic Healer is the band’s 3rd studio album since their reunion, and their 5th studio album overall.
The Album
The haunting vocals of Jutta Weinhold take center stage on the opening mystic tale of “Sword Sister.” Guitarist Holger Marx lays down some basic Metal licks on the somewhat anthemic “Let Metal Be Your Master.” This song has the potential to be a good live crowd grabber, but falls a little flat on record. “Cosmic Healer” mixes tempos with little to no warning and is accented by Middle Eastern inspired tones. Velvet Viper continues with their admiration of ancient Egypt on “Holy Snake Mother” and also give you a glimpse into how they came up with their band name.
Velvet Viper switches continents for the brief tale of Saxon’s Lady Sassenach, entitled “Sassenach,” but returns to Egypt for “Osiris.” The group is firing on all cylinders with this riff heavy hard-charger. Even the back-up vocals are finally in perfect harmony for this chorus. “Long Shadows” is dominated by a marching beat, as Weinhold expounds on the power of Mother Nature. Götterdämmerung is a solemn acoustic track that really shines, but it is the complete opposite of what was presented before it.
The Verdict
Some albums are so good that it only requires one play to classify it as a favorite in your collection. Other albums require repeated listening sessions for it to grow on you. Cosmic Healer by Velvet Viper is one of those albums. It’s easy to dismiss this album with only one listen because of its rawness, simple lyrical content, and somewhat distracting doubled-up and effects-heavy vocals. However, don’t walk away so easily. The more you listen to Cosmic Healer, the more it slithers into your Metal soul. The music is there, the theatrics are there, and the darkness is there. You just have to wait until it hits you.
TUNE INTO METALEXPRESSRADIO.COM at 0600 & 1800 (CET) / 1 am & 1 pm (EST) TO HEAR THE BEST TRACKS FROM THIS UPCOMING RELEASE!!!
Tracklist
- Sword Sister
- Let Metal Be Your Master
- Cosmic Healer
- Holy Snake Mother
- Voice of an Anarchist
- Sassenach
- Osiris
- On The Prowl
- Long Shadows
- Darkness of the Senses
- Götterdämmerung (Acoustic Version)
Velvet Viper is
Jutta Weinhold – Vocals
Holger Marx – Guitars
Johannes Horas Möllers – Bass
Micha Fromm – Drums
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