Review VELVET VIPER ‘Nothing Compares to Metal’

Velvet Viper rose out of the ashes of Zed Yago and released a debut album back in 1991. An additional longplayer followed before a hiatus took over. Jutta Weinhold and bandmates returned in 2017 and a streak of release followed.

Two years after having delivered the ‘Cosmic healer’ album, Velvet Viper has a new album in the starting blocks. ‘Nothing Compares to Metal’, this is the title of the record and a statement too. The remining question is, if the longplayer can live up to such a bold title and yes, it can.

‘Nothing Compares to Metal’ is a strong metal album and the best one in the Velvet Viper history. One feels more reminded of the Zed Yago times and songs like the title track are a good example. A thundering rhythm section great guitar work and Weinhold’s unique vocals, these are the ingredients for a well-crafted record.

Also remarkable is the moderately paced ‘Urd Wardande Skula’, a song that connects to the Nordic mythology. And while mentioning lyrics; the album features with ‘Es kommt die Zeit’ a song in German which is a novelty and a little statement from Weinhold.

What is noticeable too is the length of each of the songs. They all have a 5-7-minute running time, showing the band’s creativity during the songwriting process. The fact that even with such length, no boredom arises speaks for the versatility. Take ‘Speak Truth to Power’ as an example. There is the pounding verse, kept in a slower pace before a tangible bridge takes over. The chorus, on the contrary, is an up-tempo one with a strong power metal touch.

‘Heroic Hearts’ belongs to the faster songs, too, while the anthemic breaks in the chorus provide a good level of variation. And it is the hard-hitting ‘The 4th Part’ that entails the dramatic aspect, which belongs to Velvet Viper’s trademark sound.

Also beneficial is the powerful and clear sound of the album, which helps to convey the regained energy. ‘Nothing Compares to Metal’ is a strong and versatile album that showcases all the trademarks of Weinhold’s current and past bands. This longplayer is one of the pleasant surprises of 2023.