Venom... Certainly a household name for many metalheads. Obviously innovators and polarizers. I mean, let's face it you either really like Venom or you think they're hacks- There is no inbetween. And, as far as Cronos, Mantas and Abaddon goes, that's exactly how it should be... Love it or fuck off and die.
I happen to be in the former camp. As a child Venom scared the fuck out of me. They came dressed in black leather and spikes surrounded by weapons fire and blood... and let's be honest that what scares us fascinates us.
As a young teenager, I ran across "Black Metal" and was instantly in love. It was loud, crude and violent sounding. It certainly made the hair metal I was so used to sound like Barbra Streisand... it was a revelation or a revolution, either way, I was hooked.
This hit me about the same time I dyed my hair green, shaved it into a mohawk and began listening to hard core. Yeah, my parents began questioning their child rearing techniques and there are NO photos of me from that time period... but I digress...
Needless to say Venom led me on a path to all sorts of horrid musical expressions (I count my love for sludgecore and black metal as their fault). And I have hardly deviated from that path. I was so glad to see them reactivate in 2000. I breathlessly waited for the record and was... disappointed. I have been disappointed ever since by the output of Cronos' Venom...Enter Abaddon and Mantas' Venom, Inc.
Apparently reforming with Demolition Man and basically recreating the Prime Evil formula, Venom, Inc comes to try to set blaze to the Venom name... but do they succeed?
I would say that they do... What they end up with is a slightly modern black/ speed metal formula. It sounds a lot like Venom meets Motorhead. Each track has that mid paced Venom atmosphere but supercharges it with a rock n roll feel that Venom couldn't always grasp. Every track is soaked in that atmosphere and cult-like menace that the other Venom hasn't had in a while. "Ave Satanas" rips into a mid paced rage that continues through most of the record. That fire burns through "Metal We Bleed" through "Blood Stained" into the really rocking "Preacher Man" and ending it all with the manifesto "Black n Roll". It batters you with razor sharp guitar riffs and pounding drums. Demolition Man sounds as menacing as ever and each line burns with an implicit threat. Every member of the band is in fine form actually with Mantas ripping out great riffs and Abaddon pounding some really tasteful rhythms... All in all a great record.
The only really issue is "Dein Flesch" which is just out of place. Its not a terrible song and I never skip over it but its too modern and is a glaring misstep in an otherwise spectacular record that will definitely be in my top ten list and may end up as my record of the year.
Go get this and I doubt you'll be disappointed.
Alright first new review in the can. New review will be up to tomorrow! Keep banging those heads!
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