When you’re young and start exploring the dark side, it’s often dismissed as a phase. Now celebrating their fourth decade in league with Satan, three lads from Newcastle prove that one wrong! To celebrate Venom’s 40th anniversary in 2019, the band released In Nomine Satanas – a boxset of all their first-era releases remastered on vinyl. Now, the box is being reissued in CD form with a DVD of Venom’s 7th Date of Hell show at London’s Hammersmith Odeon in 1984 and new interviews with bassist/frontman Conrand “Cronos” Lant, guitarist Jeff “Mantas” Dunn and drummer Anthony “Abaddon” Bray.
An invitation to the underworld is where it all began! Welcome to Hell was a game changer back in 1981. Opener “Sons of Satan” sets the tone – Venom truly were faster and nastier than any of their peers in the NWOBHM era. The band’s signature sound is established with Mantas’ scuzzy punk metal riffing and Cronos’ rumbling bass cranked high in the mix. It’s not difficult to imagine the reaction to music so extreme at the time, the sound is rough and sometimes sounds like a riotous noise. However the raw production was another game changer, making for a distinct sound that would influence countless over the next four decades.
Once you get past the production there’s many Venom classics on Welcome to Hell, and they continue to make regular live sets. There’s catchy riffs aplenty and boundless energy in the likes of the title track, “Live Like an Angel (Die Like a Devil)” and “Angel Dust” that make you want to get hammered and rock out. The songs have a live feel, most ending in a crash of drums and power chord noise as if Venom were recording a sold out show. Another highlight is penultimate death march “In League With Satan” with its stomping drums, choppy riffing and almost chant-like refrain make for the ultimate rebellious anthem to scare your Satanically panicked parents.
What else can be said about Venom’s sophomore LP? Pioneering, genre-spawning and a cast-iron classic. Black Metal is a natural progression from its predecessor. It’s still raw and nasty, though a little more refined with a slightly more balanced production and more expansive songwriting. From the opening clash of metal on metal courtesy of a chainsaw through the series of killer riffs that make up the title track, Venom had crafted another anthem, a blackened testament to heavy metal solidified in the immortal shout-along “Lay down your soul to the Gods rock and roll!” The song never fails to get your rocking out and shouting those words – it’s one of those songs every headbanger should have heard at least once.
Black Metal is full of bangers from beginning to end to end. From the chilling dirge of “Buried Alive” through the raucous rock ‘n’ roll in dirty schoolboy fantasy “Teacher’s Pet” to penultimate proto-thrasher “Don’t Burn the Witch”, every track is a fun and memorable headbanger. It’s no surprise many of these songs regularly make the live setlist. The impact of Black Metal is indisputable. While the riffing is still rooted in the rough NWOBHM/punk style, Venom’s elevated sound made for many moments that are prototypical of metal’s extreme subdivisions that followed. If you listen carefully to Black Metal, you may start making connections between other bands’ songs and the influence becomes clearer. Countless bands have cited this album as inspiration and covered songs from it, and it’s easy to hear why. Truly classic and essential heavy metal.
Venom had teased At War With Satan in the closing moments of its precursor, hinting at a more epic sonic tale to come. They gave us exactly that, the title piece being just shy of the 20 minute mark. Showcasing a more progressive side to the band, “At War with Satan” is a story written by Cronos, detailing a war between Heaven and Hell with Satan coming out as the victor. There’s multiple sections with plenty of cool heavy riffs, spoken word narration and a clean moment, with the main gallop rearing its head throughout. However it’s something that either feels like an escapist experience sometimes, or it feels tiresome halfway through. The fade-out ending also feels awkward, as if there’s still more to come but the war had to end some time. Definitely a piece of music you need to be in the mood for.
Flipping to side B, it’s clear that single-sized Satanic stories are Venom’s strength, with a selection of more digestible cuts. However some are tastier than others. “Rip Ride” and “Women, Leather and Hell” are a solid slices of speed, and “Cry Wolf” is catchy werewolf tale. The rest are rather bland in comparison, the riffs not really hitting the sweet spot like past courses. At War With Satan is something of a “difficult third album” for Venom. It’s an experiment with varied results. The production here is notable as the most balanced so far, each element more present in the mix yet still maintaining that rough edge Venom are known for. It’s a good album but just doesn’t have as much impact as its predecessors.
If you like what we do, consider joining us on Patreon for as little as £1 per month!
Prior to this review, Possessed is the first-era Venom studio LP I’d never given a go. Somewhere over the years I’d read mixed reviews generally at the lower end of the critical spectrum, and as such didn’t bother trying it. However I’m pleasantly surprised, it’s not bad! Though the band had opted for a clearer production on the previous record, this one is a return to the murkier sound of the first two – albeit still a little cleaner. Side A starts quite strong with the banging punk thrash of “Powerdrive” through the moody stomp of “Flytrap” and shout-along black ‘n’ roll of “Satanachist”. The songs are generally around the 3-minute mark and a lot more musically akin to the early thrash records Venom inspired. By Possessed’s 1984 release, the band had spent time touring with some of their pupils so it’s natural they leaned in a speedier direction.
The title track has the honor of being among the PMRC’s “Filthy Fifteen” tracks for it’s seemingly Satanic corruption of American children. Its creepy clean intro leads through a haunting dirge before possession takes over and it becomes more frantic. Then the album’s flaws start to set in. Cronos’ voice is a bit swamped in the mix and it’s hard not to think the album would be better if the fader on his mic was notched up a little. Side B’s tracks start to feel a little dull. They’re passable but the riffing doesn’t quite catch on like before. However there are flashes of cool moments such as in instrumental “Wing and a Prayer”, the violining guitar in the middle of “Suffer Not the Children” and the high chords in “Voyeur”. It’s a shame these are sandwiched between bog-standard punk riffing. Penultimate tune “Mystique” brings some final catchy riffs and harmonised ideas before a final black ‘n’ roll blast in “Too Loud (For the Crowd)”. A highlight of Possessed is Mantas’ lead guitar playing. It’s clear by this album his skills had grown executing some awesome techniques and generally shredding in his solos. Overall the album gets a bad rep. Granted it’s not as memorable as its predecessors, but there’s plenty of good tunes here and although it might not sink in as instantaneously, it’s a vibe when that spinning disc starts the possession ritual.
Venom had some live releases in the early days, more so on VHS, however Eine Kleine Nachtmusik marked the first official non-bootleg live LP. The band’s sound is captured excellently live and the energy they’re giving can be felt in the recording. Most of the tracks are supercharged, making the head bang just that hit harder. Highlights include “Schizo”, “Countess Bathory”, “Witching Hour”, “Black Metal”, “Satanachist” and “Welcome to Hell/Bloodlust”, a rousing closer where the band tease the crowd with a “nice speed” intro to the latter tune getting gradually faster until the ragers are satisfied.
Sons of Satan is a collection of the Venom’s earliest recordings of rehearsals and demos. It’s an interesting insight into the band’s development. “Angel Dust” catches you off guard. It’s weird hearing it so slow! As expected for the type of recording here, the church hall rehearsals sound awful.The studio demos that follow are much more enjoyable and sound surprisingly good! However this disc doesn’t offer much unless you’re a diehard.
The final offering provided by In Nomine Satanas is a DVD of Venom’s 1984 VHS 7th Date of Hell. Listening to the band live is one thing, but watching is another. Throughout the show in London’s legendary Hammersmith Odeon, Cronos and Mantas are true showmen commanding the stage with manic energy. There’s huge ramps leading up to the high drum riser and pyros which get well-used. By the end of second number “Countess Bathory” the possessed frontman’s bass is utterly annihilated in seconds as it’s repeatedly smashed against the stage. They rile up the packed Hammersmith, rock out and kill every song. An awesome show that I wish I could have been at.
The remaster of each disc in In Nomine Satanas pushes everything to an equal but maximum loudness and with more clarity than earlier issues, overall adding some punch. The boxset is definitely worth getting especially if you’re a new Venomaniac or don’t have a copy of any physical releases. If you’re a true diehard and a completionist collector, In Nomine Satanas might also be for you. However if you have copies of the Venom classics already, it’s not an essential addition to the collection.
Don’t fancy Patreon? Buy us a one-off beverage!
In Nomine Satanas is available now via BMG
Check out all the bands we review in 2022 on our Spotify and YouTube playlists!
Venom: official | facebook | twitter | instagram | spotify | youtube
