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Venom - Black Metal review



Reviewer:
7.5

471 users:
8.16
Band: Venom
Album: Black Metal
Release date: 1982


01. Black Metal
02. To Hell And Back
03. Buried Alive
04. Raise The Dead
05. Teachers Pet
06. Leave Me In Hell
07. Sacrifice
08. Heavens On Fire
09. Countess Bathory
10. Don't Burn The Witch
11. At War With Satan [preview]

2002 re-release bonus tracks:
12. Bursting Out [60 min+ version]
13. Black Metal [Radio 1 session version]
14. Nightmare [Radio 1 session version]
15. Too Loud For The Crowd [Radio 1 session version]
16. Bloodlust [Radio 1 version]
17. Die Hard [12" version]
18. Acid Queen [12" version]
19. Bursting Out [12" version]
20. Hounds Of Hell

Venom: one of the first thrash metal bands, if not the first. Their music: loved and adored, or hated and despised. Where do I stand? I stand right in the middle. Yes, I sit on top of the fence - not really a fan, nor a hater.

This album is quite good, with great succulent riffs that have a rock & roll vibe, drums that make me tap my foot along, and vocals that possess me to bang my head. The album features a lot of killer tracks, but is brought down by fillers and a somewhat poor production.

During the intro to Black Metal, I thought, "This is going to be one hell of a thrash album!"

Upon further listening, I was let down in the thrash metal department, but not in the "one hell of an album" aisle. The characterization of this album as thrash is not unjust, but unfitting, as the album is a crossover from rock & roll and thrash metal. That being said, it is still a great album, featuring shrieking guitars, a groovy bass, and pounding drums.

The vocals and lyrics were the first things I noticed. The lyrics are very well written and sung with an amazing thrash/rock voice. The rasp in Cronos' voice is perfect - nothing overkill. The lyrics are cheesy, but still listenable - especially cheesy during the song "Teacher's Pet". Musically one of the highlights, it combines thrash metal and sleaze rock together, with a spectacular result. The guitar really gets it done, from the chugging riffs in most verses, to very fitting solos. The drums keep the rock & roll vibe alive on this album. They have the traditional beat, and really... there's nothing wrong with that.

Overall, I think this is a good album, had the production been a bit better and the album featured fewer filler tracks, it could have been a great album.

Highlights: "Black Metal", "Don't Burn the Witch", "Teacher's Pet"


Rating breakdown
Performance: 8
Songwriting: 8
Originality: 8
Production: 6

Written by Boxcar Willy | 08.01.2012




Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.


Comments

Comments: 7   Visited by: 157 users
08.01.2012 - 01:24
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
I personally think this album's a piece of shit. I'd probably give it a 4/10 tops, much like their entire discog.
----
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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08.01.2012 - 01:29
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by Troy Killjoy on 08.01.2012 at 01:24

I personally think this album's a piece of shit. I'd probably give it a 4/10 tops, much like their entire discog.

I think Buried Alive may be the only Venom song I ever listen to. I don't think I've ever actually heard any other Venom albums come to think it.
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08.01.2012 - 01:31
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by Guest on 08.01.2012 at 01:29
I think Buried Alive may be the only Venom song I ever listen to.

Why not listen to the rest then? From what I understand, all of their albums are equal in quality.

Bad quality.
----
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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08.01.2012 - 01:33
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by Troy Killjoy on 08.01.2012 at 01:31

Why not listen to the rest then? From what I understand, all of their albums are equal in quality.

Bad quality.

That sounds like a wonderful evening in.

Marcey! Cancel all my appointments!
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08.01.2012 - 05:28
ThunderAxe1989
Account deleted
Great album
I think "Teacher's Pet" has very clever lyrics actually.
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08.01.2012 - 13:25
Rating: 9
AtrumHiberna

Why in this site everyone says that Venom is a thrash metal band? It isn't and it never was a thrash metal band. It's more like speed metal fused with NWOBHM and because of their lyrics that were very influential for the later black metal bands, it is, also, considered "black metal".
Of course because of the (up to that time) never-seen-before aggression of their songs, they influenced all the extreme sub-genres of metal, including thrash metal.
That's one said. About the album, I'm not going to try to make the haters like it. As rightly stated from the reviewer, Venom is a love it or hate it band. Personally, I love them.
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This is my worship, this is my path...
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01.03.2012 - 19:59
Cuca Beludo
Account deleted
Written by AtrumHiberna on 08.01.2012 at 13:25

and because of their lyrics that were very influential for the later black metal bands, it is, also, considered "black metal".


First wave. Black metal should have looked like this.
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