Do you really know how important band is VENOM for the Heavy Metal scene? Have you ever thought how many music genres were born after Welcome To Hell and Black Metal surfaced up from the very depths of hell? VENOM started polluting music from the early 80s when Chronos secretly changed the album's sound production one day before it entered the vinyl record factory. Indeed, Welcome To Hell shocked the music industry with their raw sound and the blasphemous lyrics that set the foundations for the Black Metal wave that followed.
VENOM had gone through really rough times due to the strong personalities of the three musicians. The lineup changed for a countless times and album were released without Chronos' vocals. Actually, I can only mention the very good Prime Evil album that can stand beside the other original VENOM albums.
The year of 1997 marked the second era of VENOM who returned with Cast In Stone featuring the famous lineup. The band managed to do another album Resurrection before the internal differences made Mantas to step out. Chronos suffered some serious injuries in a climbing accident bringing VENOM in hiatus. Fortunately, this silence lasted sic years and the historical band returned with the very good Metal Black proving that their story has not ended.
So, the band from the very depths of hell is back with a new album under the title Hell. Now, there are two ways for this review to follow; the first is from the perspective of a die hard VENOM fan (that's me) who is still listening to the first two albums in the vinyl editions. The second way is for those who know the band as a name without having really get into their music. After hard thinking I decided that I should follow a way that lies somewhere in between because either way would not be fair enough for Hell.
The album opens with Straight To Hell that delivers the classic VENOM sound. Chronos screams, the bass dominates and the chorus opens the gates of Hell! What an excellent way to enter! Listening to this track I could not help but to think that VENOM without Chronos is Hell without Satan. His distinct, trademark and original screams and sometimes vocals just take the music in another level!
After listening the album more times that is necessary for me to write a review I came to the conclusion that is not that good as the previous one and definitely not like Cast In Stone.
I certainly enjoyed the groovy and melodic in the VENOM way Fall From Grace, the bass guitar driven Kill The Music (excellent title) and the homonymous blasphemous Hell. The sound production is too good for a VENOM album but it does not take much of their magic. Rage is a very good guitarist but I don't think he managed to capture 100% Mantas's feeling but I think he will learn from the upcoming live concerts. Allow me here to dedicate the epic song USA For Satan to myself (my friends know why...); the song is fast with a killer bass guitar sound and classic Satanic lyrics made by VENOM. I am quoting my favorite lyric lines: ...deadly sins, fires and quakes, Rock ‘n Roll, UFOs... and makes absolutely no comment.
The bottom line is that VENOM are still around sounding really strong and solid; if you are new to the Metal scene and you know shit about this band then Hell is a fine excuse to start. For the rest of us branded by the mark of the Legions we know what to do! Ladies and gentlemen from the very depths of hell, VENOM! Below is the live recorded song that started everything!
P.S.: If you are not a VENOM fan then the proper rating should be 7/10.