From The Very Depths
Spinefarm
Well a new Venom album has dropped…. Usual questions like “Does it compare to Welcome to Hell/Black Metal?” will be asked….. No…. No it does not. It’s not 1981 anymore. Venom created something magical in the early 80’s, in turn giving birth to the entire extreme metal scene, be it death, black or thrash metal. Unfortunately moments in time cannot be recreated and this release needs to be judged on its own merits.
In the interests of full disclosure, I should admit Venom shaped a very large part of my childhood/teenage years they are much of the reason I play metal today, the reason for my lifelong interest in the occult, the reason why we almost always play “In League With Satan” whenever we hit the stage, On occasions I even get my band to play exclusively Venom set lists…. such is my reverence for the almighty trinity.
It is with great relief, and the first time in many years Venom have created an album that is not just passable, It’s actually quite good. Just don’t compare it to their earlier releases. It’s a much tighter affair, a much cleaner studio sound and a more modern sound, which has progressed nicely with the times, I would say infinitely more pummeling than their earlier releases of 30+ years ago. Unfortunately, maybe therein lies the problem, maybe people want to hear something more malevolent or spontaneous in nature. More off the cuff so to speak. I honestly don’t know. Old school venom fans I know have been dumping on this release already. I really like it, more than anything they’ve put out since 1985’s “Possessed” and on par with their 1995 record “cast in stone” record.
Over all it’s a great record and featured tune “Long Haired Punks” is an absolute ass-kicker. If you’re an old school metalhead… just give it a fair listen, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. If you’re a younger metal head, listen to how some true masters of the trade do it… and more importantly lay down your souls for the gods’ rock and roll! This could be one of the most important metal releases of the year. It signals a return to the one true faith of heavy fuckin’ metal. -Reggae