The Metal Files

Yes, I admit it.  I really have a hard time listening to Venom’s early work.  From their debut up to Possessed, I just don’t like it.  It was/is borderline awful…at least from what I remember.  I haven’t laid ears to that stuff since…well since probably 1995.

All that being said I absolutely love the 3 albums after Possessed:  Calm Before The Storm, Prime Evil and Temples of Ice.  Calm Before The Storm finally brought some melody a band that needed it IMHO.  Chanting of the Priests is such an awesome track…albeit sloppy.

After Cronos left, they hired the Demolition Man to handle the bass and vocal duties.  I thought his first 2 albums with Venom were pretty good, at least by Venom standards.  He has an Udo-esque type vocal style which works well. Prime Evil is better than temples of Ice but has some typical Venom silliness like Skool Daze.  Their cover of Megalomania is kind of neat.

I catch grief all the time for not being a “true” Venom fan.  To that I say ‘just be happy I even like any of their stuff at all.’  I do have to admit to liking the hooks in Black Metal.  Venom was never known for having great lyrics, but these make me grin.  I remember having to return a compilation cassette (Metal Killers Kollection II) back to the department store because of this song.  My mom was having no parts of that!  hahahha