Abaddon Productions Vinyl & CDs

Review: Venom’s arrival in the early 80s marked a seismic shift in the UK metal scene, grabbing the gourmand attention of both metalheads and punks alike for their sludge-mired shreds and vocal catharses. Asmodeic shapeshifters and crimson fiends are heard terrorising London on this latest, greatest hits compilation from the band, reaffirming their rather tense relationship with the big smoke following their comeup in Newcastle upon Tyne. Most of Venom’s early material was penned by bassist and frontman Conrad Lant (aka Cronos) and guitarist Jeffrey Dunn (aka Mantas), with a distinctive focus on satanic imagery. Get ready for a ravelling, blackened English metal catabasis, perfect for those listeners who need it raw.

Review: Captured on the opening night of their US tour in support of 1985's fifth full-length Possessed, this live performance from Newcastle Upon Tyne first wave black metal pioneers Venom showcases the legends as they ripped through Santa Monica, California on March 28th 1986, delivering an early career-defining set including vital blueprint malevolent thrash bangers such as 'Countess Bathory', 'Buried Alive', 'Teacher's Pet', and of course, the song that would ultimately birth a genre, scene and wave that would eventually take Scandinavia (particularly Norway) by storm, 'Black Metal'. Where bands like Metallica and Megadeth were busy bringing metal to the masses and Slayer were experimenting with just how far the evil envelope could be pushed while maintaining lucrative success, no other metal act in the 1980s showcased such ample disregard for commercial compromise than Venom, maintaining their place as underground forebears for decades to come.