Venom is an influential metal band from England formed in 1979. They are the main pioneer in the black metal genre and have direct influence on the development of metal singer who was formerly, American thrash metal and death metal.
In addition to the currently growing New wave of British heavy metal movement in Great Britain are looking for Venom her own inspiration in multiple angles to create a more extreme and darker result. Although their music in the Basic based on seventies (hard) rock/metal acts like Judas Priest and Kiss, made by cross pollination with the speed of bands like Motörhead, the ruggedness of the punk and the dark image of the early Black Sabbath, a forerunner of the American thrash metal such as this would develop within a few years by bands like Metallica and Slayer.
Venom is reckoned to black metal because of lyrics that go about Satanism, hell and other "black" subjects and shrill vocals. Their first two albums, Welcome to Hell andBlack Metal were the key to black metal. [source? ]The band itself is not anti-Christian despite the anti Christian texts, therefore one should be able to define their music as well as shock rock.
Conrad Lant (Cronos) has also indicated in an interview that his glorification of evil and Satanism came out of a desire to Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath to surpass both lyrically and in terms of image. Ozzy, who according to Lant put down a good atmosphere by singing about dark figures and entities but then everything would ruin by "Oh, no, no, please, God, help me" to call.
Early years (1978-1981)[Edit][]
Venom was originally created from three different bands: Guillotine, Oberon and Dwarf Star. The original occupation of Guillotine consisted of Jeffrey Dunn and Dave Rutherford on guitar, Dean Hewitt on bass, Dave Blackman on vocals and Chris Mercaters on drums. Blackman and Mercater were replaced by drummer Anthony Bray and vocalist Clive Archer of Oberon. Shortly thereafter, Dean Hewitt replaced by Alan Winston on bass. About Venom came into being at that time. In the late autumn of 1979 replaced Conrad Lant, the band's Dwarf Star, Dave Rutherford and then to take the bass after the departure of Alan Winston. The main influences of the band at that time were Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Motörhead and Kiss.
Because of venom's Satanic and dark texts it was decided to adopt names artists. Archer was ' Jesus Christ ', Lant ' Mr. Cronos ', Bray ' Tony Abaddon ' and Dunn ' Jeff Mantas '. In april 1980, the band recorded three songs ("Angel Dust", "Raise the Dead" and "Red Light Fever"), followed by 6 numbers with a budget of £ 50, in which Lant (Cronos) took over the vocals on the song "Live Like an Angel". After Archer left the band and these recordings was Cronos the lead singer. This gave rise to the classic trio with which Venom world renown meeting Earth.
Classic occupation and heyday (1981-1984)[Edit][]
The first released single by Venom was "In League with Satan"/"Live Like an Angel" in 1981 on Neat Records. Later that year, followed by the debut album Welcome to Hell.
Because of Cronos ' past as a guitarist he decided his bass on a guitar amplifier to distort his own sound and created, later renamed bulldozer bass. Despite the rough recordings and often dubious musicality of the group, Welcome to Hell is seen as a turning point in the extreme metal and very innovative in 1981. Venom was rougher and faster than their contemporaries. And even though it was not strange the subject Satanism more in rock and metal, when no one was as prominent as Venom.
The second album, Black Metal (1982) is considered to be the most important influence on the development of American thrash metal, black metal, death metal and other extreme metal subgenres which belong to the branch. Despite their growing influence, sold the first two Venom albums not so good at the time of appear. Venom too often by the written press was referred to as a ' trio buffoons ' [1] unlike compatriots with a more commercial success as Def Leppard and Iron Maiden.
In an attempt to be taken seriously as musicians, Venom took in 1984 the album At War With Satan on, with the 20-minute title track that had stilistischer more influences than before. The b-side of the album was filled with short heavy numbers that indicate Venom already known.
Uiteenval 1985-1987[Edit][]
After the appearance of the album received very moderately guitarist Mantas Possessed the group. The guitarists Mike Hickey (later touring guitarist on the tour with the band Carcass Heartwork in 1994) and Jim Clare were hired to replace Mantas. The album Calm Before the Storm appeared in 1987 and left a textual change towards the fantasy. The album was even worse than Possessed, with the result that the entire band, drummer walked out after, Abaddon.
Tony "The Demolition Man" Dolan 1988-1992[Edit][]
Using old unreleased demos know to obtain a new recording contract with Abaddon Music for Nations. He also convinces guitarist Mantas to return and fill the formation with rhythm guitarist Al Barnes and Atomkraft 's singer-bassist Tony Dolan. The new foursome brings in 1989 the Prime Evil album on that by many is considered as the best Venom album since Black Metal despite the more modern production and other vocals of Tony Dolan. Following the ep were still Tear Your Soul Apart and the albums Temples of Ice and released The Waste Lands. Barnes was on the last album since been replaced by Steve White but after disappointing success of the last album wanted Music For Nations release and held no material more Venom to exist.
Reunion and depopulation 1995-2002[Edit][]
In 1995, Venom was re-established in the classical occupancy with Abaddon, Cronos and Mantas. The band gives successful performances as headliner at festivals and brings an ep with readmissions and one new song (' The Evil One '). In 1997 brings the trio Cast in Stone , the first full-lengthalbum in the classical composition since Possessed. Abaddon leaves the group in 1999 to be replaced by Cronos ' brother Antton "Lant also leaves the group in 2002 and Mantas. So unlike the Tony Dolan years precisely Cronos is which alone the name Venom continue.
Cronos & new members 2002-[Edit][]
With the returning Mike Hickey (see the Calm Before The Storm album) bring the brothers on the album guitar Metal Black from Lant. Hickey is replaced by guitarist La Rage in 2007 and brings the album Hell from the group. The Antton leaves Lant group is replaced by drummer Danny "Dante" Needham and the group brings Fallen Angelsfrom[2] .
Influence on the metal scene[Edit][]
In particular the albums ' Welcome To Hell ', ' Black Metal ' and the singles that Venom released in the first years of their career are of direct influence on the development of various genres in the extreme metal. The American thrash metal through ' The Big four ', consisting of Metallica, Anthrax, Slayer and Megadeth. The black metal, through bands such as Bathory and Hellhammer. And the death metal via Mantas (later renamed Death), Master and Possessed
Band Members[Edit][]
Classic occupation[Edit][]
The band is best known as a trio, with the following band members:
- Conrad Lant (Cronos): singer and bassist
- Jeff Dunn (Mantas): guitarist
- Tony Bray (Abaddon): drummer
(Cronos played guitar in 1979 still guitar, but was the bassist and vocalist in 1979-1987, 1995-2002 and 2005-present) (Mantas was guitarist in 1979-1985, 1989-1992 and 1995-2002) (Abaddon was the drummer in 1979-1992 and 1995-1999)
Current occupation[Edit][]
The current occupation of Venom exists besides Cronos from:
- John "La Rage" Dixon – guitar (2007–present)
- Danny "Meme" Needham – drums (2009 – present)
Other members[Edit][]
Other band members have played in Venom[3] :
- Clive "Jesus Christ" Archer – vocals (1979–1980)
- Alan Winston-bass (1979)
- Mike "Mykvs" Hickey – guitar (1987 and 2005 – 2007)
- Jimmy Clare – guitar (1987)
- Tony "The Demolition Man" Dolan – vocals, bass (1988-1992)
- Alastair "" War Machine "Barnes – guitar (1988 – 1991)
(also known as "Al Barnes" and "Big Al")
- V.X.S.-Keyboard (1991-1992)
- Steve "War Maniac" White – guitar (1992)
- Anthony "Antton" Lant – drums (2000 – 2009)
(Antton is the brother of Cronos)
Live band members:
- Les Cheetham-Guitar (US tour 1985)
- Dave Irwin-Guitar (US tour 1985)
Discography[Edit][]
- Welcome to Hell (1981)
- Black Metal (1982)
- At War With Satan (1984)
- Possessed (1985)
- American Assault (ep; 1985)
- Canadian Assault (ep; 1985)
- From Hell to the Unknown (compilation) (1985)
- French Assault (ep; 1986)
- The Singles 1980-1986 (1986)
- Calm Before the Storm (1987)
- Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (1987)
- Prime Evil (1989)
- Tear Your Soul Apart (ep;)
- Acid Queen (1991)
- Temples of Ice (1991)
- The Book Of Armageddon (Best Of) (1992)
- The Waste Lands (1992)
- Kissing the Beast (1993)
- Skeletons in the Closet (1993)
- Old, New, Borrowed and Blue (1994)
- Venom ' 96 (1996)
- Cast in Stone (1997)
- Resurrection (2000)
- The Court Of Death (2000)
- Bits (2002)
- Witching Hour (2003)
- Seven Gates of Hell, the (2003) (Singles 1980-1985)
- Metal Black (2006)
- Hell (2008)
- Fallen Angels (2011)