Description

A seminal influence on the evolution of thrash and black metal, Venom formed during the late '70s in Newcastle, England. Originally a five-piece group called Oberon, they eventually trimmed their lineup to a trio comprising singer/bassist Conrad "Cronos" Lant, guitarist Jeff "Mantas" Dunn, and drummer Tony "Abaddon" Bray. Influenced by the heavy intensity of Motörhead and the visual flash of Kiss, the newly rechristened Venom developed a dark, blistering sound which paved the way for the subsequent rise of thrash music; similarly, their macabre, proudly satanic image proved a major inspiration for the legions of black metal bands to appear in their wake, even lending the genre its name with the release of their 1982 sophomore LP, Black Metal. (Their debut, Welcome to Hell, preceded it by a year). Venom's third album, At War with Satan, followed in 1983, and two years later they released Possessed. After that the band struggled with several line-up changes but this compilation album features only material from the four first albums released by the classic three piece line-up of Abaddon, Mantas and Cronos Track listing: 1. Leave Me In Hell-from Black Metal 1982 2. Black Metal-from Black Metal 1982 3. Burn This Place To The Ground-from Possessed 1985 4. Buried Alive-from Black Metal 1982 5. Schizo-from Welcome To Hell 1981 6. Witching Hour-from Welcome To Hell 1981 7. Sons Of Satan-from Welcome To Hell 1981 8. Too Loud (For The Crowd) -from Possessed 1985 9. Welcome To Hell-from Welcome To Hell 1981 10. Satanachist-from Possessed 1985 11. Flytrap-from Possessed 1985 12. Teacher's Pet-from Black Metal 1982 13. Poison-from Welcome To Hell 1981 14. Hellchild-from Possessed 1985 15. Angel Dust-from Welcome To Hell 1981 16. Power Drive-from Possessed 1985