Venom are an English heavy metal band formed in 1978 in Newcastle upon Tyne. Coming to prominence towards the end of the new wave of British heavy metal, Venom's first two albums—Welcome to Hell (1981) and Black Metal (1982)—are considered a major influence on thrash metal and extreme metal in general.Venom's second album proved influential enough that its title was used as the name of an extreme metal subgenre: black metal.
Venom's original personnel came from three different bands: Guillotine, Oberon and Dwarf Star. The original Guillotine featured Jeffrey Dunn and Dave Rutherford on guitars, Dean Heward on bass guitar, Dave Blackman on vocals and Chris Mercater on drums who replaced Paul Burke, the original drummer when the band was founded. Blackman and Mercater were later also replaced by drummer Anthony Bray (b. 17 September 1957 in Jarrow, Tyne and Wear) and vocalist Clive Archer of Oberon after due to not living up to the expectations of Paul Burke on drums, and later on Dean Heward was replaced by Alan Winston on bass. Around that time a number of personnel changes occurred. Clive Archer, Eric Cooke, Tony Bray and Ian Kell formed a band called Venom while working at Reyrolles. Ian Kell was replaced in summer of 1978 and went on to play in folk band "Kropotkin Lied" In the late autumn of 1979 Conrad Lant, from the bands Dwarf Star and Album Graecum, replaced Dave Rutherford. Lant later switched to bass after the departure of Winston. The band members took on new stage names. Archer became "Jesus Christ", Lant "Mr. Cronos", Tony Bray "Abaddon", and Jeff Dunn "Mantas".
Prime influences of the formative band were Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Motörhead and KISS. Other musicians that have influenced Venom are Deep Purple, Sex Pistols, the Who, the Tubes, Van Halen, the Rolling Stones and Elvis Presley.
Since the beginning of their career, Venom have often used 'Satanic' lyrics and imagery. However, the band were not Satanists, and such references were mostly for shock value.
In April 1980, the band recorded a four-song disc.Soon after, six more tracks were recorded for just £50, with Lant taking vocal duties on the song "Live Like an Angel". Archer soon left the band, and Venom's line-up became a trio.
Classic lineup (1981–1986)
Venom's recording debut was the 1981 single "In League with Satan"/"Live Like an Angel" which was released by Neat Records. Later that year they released their full-length debut, Welcome to Hell.
Though crudely recorded with sometimes dubious musicianship, Welcome to Hell was still a big influence on future thrash bands. Venom's music was faster and harsher than most heavy metal contemporaries and while Satanism and other dark topics had been featured in metal before, the subject had rarely been more prominent. Lant was quoted as saying that this celebration of evil subjects was inspired by the perceived need to out-do musicians like Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath, who would "sing about evil things and dark figures, and then spoil it all by going: 'Oh, no, no, please, God, help me!'"
Their second album, 1982's Black Metal is cited as perhaps the most important influence in the development of black metal, thrash metal, death metal, and other related styles that are often grouped under the extreme metal umbrella.Many defining elements of these genres are first found in the lyrics and song titles created by Lant and his unique singing style as well as the guitar work and solos performed by Dunn. Though neither of Venom's first two albums sold well upon their original release, they inspired cult followings to this day. While many of their British metal peers (like Iron Maiden) had found measures of popular success or critical acclaim, or (like Def Leppard, were moving away from metal towards hard rock), Venom were still regarded by critics as "a trio of buffoons".
In an attempt to prove their status as serious musicians, Venom recorded At War with Satan in 1984. The epic 20-minute title track, with substantial progressive rock influences, took up the first side of the LP. The B-side was focused on the rapid-fire, three-minute "scorchers" Venom were known for, including "Stand Up And Be Counted". A live video, The Seventh Date of Hell: Live At Hammersmith Odeon, was also released that year. In 1985, Venom released their fourth studio album, Possessed, which was not as successful as their previous albums. By this time Venom had released several singles (Warhead, Die Hard and Manitou to name a few) and live EPs (The Assault Series including Canadian Assault, American Assault and French Assault). Cronos and Abaddon appeared on the Combat Tour Live: The Ultimate Revenge video with Slayer and Exodus. Dunn then left the band to pursue a solo career. Cronos cites the Possessed album as underestimated. "I don't think there's any songs that are kind of overlooked, I just think some songs maybe weren't recorded as well as we could have recorded them. Like say for example on the 'Possessed' album, I still think there are great songs". A live album, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, and a second live video, Alive in '85, were released in 1986.
Lineup changes and departure of Conrad Lant (1987–1995)
Two guitarists, Mike Hickey and Jim Clare, were hired to replace Dunn. Their fifth album, 1987's Calm Before the Storm, moved away from Satanic themes in favor of "sword and sorcery" material. This was even less successful than Possessed, and Lant, Clare and Hickey all left Venom after subsequent touring to form Lant's eponymous solo band Cronos.
Bray was left as the only group member, but he was able to convince Music for Nations for a deal to release a new Venom album on the Under One Flag label, using Deadline demo tracks which were recorded with previous line-ups but never released. In 1988, Bray offered a vocals/bass role to Tony Dolan (The Demolition Man) from Atomkraft. Bray and Dolan wrote new material prior to Dunn's rejoining the band along with rhythm guitarist Al Barnes. Together they recorded Prime Evil (1989), Tear Your Soul Apart (1990) and Temples of Ice (1991). Barnes then left the band, and Steve White from Atomkraft was hired as his replacement. They released The Waste Lands in 1992, also without success. Music for Nations refused to release any more Venom albums, so Dolan and Dunn quit, effectively disbanding Venom. Bray continued to release compilation and live albums up to 1995. Nonetheless, Dolan, Dunn and Bray continued performing as a trio.
Reunion of classic lineup (1995–1999)
In 1995, Lant, Dunn and Bray reunited the "classic" line-up, beginning by headlining the Waldrock Festival on 24 June 1995. They recorded and self-released the Venom '96 EP with four re-recorded and one new song, resulting in a record deal with the SPV label. Following this was a live CD/video box set, The Second Coming, composed entirely of songs from their classic era such as "Welcome To Hell," "Countess Bathory," "In Nomine Satanas" and "Black Metal". An album, Cast in Stone, was next released in 1997, split between new material and re-recordings of popular early-'80s songs.
Recent work (1999–present)
Bray left Venom in 1999 and was replaced by Lant's brother Antony "Antton" Lant. This lineup released Resurrection in 2000 on SPV. However, in 2002 Dunn again left the group and was replaced by a returning Hickey. In late 2005, Venom released a career-spanning 4-disc box set MMV, which includes an exclusive mini-poster of the band's seven-date tour of Europe with Metallica and a 60-page picture book, with interviews and pictures. The set includes all their best-known songs, along with rarities like live tracks, demos and outtakes. This lineup of the band released the Metal Black album.
Hickey was replaced by guitarist La Rage in 2007. This lineup released the record Hell the following year. Antton Lant left the group thereafter to concentrate on his band DEF-CON-ONE and was replaced by drummer Danny "Dante" Needham. They released the Fallen Angels album on 28 November 2011.
Venom released their fourteenth studio album From the Very Depths on 27 January 2015. The band also played one song, "Rise", they were working on in the studio, live for the audience at Rockfest 2014.
A three-track EP,100 Miles to Hell, was released on 22 December 2017 via Spinefarm Records.
In 2014, former Venom members Mantas and Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan decided to start up a new band titled Venom Inc. Later, another former Venom member Abaddon was added to the line-up.
On 3 February 2017, Venom Inc. signed with Nuclear Blast and released their first album, Avé, on 11 August 2017. The two singles off the album were, "Dein Fleisch" and "Ave Satanas".
Venom are an English heavy metal band formed in 1978 in Newcastle upon Tyne. Coming to prominence towards the end of the new wave of British heavy metal, Venom's first two albums—Welcome to Hell (1981) and Black Metal (1982)—are considered a major influence on thrash metal and extreme metal in general.Venom's second album proved influential enough that its title was used as the name of an extreme metal subgenre: black metal.
Venom's original personnel came from three different bands: Guillotine, Oberon and Dwarf Star. The original Guillotine featured Jeffrey Dunn and Dave Rutherford on guitars, Dean Heward on bass guitar, Dave Blackman on vocals and Chris Mercater on drums who replaced Paul Burke, the original drummer when the band was founded. Blackman and Mercater were later also replaced by drummer Anthony Bray (b. 17 September 1957 in Jarrow, Tyne and Wear) and vocalist Clive Archer of Oberon after due to not living up to the expectations of Paul Burke on drums, and later on Dean Heward was replaced by Alan Winston on bass. Around that time a number of personnel changes occurred. Clive Archer, Eric Cooke, Tony Bray and Ian Kell formed a band called Venom while working at Reyrolles. Ian Kell was replaced in summer of 1978 and went on to play in folk band "Kropotkin Lied" In the late autumn of 1979 Conrad Lant, from the bands Dwarf Star and Album Graecum, replaced Dave Rutherford. Lant later switched to bass after the departure of Winston. The band members took on new stage names. Archer became "Jesus Christ", Lant "Mr. Cronos", Tony Bray "Abaddon", and Jeff Dunn "Mantas".
Prime influences of the formative band were Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Motörhead and KISS. Other musicians that have influenced Venom are Deep Purple, Sex Pistols, the Who, the Tubes, Van Halen, the Rolling Stones and Elvis Presley.
Since the beginning of their career, Venom have often used 'Satanic' lyrics and imagery. However, the band were not Satanists, and such references were mostly for shock value.
In April 1980, the band recorded a four-song disc.Soon after, six more tracks were recorded for just £50, with Lant taking vocal duties on the song "Live Like an Angel". Archer soon left the band, and Venom's line-up became a trio.
Classic lineup (1981–1986)
Venom's recording debut was the 1981 single "In League with Satan"/"Live Like an Angel" which was released by Neat Records. Later that year they released their full-length debut, Welcome to Hell.
Though crudely recorded with sometimes dubious musicianship, Welcome to Hell was still a big influence on future thrash bands. Venom's music was faster and harsher than most heavy metal contemporaries and while Satanism and other dark topics had been featured in metal before, the subject had rarely been more prominent. Lant was quoted as saying that this celebration of evil subjects was inspired by the perceived need to out-do musicians like Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath, who would "sing about evil things and dark figures, and then spoil it all by going: 'Oh, no, no, please, God, help me!'"
Their second album, 1982's Black Metal is cited as perhaps the most important influence in the development of black metal, thrash metal, death metal, and other related styles that are often grouped under the extreme metal umbrella.Many defining elements of these genres are first found in the lyrics and song titles created by Lant and his unique singing style as well as the guitar work and solos performed by Dunn. Though neither of Venom's first two albums sold well upon their original release, they inspired cult followings to this day. While many of their British metal peers (like Iron Maiden) had found measures of popular success or critical acclaim, or (like Def Leppard, were moving away from metal towards hard rock), Venom were still regarded by critics as "a trio of buffoons".
In an attempt to prove their status as serious musicians, Venom recorded At War with Satan in 1984. The epic 20-minute title track, with substantial progressive rock influences, took up the first side of the LP. The B-side was focused on the rapid-fire, three-minute "scorchers" Venom were known for, including "Stand Up And Be Counted". A live video, The Seventh Date of Hell: Live At Hammersmith Odeon, was also released that year. In 1985, Venom released their fourth studio album, Possessed, which was not as successful as their previous albums. By this time Venom had released several singles (Warhead, Die Hard and Manitou to name a few) and live EPs (The Assault Series including Canadian Assault, American Assault and French Assault). Cronos and Abaddon appeared on the Combat Tour Live: The Ultimate Revenge video with Slayer and Exodus. Dunn then left the band to pursue a solo career. Cronos cites the Possessed album as underestimated. "I don't think there's any songs that are kind of overlooked, I just think some songs maybe weren't recorded as well as we could have recorded them. Like say for example on the 'Possessed' album, I still think there are great songs". A live album, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, and a second live video, Alive in '85, were released in 1986.
Lineup changes and departure of Conrad Lant (1987–1995)
Two guitarists, Mike Hickey and Jim Clare, were hired to replace Dunn. Their fifth album, 1987's Calm Before the Storm, moved away from Satanic themes in favor of "sword and sorcery" material. This was even less successful than Possessed, and Lant, Clare and Hickey all left Venom after subsequent touring to form Lant's eponymous solo band Cronos.
Bray was left as the only group member, but he was able to convince Music for Nations for a deal to release a new Venom album on the Under One Flag label, using Deadline demo tracks which were recorded with previous line-ups but never released. In 1988, Bray offered a vocals/bass role to Tony Dolan (The Demolition Man) from Atomkraft. Bray and Dolan wrote new material prior to Dunn's rejoining the band along with rhythm guitarist Al Barnes. Together they recorded Prime Evil (1989), Tear Your Soul Apart (1990) and Temples of Ice (1991). Barnes then left the band, and Steve White from Atomkraft was hired as his replacement. They released The Waste Lands in 1992, also without success. Music for Nations refused to release any more Venom albums, so Dolan and Dunn quit, effectively disbanding Venom. Bray continued to release compilation and live albums up to 1995. Nonetheless, Dolan, Dunn and Bray continued performing as a trio.
Reunion of classic lineup (1995–1999)
In 1995, Lant, Dunn and Bray reunited the "classic" line-up, beginning by headlining the Waldrock Festival on 24 June 1995. They recorded and self-released the Venom '96 EP with four re-recorded and one new song, resulting in a record deal with the SPV label. Following this was a live CD/video box set, The Second Coming, composed entirely of songs from their classic era such as "Welcome To Hell," "Countess Bathory," "In Nomine Satanas" and "Black Metal". An album, Cast in Stone, was next released in 1997, split between new material and re-recordings of popular early-'80s songs.
Recent work (1999–present)
Bray left Venom in 1999 and was replaced by Lant's brother Antony "Antton" Lant. This lineup released Resurrection in 2000 on SPV. However, in 2002 Dunn again left the group and was replaced by a returning Hickey. In late 2005, Venom released a career-spanning 4-disc box set MMV, which includes an exclusive mini-poster of the band's seven-date tour of Europe with Metallica and a 60-page picture book, with interviews and pictures. The set includes all their best-known songs, along with rarities like live tracks, demos and outtakes. This lineup of the band released the Metal Black album.
Hickey was replaced by guitarist La Rage in 2007. This lineup released the record Hell the following year. Antton Lant left the group thereafter to concentrate on his band DEF-CON-ONE and was replaced by drummer Danny "Dante" Needham. They released the Fallen Angels album on 28 November 2011.
Venom released their fourteenth studio album From the Very Depths on 27 January 2015. The band also played one song, "Rise", they were working on in the studio, live for the audience at Rockfest 2014.
A three-track EP,100 Miles to Hell, was released on 22 December 2017 via Spinefarm Records.
In 2014, former Venom members Mantas and Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan decided to start up a new band titled Venom Inc. Later, another former Venom member Abaddon was added to the line-up.
On 3 February 2017, Venom Inc. signed with Nuclear Blast and released their first album, Avé, on 11 August 2017. The two singles off the album were, "Dein Fleisch" and "Ave Satanas".
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