Venom
Hell

Arrives like a bolt from the blue the brand new discographic "opus" branded Venom, back on track with a reunion that will be (only) sensational in terms of live performances. On a compositional level, I would not say the same if I were to recall the memory of the previous "Metal Black", praised especially by those who have known how to accept even the many missteps of this band in the last decade, but not by me who found it completely lackluster and devoid of that necessary drive that would have allowed them to return to those levels to which they owe their consecration today.

Without taking anything away from the history of the English band, unfortunately the present work does nothing but confirm the lackluster creativity of the previous album, with tracks that have low expectations, freely circulating in a sort of thrash ‘n’ roll that, ultimately, turns out to be devoid of energy and incapable of avoiding copious yawns from the listener. All this has led, albeit partially, to the achievement of a single goal: obtaining a sound that is essentially rough, full-bodied and at the same time dynamic, with the backing of Cronos ready to take the lead and the new guitarist Rage seemingly much more equipped than the charismatic and historic Mantas. Beyond this, it lacks originality, compositional creativity, and the desire (I don't think it depends on their respective abilities) to write another high-caliber album.

Gurgling sulfur as needed, tracks like "Hand of God" (which remotely recalls the shocking atmospheres of "At War With Satan") "Evil Perfection", the tense "Kill The Music" and the significant "Armageddon", make up the decisive poker of tracks in an album that is still not up to the grim and historic fame of the English three-piece. Let’s say I wanted to pull as much "positive stuff" as possible from the work because, besides that, nothing deserves to be listened to. Especially if I were to talk about the album’s final part, in which fatigue, the loss of charisma and clarity that had made them protagonists on the global metal scene with their first unforgettable works are felt. The inventors of the divine "Black Metal" should stop continuing to produce these kinds of works. To tell the truth, in my opinion, it would be much better if their discographic career did not mark their latest poor works and fans should be the first to remember and appreciate them only for their first three masterpieces.

Finally, we need to keep in mind a rather ironic note. As we can easily see, this three-piece, especially from the Nineties onwards, has often granted us, alternately, a sufficient album with another almost honestly forgettable one. However, this curious affair has not even been respected, and consequently, after the non-prestigious "Metal Black" we face an even deeper disappointment branded, this time, "Hell".

The final impression they gave me was that I was facing a group that has done its time; I wouldn’t be surprised if in any case in 2010 I will still be here reviewing a new album branded Venom, titled, who knows, "Satan"?

...they have sprinkled raw ashes on their much-adored head of Satan...