Venom
Hell

Yes, I know, there was already a review of "Hell": duplicates are quite annoying, especially when they add nothing new, but in any case, they are useful to refresh the memory and bring forgotten albums back to the surface (rightly or wrongly).

In this case, I would like to break more than a few spears in favor of this 2008 Venom, treated in an extremely negative way by the previous review, which essentially highlights the trio's lack of originality and meager songwriting skills, inviting them to stop releasing albums. Let's start with this last statement. As far as I know, this type of sound, rough, dirty, raw, and decidedly unharmonious, was invented by them, Venom, back in the early, now distant, 1980s. Before them, the most extreme were Motorhead, who, however, had bluesy nuances that these ugly faces from Newcastle lack entirely.

"Welcome to hell" and "Black metal," thunderous casts of concrete for the sound that would become of every black metal group, are infernal exhaust gas right in the face, with Motorhead a distant memory. With these premises, any group is legitimized to propose its music eternally if it wants to, and especially if it has been a great example for posterity. This was the case for Venom; musicians have succeeded each other, but inspiration and impact have waned, yet they always maintained decorum and dignity, as well as immense respect for their illustrious past and their status as "founding fathers." As to originality, we are certainly not faced with people who changed sound with each album, so why should we be scandalized if, after a period where there was an attempt at modernization, our band returns with a simple and noisy "Hell"? Even the cover is always the same, the usual trademark! Finally, the "copious yawns" cited by the fellow reviewer Darkhaem... Let's not exaggerate.

The CD is lengthy, over 50 minutes for such a direct offering as this, moreover in a career in decline, it's a real gamble, and some tracks (the longer ones) dawdle a bit too much before ending, but denying the power of "Straight to Hell" seems very difficult to me. The call to bygone times is evident, the production is better than back then but remains nice and thick and enveloping, how that bass pounds courtesy of our Cronos... And the voice? Unmistakable, thunderous (at times even pure growl), with peaks of hysteria and a rough mood that makes tracks like "Stab U in the back" more than acceptable despite the failed rapper's slang. Besides, monolithic, yes, but in this album, there are rhythm variations within the same track, and for Venom, if it's not a revolution, it's pretty close. The drummer Antton, Cronos's brother, has continued to beef up the sound with confusing double bass drum inserts that could faintly recall the Priest of the nineties. Positive note for guitarist La Rage, in his first trial with the historic group, who shows himself solidly attached to tradition but varied enough in his work, noteworthy are the electrifying "Kill the music" and "USA for Satan," outrageously over-the-top that puts a grin on your face for its entire duration.

In short, nothing exceptional, nothing new under the sun, but we should not blame them: Venom—just like the Maiden and other seniors—have already given, they have radically innovated the genre. Now it is up to the young to make the revolution. And if they can't, then welcome the old guard, at least they are owed respect.