If I had to make a list of bands that give me a bit of a scare (seriously), I would have to crown Venom. Without getting lost in chatter, throwing down the usual lines about how this band "invented" black metal (a genre that honestly doesn't fascinate me at all), I'll get straight to the point with my two-bit explanations. Venom came from the trash, became famous by mixing punk nonsense with formulas extracted from the little satanist's manual, and created great turmoil without really knowing much, but expressed through their ramblings more than they intended to.
Putting aside suicidal depression, enchanted groves, and freshly straightened tender hair, Venom smoked cigars and acted tough with motorcycles, concluding that Cronos, Abaddon, and Mantas could only do two things in life: either form Venom or sweep trash for the rest of their lives. Fortunately, it was the former fate that prevailed.
"Possessed" is the least considered Venom album. But personally, having accidentally listened to the band's latest works, I have to inevitably think that records like this are what I miss nowadays.
Ok, "Black Metal" and "Welcome to Hell" were on another planet, but even here we can listen to a lot of good material. They were this: a muddy rock n roll, extracted from its nature and made heavy and confusing. That was their style, and the fact that they recorded an album very similar to past works was not warmly welcomed by the public. I always find myself making the Venom - Ramones analogy, both bands adopted such an immediate and distinctive style that they became trapped in it; by changing it, the audience is traumatized, by staying the same, the audience gets bored to the point of snubbing good recordings like this "Possessed."
It is not true that they play tracks discarded from past works here; I hear a monstrous improvement on the execution side and a greater dark - progressive line (every now and then I love to throw in some absurd term). Abaddon is much more precise, and Mantas expresses technically much more than he managed to do in the past, the only one slightly demotivated in this whole story is Cronos, but with this, I certainly don't want to blame him for having put on a bad performance.
In my humble investigator's side, I believe that this work was one of the most plagiarized by Venom, as many bands have found excellent riffs to steal given the validity of the tracks and the album's limited distribution.
Among the standout tracks, I would highlight "Satanachist," "Mystique," "Too Loud," or "Possessed," but the fact is that I appreciate every single track.
In conclusion, I recommend everyone to dust off this album, perhaps ignoring the opinion of others, you will find listening a real pleasure in the "old Venom" style.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 Satanachist (02:43)
I preach the ways of Satan
Answer to his calls
I translate manuscripts
On ancient Latin scrolls
In my shrine, my avernus
I see the gates of Hell
Guarded well by Chronozon
Tortured souls do dwell
Satanachist
Satanachist
I mount the virgin Venus
Plague the blackened seas
I am the souls destructor
Marching without fear
The night is filled with souls
In coral exctasy
The saraband of death
Will always follow me
Satanachist
Satanachist
I bear the evil eye
Possess the unbidden
I'll bring your dead alive
And chew your flesh from bone
I stalk through life and death
With Gorgon for my gaze
I breath the immortal pain
Beware the human race
Satanachist
Satanachist
06 Possessed (04:50)
Look at my eyes and you will see
Fire is burning inside of me
Fire it burns
Fire it burns
Look at the children
Look at my eyes
Look at me Satans child
Born of evil thus defiled
Brought to life through Satanic birth
Raised in Hell to live on Earth
Come look at me and I'll show you
Things that will open your eyes
Come listen to me and I'll tell you
Things that will sicken your mind
We drink the vomit of the priests
Make love with the dying whore
We suck the blood of the beast
And hold the key to deaths door
Through many a tormented night prevail
Thy excorsions can but fail
Though crucifix doth durn my flesh
I shall not yield to you unless I die!
I am possessed by all that is evil
The death of your God I demand!
I spit at the virgin you worship
And sit at my lord Satan's left hand
I care not for the priests who are crying
I answer to Baphomet's call
A cry for help from the dying
Means nothing to me at all
I am decreed by lord Satan's fine evil
To destroy what all mortals love most
Satan is my master incarnate
Hail praise to my unholy host
Look at my eyes!
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By Jeff666
Let's say it came out at the wrong time; In 1985, Thrash was making a name for itself worldwide, and the general enthusiasm for this new musical extremism ended up relegating the three British devils to oblivion.
What are you waiting for? Make it yours along with the previous 3 albums: Possessed is Venom 100%.