Venom
Welcome To Hell

THE REVIEW

Pioneers of Heavy as well as inventors of Black, the English Venom made their debut in 1981 with "Welcome To Hell,” a seminal debut album that would redefine the word “Metal,” changing it once and for all.
The three satanists, in fact, not only perfected the cocoon of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, which was taking shape at that time thanks to bands such as Saxon, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden, giving life to what would become the most beneficial movement for the evolution of Metal; they also shocked the minds of the conformists of the era with an undoubtedly poser attitude that nevertheless had its, let's call it, "charm" for the outcasts around the world, ready to be deluded by three guys dressed in leather and crooked crosses, which initially excited more of the Hard Rockers of the era for the clothing and behavior than for the music itself.
So, no more alleged satanic messages recorded backwards in the songs, devilish thank-yous written in tiny letters in the “Thanks To,” or poorly disguised infernal images on the covers: Venom launched their frontal assault, decorating themselves with crosses and crooked stars and using elements on stage such as Bibles that expected nothing more than to be burned. The lyrics, moreover, spoke far too clearly, with titles such as “Welcome To Hell,” “Black Metal,” “Kissing The Beast,” “At War With Satan,” and similar nonsense.
You will understand how I firmly oppose this kind of idiotic and useless attitude, but I am here to review the CD and not to tell you how idiotic these three shady characters are.
The music, the music. It’s what counts the most, ALWAYS.
The three were authors of music seen as “diabolical, blasphemous, and scandalous,” repeating yet again that rock was the music of the Devil and repeating what had already happened to the Rolling Stones with the song “Sympathy For The Devil” and even to the innocent Beatles, accused of having inspired another reputable person, such as Charles Manson, to murder the pregnant wife of Roman Polanski.
Music that, in any case, setting aside the lyrics momentarily, was absolutely Heavy, to the core, always and pleasingly Old School: thus, nothing too innovative, the true merit universally recognized to Venom was the invention of Black Metal, not even that important as far as I'm concerned, since I’d rather listen to the sound of a man defecating rather than “Satan Sex With Satan Kissing Satan Hail Satan Worship Satan” (Enough! Take inspiration from Chuck Schuldiner who also adored this group but, regarding the lyrics, thought exactly like me).
Pleasant, really pleasant (the music, I mean) and at times even really dark and obscure (Baura Baura Boglio la babbaaaaaaa!!!).
Great performance by Cronos on bass and blasphemous voice, while Mantas offers innovative riffs for the time, but which today feel like déjà vu.
Slightly underwhelming, in my opinion, is the drummer's performance, perhaps because, at those times, the drums had yet to undergo the radical evolution that came about three years later with the advent of Thrash.
Inspirational for all time to come, fast, pleasant, and dark: Dave Mustaine's favorite band sets conservative England ablaze with Heavy rhythms and strikes the prudish attention of moralists along with fellow Motorhead!
Ah, small note on the rating: musically and for the significance, the record deserves a 5, but since the lyrics are the most idiotic and stupid I’ve come across, I give it a still valid…