Venom - Welcome To Hell review
| Band: | Venom |
| Album: | Welcome To Hell |
| Style: | First wave of black metal |
| Release date: | January 12, 1981 |
| Guest review by: | -tom- |
01. Sons Of Satan
02. Welcome To Hell
03. Schizo
04. Mayhem With Mercy
05. Poison
06. Live Like An Angel (Die Like A Devil)
07. Witching Hour
08. One Thousand Days In Sodom
09. Angel Dust
10. In League With Satan
11. Red Light Fever
2002 remastered re-release bonus tracks:
12. Angel Dust [From Lead Weight]
13. In League With Satan [7 version]
14. Live Like An Angel [7 version]
15. Bloodlust [7" Single]
16. In Nomine Satanas [7" Single]
17. Angel Dust [Demo]
18. Raise The Dead [Demo]
19. Red Light Fever [Demo]
20. Welcome To Hell [Demo]
21. Bitch Witch [Outtake]
22. Snots Shit [Outtake]
The first release by the godfathers of black metal. At the time of release few people would have predicted the impact this album would have. 11 Motorhead-influenced dirty thrash songs with lyrics about Satanism, hell and strangely a song about catching a sexually transmitted disease (poison). This may have been the album that started off the most evil sub-genre but it clearly isn't black metal. Venom were just having fun with the idea of Satanism in metal, an idea that had been started with claims that rock music encouraged violence and that some songs contained subliminal messages (e.g. stairway to heaven). Venom used this to their advantage to draw attention to their music. Who would have guessed that this would start off a new genre?
Although it sounds like it was recorded in a shed, this is an excellent album. Perhaps the awful quality of this recording is the reason that it has become compulsory for 'true' black metal bands to follow in the footsteps of their heroes. The raw sound of this album definitely made it feel a lot rougher and more extreme (can you imagine it properly produced?). This is where extreme metal of all forms started. Almost all early thrash, death and black metal bands claim that these guys are the reason that they play that style of music.
However, despite its legendary status and its influence on hundreds of black metal bands, it is recorded and produced extremely badly and the songs are pretty simple and often repetitive. The bad production can be blamed on the fact that this was recorded in 3 days as a demo but then released as a full-length album and the fact that 23 years ago recording technology was a lot less advanced. The simplicity and repetitiveness can be blamed on the fact that the band had only been together for a short time when this was recorded and they released much better albums later on.
The influence of Venom is still present in the black metal scene even after 20 years of evolving and mutating the sound and even if welcome to hell does sound aged now, it is still an excellent piece of metal history that deserves a place in any metal-heads collection.
Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
Comments
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Comments: 35
Visited by: 172 users
| Joey Jo Jo Piece of shit Posts: 2262  |
Sure, an album that influenced Celtic Frost and Bathory really needs praising. But I think it should end there. Early Venom isn't actually worth hearing IMO.
---- "If there hadn't been women we'd still be squatting in a cave eating raw meat, because we made civilization in order to impress our girl friends. And they tolerated it and let us go ahead and play with our toys." - Orson Welles
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| -tom- Mr FancyPants Posts: 3922  |
i wrote this review ages ago. i don't even like it anymore and traded it ages ago.
---- "This rudderless world is not shaped my metaphysical forces. It is not God who kills the children. Not fate that butchers them or destiny that feeds them to the dogs. It's us. Only us" Read Watchmen.
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| Joey Jo Jo Piece of shit Posts: 2262 |
Oh, sorry, I have a few reviews like that actually lol But I do think I needed to say it, for other people anyway.
---- "If there hadn't been women we'd still be squatting in a cave eating raw meat, because we made civilization in order to impress our girl friends. And they tolerated it and let us go ahead and play with our toys." - Orson Welles
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| Lucas Mr. Noise Elite Posts: 13427  |
I don't really like it either, but you know, it's history. So I thank them, and that's it. 
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what?  "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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| dither Account deleted |
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9723  |
I love this album. fun to listen to when your drunk and sloppy....just like the music, but sort of gets repetitive, but overall great album.
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| ThrashMetal_Rulz Account deleted |
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| Lowelas OF FIRE Account deleted |
Lowelas OF FIRE
Account deleted
This album slays!!!  I love the whole Speed / Heavy Metal / Rock N' Roll crossover [Motorhead also falls in that category], it always gets me in the mood for chugging down straight Jack Daniels  ! I think it's Venom's best album, surely it's an aquired taste, but I love it and though i kind ov strongly dislike the themes [cuz i don't believe in a devil and i find bands that stuff to be very immature] , i can dig it (so you know they're doing something right!) "Welcome To Hell" and "In League With Satan" are the standout tracks for me! Venom's first few albums kick my balls! HAIL!!
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| Hyvaarin Posts: 1487  |
This album is GODLY. It epitomises everything that is evil, dirty and dangerous (ie. the good bits) about rock and roll. If only bands today could reach such heights of wildness. I disagree about the "terrible" production, though. To my ears it is perfect.
---- "Summoned By Words Never Spoken Before..."
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| Uirapuru Liver Failure Posts: 2955  |
Historical album, huge influence... i have great respect for this work (every metal fan should have), but its not even close to be into my favorites... it is still very thrash, musically speaking (i dont care about the lyrics themes). Best songs are ''One Thousand Days In Sodom'', with great guitar solo, and ''Welcome to Hell'' with that amazing and historical riff: TANANAN NANAN NANAN NANAAAM!!! 
----  ---- member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
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| Valentin B Iconoclast Posts: 10096  |
Written by [user id=160] on 29.07.2007 at 00:59 what i've found by listening to their first 2 albums is that the only way to listen to Venom is to not take them seriously. "metal tenfold through the deadly black hole, riding hell stallions, bareback and free" who the hell can take that any seriously? they're a band that doesn't have any deep intellectual philosophy to their sound, they're like a much faster satanic version of Ac/Dc.
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| AngelOfDisease Posts: 71 |
Written by Valentin B on 24.02.2009 at 11:28 it's funny how this ridiculous band with awful musicians made so much history xD
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| Claydden Posts: 3  |
The other day I was listening to a band called "Raven" and on their first album, Rock Until You Drop, the song, "For the Future", is suspiciously similar to the song "Welcome to Hell" on this album. I just found that funny, especially because Raven released their album first.But I still really like this album, so much that I bought it on Vinyl! The poor production, shotty musicianship and crude lyrical themes somehow mix together to create a masterpiece. "Witching Hour"is definitely my favorite song!
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| metalheadpunk Account deleted |
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306  |
Written by [user id=115824] on 03.10.2011 at 20:01 How... What?
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| metalheadpunk Account deleted |
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by [user id=115824] on 03.10.2011 at 20:22 My bad, I thought you were being serious.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071  |
Written by [user id=115824] on 03.10.2011 at 20:22 Then what are Iron Maiden and Judas Priest?
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
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| metalheadpunk Account deleted |
metalheadpunk
Account deleted Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 03.10.2011 at 20:27 They weren't as heavy as Venom in '81, they were more on the lines of hard rock. But they did get heavier over time, especially when Maiden got Bruce Dickenson.
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 |
Trollfest, clearly. Either that or mr. metalheadpunk is totally clueless and not a metalheadpunk at all.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| @gent_-_orange Posts: 905  |
Written by [user id=115824] on 03.10.2011 at 20:31 Just because they were not as heavy as venom doesnt make them hard rock.
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| metalheadpunk Account deleted |
metalheadpunk
Account deleted Written by @gent_-_orange on 03.10.2011 at 22:45 Thats just my opinion man, you can think what you want.
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Awesome let's build a quote pyramid. -__-
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Angelic Storm Melodious Posts: 6675  |
Written by @gent_-_orange on 03.10.2011 at 22:45 Exactly. By that token, you could say that Slayer are hard rock because they aren't as heavy as Napalm Death. I really hope that "Venom started metal/Maiden, Priest, Sabbath are hard rock" is just trolling, because if not, that is one of the most ridiculous statements about metal music I've ever heard in my life.
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by Angelic Storm on 03.12.2011 at 09:23 Napalm Death are hard rock because Justin Bieber is heavier.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Angelic Storm Melodious Posts: 6675 |
Written by Troy Killjoy on 03.12.2011 at 09:24 But of course, that's why I don't listen to Justin Beiber... that level of extremity is just too much for me. 
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by I Eat God on 04.12.2011 at 20:54 Who are you trying to insult?
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Roman Doez Hallucigenia Posts: 993  |
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| John_Doe Posts: 5209  |
Written by Roman Doez on 11.11.2021 at 22:34 damn! Now I feel old. 
---- I thought the two primary purposes for the internet were cat memes and overreactions.
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| AndyMetalFreak A Nice Guy Contributor Posts: 5498  |
Written by Roman Doez on 11.11.2021 at 22:34 Damn your young! 
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