Venom (band)

{{short description|British heavy metal band}} {{more citations needed|date=December 2016}} {{EngvarB|date=August 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Venom | image = Venom at Party.San Metal Open Air 2013.jpg | caption = Lant and Dixon performing in 2013 | landscape = yes | origin = Newcastle upon Tyne, England | genre = {{flatlist| * Heavy metal * speed metal * {{nowrap|thrash metal}} * first-wave black metal}} | years_active = {{flatlist| * 1978–1992 * 1995–2002 * 2005–present}} | alias = {{flatlist| * Guillotine (1978) * {{nobreak|Dwarfstar (1978–1979)}} }} | label = {{flatlist| *Spinefarm *Neat *Filmtrax *Under One Flag *Combat *SPV *Sanctuary *Castle}} | spinoffs = {{flatlist| * Cronos * Venom Inc.}} | website = {{URL|venomslegions.com}} | current_members = * Conrad "Cronos" Lant * Stuart "Rage" Dixon * Danny "Dante" Needham | past_members = * Jeffrey "Mantas" Dunn * Anthony "Abaddon" Bray * Clive "Jesus Christ" Archer * Mike "Mykvs" Hickey * Jim Clare * Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan * Al Barnes * Trevor "V.X.S" Sewell * Steve "War Maniac" White * Anthony "Antton" Lant }}

'''Venom''' are an English heavy metal band formed in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1978. Coming to prominence towards the end of the new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM), Venom's first two albums, ''Welcome to Hell'' (1981) and ''Black Metal'' (1982), are considered major influences on black metal, thrash metal and extreme metal in general.<ref name="Kahn-Harris">Kahn-Harris, Keith. [https://books.google.com/books?id=9--qAVrfxukC&pg=PA2 ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'']. Oxford: Berg, 2007. {{ISBN|1-84520-399-2}}.</ref> Their second album proved influential enough that its title was used as the name of the black metal genre; as a result, Venom were part of the first wave of the genre, along with Mercyful Fate and Bathory.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://heavymetalculture.com/10-metal-bands-that-broke-up-too-soon/ |title=Heavy Metal Culture – 10 Metal Bands that Broke Up too Soon |website=Heavy Metal Culture |date=4 July 2021 |access-date=February 9, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.heavymusichq.com/essential-black-metal-albums/ |title=Essential Black Metal Albums |website=Heavy Music Headquarters |date=23 November 2020 |access-date=February 7, 2021}}</ref>

==History== ===Early years (1978–1981)=== Venom were formed in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1978.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mn0000315403 | title=Venom Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More | website=AllMusic }}</ref><ref name="Kahn-Harris" /> The original personnel came from three different bands: Guillotine, Oberon and Dwarfstar. The original Guillotine featured Jeff "Mantas" Dunn and Dave Rutherford on guitars, Dean Hewitt on bass guitar, Dave Blackman on vocals, and Chris Mercater on drums who replaced Paul Burke, the original drummer when the band was founded. Blackman and Mercater were later also replaced by drummer Anthony Bray and vocalist Clive Archer. Later, Hewitt was replaced by Alan Winston on bass. In late 1978, Conrad Lant joined Guillotine replacing Dave Rutherford. Lant later switched to bass after the departure of Winston. The band members took on new stage names. Archer became "Jesus Christ", Lant "Cronos", Bray "Abaddon", and Dunn "Mantas". The band name then changed in 1979 to Venom when a roadie suggested the name change.

At the beginning of their career, Venom were playing cover songs of Motörhead and Judas Priest. After Cronos joined, he introduced the subjects of the dark arts, and then often used "Satanic" lyrics and imagery. However, such references were mostly for shock value.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Moynihan |first1=Michael |last2=Søderlind |first2=Didrik |year=2003 |orig-year=1998 |title=Lords of Chaos: The Bloody Rise of the Satanic Metal Underground |edition=revised and expanded |publisher=Feral House |page=13}}</ref><ref name=torreano>Bradley Torreano: [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=n-league-with-satan-mw0000222491|pure_url=yes}} "In League with Satan - Venom"]. AllMusic. Retrieved 24 January 2013.</ref>

In late 1979, Lant introduced the band to his original artwork designs for the Venom logo and Satanic images, and he later created the artwork and designs used on the Venom record sleeves. He also introduced his original song ideas as he did not want to keep playing the same cover songs, and with Dunn he began writing new songs for the band. Lant had already composed songs like "Sons of Satan", "Bloodlust" and "Welcome to Hell", while Dunn had begun to compose songs like "Angel Dust", "Red Light Fever", "Buried Alive", "Raise the Dead" and "Live Like an Angel, Die Like a Devil", with Dunn providing the guitar and Cronos writing the lyrics. Dunn and Lant redefined together these songs with a mutual collaboration and then, after a few weeks, Lant recorded a rehearsal session on a basic cassette recorder which he played for the label he worked for, although as the band rehearsed in an old church hall the sound was not good. In April 1980, Lant was able to persuade the label to give him some free studio time and the band recorded a three-song demo. Soon after, six more tracks were recorded for just £50, with Lant taking vocal duties on the song "Live Like an Angel". Archer then left the band, and Venom's line-up became a trio.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rock & Metal in My Blood |website=Rock & Metal in My Blood |url=https://www.rockandmetalinmyblood.com/interviste/venom-inc-interview/189 |access-date=4 January 2019}}</ref>

===Classic line-up (1981–1986)=== Venom's professional recording debut was the 1981 single "In League with Satan / Live Like an Angel", which was released by Neat Records. Later that year they released their full-length debut album, ''Welcome to Hell''.

''Welcome to Hell'' was a big influence on future thrash bands. Venom's music was faster and harsher than most heavy metal contemporaries and while Satanism and other dark topics had been featured in metal before, the subject had rarely been more prominent. Lant was quoted as saying that this celebration of evil subjects was inspired by the perceived need to outdo musicians like Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath, who would "sing about evil things and dark figures, and then spoil it all by going: 'Oh, no, no, please, God, help me!'"<ref name=allmusic.com>[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=mmv-mw0000352112|pure_url=yes}} "MMV: Review by James Christopher Monger"]. AllMusic. Retrieved 24 January 2013.</ref>

Their second album, 1982's ''Black Metal'', is cited as perhaps the most important influence in the development of black metal, thrash metal, death metal, and other related styles that are often grouped under the extreme metal umbrella.<ref name=Kahn-Harris/> Many defining elements of these genres are first found in the lyrics and song titles created by Lant, his unique singing style and larger than life presence. Venom's first two albums inspired cult followings to this day. While many of their new wave of British heavy metal peers (like Iron Maiden) had found measures of popular success or critical acclaim, or (like Def Leppard) were moving away from heavy metal towards hard rock, Venom were still regarded by critics as "a trio of buffoons".<ref>{{cite web |title=At War with Satan: Review by Eduardo Rivadavia |work=AllMusic |url={{AllMusic |class=album |id=at-war-with-satan-mw0000196214 |pure_url=yes}} |access-date=26 May 2010}}</ref>

In 1984, Venom released their third album ''At War with Satan'', featuring an epic 20-minute title track, with substantial influences of many different musical styles, which took up the first side of the album. The title track written by Lant, was a deliberate way for him to rebuff the critics who said Venom could not play. The B-side was focused on the rapid-fire, three-minute "scorchers" Venom were known for, including "Stand Up and Be Counted". A live video, ''The 7th Date of Hell Venom Live at Hammersmith Odeon'', was also released that year. In 1985, Venom released their fourth studio album, ''Possessed'', which was recorded in a stately home, and saw a band enjoying their success with different chefs being flown in every day during the album's recording, lavish parties of sex, drugs and rock n' roll. By this time Venom had released several singles ("Warhead", "Die Hard" and "Manitou" among others) and live EPs (''The Assault Series'' including ''Canadian Assault'', ''American Assault'' and ''French Assault''). That same year, Venom toured with Slayer and Exodus on the Ultimate Revenge Tour.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pratt |first=Greg |date=2017-02-22 |title=That Tour Was Awesome: Ultimate Revenge Tour, Venom/Slayer/Exodus (1985) |url=https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2017/02/22/that-tour-was-awesome-ultimate-revenge-tour-venom-slayer-and-exodus/ |access-date=2025-05-20 |website=Decibel Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>

Cronos believes ''Possessed'' to be underestimated: "I don't think there's any songs that are kind of overlooked, I just think some songs maybe weren't recorded as well as we could have recorded them. Like say for example on the ''Possessed'' album, I still think there are great songs."<ref name="Lords of Metal (editor: Ramon van H.)">{{cite web |author1=Ramon |title=Lords of Metal interview with Cronos of Venom by Ramon van H |work=Lords of Metal |publisher=Lordsofmetal.nl |url=http://www.lordsofmetal.nl/en/interviews/view/id/4082 |access-date=11 October 2013}}</ref>

During March and April 1986, Venom were supposed to record their fifth album, ''Deadline'', but internal relationships began to deteriorate. A live album, ''Eine Kleine Nachtmusik'', and a second live video, ''Alive in '85'', were released in 1986. Dunn then left the band to release a solo album.

===Temporary break-up and Tony Dolan era (1987–1995)=== thumb|Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan ''(pictured in 2013)'' fronted the band from 1988 to 1992. Two guitarists, Mike Hickey and Jim Clare, were hired to replace Dunn. Their fifth album, 1987's ''Calm Before the Storm'', moved away from Satanic themes in favour of "sword and sorcery" material.<ref>[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=calm-before-the-storm-mw0000195270|pure_url=yes}} "Calm Before the Storm: Review by Steve Huey"]. AllMusic. Retrieved 24 January 2013.</ref> This was a new direction for Venom, although it did not last long, with only a short Japanese and Brazilian tour in 1986, so the band decided to split, and Lant, Clare and Hickey all left to form Lant's solo band, Cronos.

Bray was left as the only group member, but he was able to convince Music for Nations for a deal to release a new Venom album on the Under One Flag label, using ''Deadline'' demo tracks which were recorded with previous line-ups but never released. In 1988, Bray offered a vocals/bass role to Tony Dolan (The Demolition Man) from Atomkraft. Bray and Dolan wrote new material prior to Dunn's rejoining the band along with rhythm guitarist Al Barnes. Together they recorded ''Prime Evil'' (1989), the EP ''Tear Your Soul Apart'' (1990) and ''Temples of Ice'' (1991). Barnes then left the band, and Steve White from Atomkraft was hired as his replacement. They released ''The Waste Lands'' in 1992, also without success. Music for Nations refused to release any more Venom albums, so Dolan and Dunn quit, effectively disbanding Venom. Bray continued to release compilation and live albums up to 1995. Nonetheless, Dolan, Dunn and Bray continued performing as a trio.

===Reunion and new releases (1995–present)=== [[File:Venom live at hellfest.jpg|thumb|left|Venom at Hellfest 2008]]

In 1995, Lant, Dunn and Bray reunited the "classic" line-up, beginning by headlining the Waldrock Festival on 24 June 1995. They recorded and self-released the ''Venom '96'' EP with four re-recorded old tracks and one new song, resulting in a record deal with the SPV label. Following this was a live CD/video box set, ''The Second Coming'', composed entirely of songs from their classic era such as "Welcome to Hell", "Countess Bathory", "In Nomine Satanas" and "Black Metal". An album, ''Cast in Stone'', was next released in 1997, split between two discs which was one of all new material and the other with re-recordings of popular early-1980s songs.

By 1999, internal conflicts in the band delayed production of the second album in their deal with SPV. Band manager Eric Cook and Abaddon decided not to work with Cronos again. Abaddon wrote a letter to Cronos, with the intent of firing him. In response, Cronos communicated the situation to SPV. The record company refused to work with Venom if Cronos was not part of the line-up. Cronos answered Abaddon telling him: "You can't kick the Devil out of hell, I'm firing you!"<ref>{{cite web |date=24 October 2012 |title=Venom: Centuries of sin |url=https://vs-baronin.livejournal.com/432596.html|website=Vs-barnin.livejournal.com |access-date=4 January 2019}}</ref> Despite this, the band tried to invite Abaddon to play with them again but Bray did not want to perform on the album and he was replaced by Conrad Lant's younger brother, Anton. This line-up released ''Resurrection'' in 2000 on SPV. However, in 2002 Dunn was next to leave the group and Lant replaced him with an American guitarist, Mike Hickey, who had already taken part in the 1987 release, ''Calm Before the Storm'', and Cronos solo albums. In late 2005, Venom released a career-spanning four-disc box set, ''MMV'', which includes an exclusive mini-poster of the band's seven-date tour of Europe with Metallica and a 60-page picture book, with interviews and pictures. The set includes all their best-known songs, along with rarities like live tracks, demos and outtakes. This line-up of the band released the ''Metal Black'' album in 2006.

In 2007, Mike Hickey left the band and guitarist Stuart "Rage" Dixon joined the band and this line-up released the record ''Hell'' the following year. In 2009, drummer Danny "Dante" Needham joined the band and Lant wrote that this would be known as "The Epic Line-Up of Venom", and they set off on a full South American tour. After headlining festivals around the world for the next couple of years gaining in popularity, they released the ''Fallen Angels'' album on 28 November 2011. [[File:Venom (Brutal Assault 2014).jpg|thumb|Venom perform at Brutal Assault 2014]]

Venom released their fourteenth studio album, ''From the Very Depths'', on 27 January 2015.<ref>{{cite web |title=Venom To Release 'From The Very Depths' Album in January |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/venom-to-release-from-the-very-depths-album-in-january/ |access-date=26 November 2013}}</ref> The band also played one song, "Rise", they were working on in the studio, live for the audience at Rockfest 2014.<ref>{{cite web |title=Venom Putting Finishing Touches on New Album |date=7 July 2013 |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/venom-putting-finishing-touches-on-new-album/ |access-date=6 November 2013}}</ref>

Venom released a three-track EP, ''100 Miles to Hell'', on 22 December 2017.<ref>{{cite web |title=VENOM To Release '100 Miles To Hell' EP Next Week |date=14 December 2017 |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/venom-to-release-100-miles-to-hell-ep-next-week/ |access-date=14 December 2017}}</ref> Their fifteenth album, ''Storm the Gates'', was released on 14 December 2018.<ref>{{cite web |title=VENOM To Release 'Storm The Gates' Album in December |date=9 November 2018 |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/venom-to-release-storm-the-gates-album-in-december/ |access-date=14 December 2018}}</ref>

Venom's sixteenth studio album, and their first in eight years, ''Into Oblivion'' was released on 1 May 2026. The album's lead single "Lay Down Your Soul" was released on 5 March 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-03-05 |title=VENOM Announce New Album Into Oblivion, Unleash Lead Single "Lay Down Your Soul" |url=https://metalinjection.net/new-music/venom-announce-new-album-into-oblivion-unleash-lead-single-lay-down-your-soul |access-date=2026-03-05 |website=Metal Injection |language=en-US}}</ref>

====Venom Inc.==== {{main|Venom Inc.}} In April 2015, in anticipation of a date of M-pire of Evil (band of Mantas and Demolition Man) at the Keep It True Festival in Germany, the organisers of the festival asked Mantas and Demolition Man if they could play the songs of Venom with Abaddon.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Venom Inc. Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/venom-inc-mn0003633618 |access-date=2024-03-01 |website=AllMusic |language=en}}</ref> Mantas had not talked to Abaddon since 1998. After thinking a bit, the two former Venom members played along with Abaddon without having done any rehearsals for the show. At this point, the three brought together the Venom line-up of 1988–1992 under the name of Venom Inc. for the sake of the fans (instead of the name "Iron & Steel", that was initially conceived by the members themselves). Abaddon was eventually replaced in 2018.<ref name=":0" /> The group has released two studio albums.

==Artistry== ===Musical style and influences=== Venom were one of the first incarnations of extreme metal, influencing many thrash metal, black metal, death metal, and other extreme metal bands.<ref name=ReferenceA>{{cite web |title=Welcome to Hell: Review by Eduardo Rivadavia |work=AllMusic |url={{AllMusic |class=album |id=welcome-to-hell-mw0000268406 |pure_url=yes}} |access-date=26 May 2010}}</ref> They are considered one of the premier influences on black metal, and their 1982 album ''Black Metal'' gave the genre its name.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/venom-mn0000315403#biography | title=Venom Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More | website=AllMusic }}</ref> Venom's exact genre has been a topic of debate. They have been labelled various genres by the press, most prominently thrash and speed metal.<ref name="musicgenre"> Thrash metal according to: *{{Cite book |last=McIver |first=Joel |year=2005 |title=Extreme Metal II |publisher=Omnibus |page=168}} *{{Cite web |url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/columns/article/54257/begrand060518 |title=BLOOD AND THUNDER: The Great Beast Resurrected |work=PopMatters |access-date=March 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080212125550/http://www.popmatters.com/pm/columns/article/54257/begrand060518 |archive-date=February 12, 2008}} Speed metal according to: *{{Cite web |url=http://www.revolvermag.com/news/venom-issue-new-album-update.html |title=Venom Issue New Album Update |publisher=Revolver |access-date=March 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110415092850/https://www.revolvermag.com/news/venom-issue-new-album-update.html |archive-date=April 15, 2011}}</ref> Cronos insists on calling it black metal, without passing judgment on the genre that later would flourish in Norway:

{{blockquote|...It's one of the things when I first saw when I saw the Norwegian scene beginning in the early nineties. I thought: ok, I know they said Venom are an influence, etcetera, etcetera; let's see where these guys are coming from. And then when I started to read the lyrics, read the interviews and see they were kind of saying the same thing, but about their country, they had their religion, with all the Norse gods like Wodan and Thor. And then all of the sudden the Christians came in and they tried to destroy their religion. It's great that they stayed within in their country's beliefs for their lyrics as well. So, they're not the exactly the same things as Venom, they invented something of their own, which I think is fucking great...<ref name="Lords of Metal (editor: Ramon van H.)"/>}}

Prime influences of Venom were Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Motörhead,<ref name=fortunecity>{{cite web |title=Interview with Mantas |website=Fortunecity.com |url=http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/sunra/315/venominterviewmantas.html |access-date=10 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081225104247/http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/sunra/315/venominterviewmantas.html |archive-date=25 December 2008}}</ref> the Sex Pistols,<ref name="kerrang" /> Alice Cooper, and Kiss.<ref name=fortunecity.com>{{cite web |title=Interview with Abaddon and Cronos |website=Fortunecity.com |url=http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/sunra/315/venominterviewrichards.html |access-date=10 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100110155313/http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/sunra/315/venominterviewrichards.html |archive-date=10 January 2010}}</ref> Other musicians or bands that have influenced Venom are Deep Purple, the Who, the Tubes, Van Halen, the Rolling Stones, and Elvis Presley.<ref name=fortunecity.com/>

==Legacy and influence== ''Welcome to Hell'' influenced several later bands.<ref name=ReferenceA/> Venom's music helped shape the development of thrash metal bands, including the "Big Four" (Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, and Megadeth), who in turn were influential. Venom have also been acknowledged outside of metal circles; the band received a notable shout-out from the Beastie Boys on their 1998 album ''Hello Nasty'', reflecting their broader cultural impact beyond the heavy metal genre. Metallica opened for Venom on an early 1980s tour,<ref name=allmusic.com/> Venom opened for Metallica and Slayer on the ''Ride the Lightning'' tour, and Slayer played with them and Exodus on the ''Combat Tour'' in 1985. Both Kerry King and Tom Araya have cited Venom as an important early influence on Slayer's image and music,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://thequietus.com/articles/04805-slayer-hell-awaits-25th-anniversary |title=The Crypts Of 35 Years: Tom Araya on the Anniversary Of Slayer's Hell Awaits |date=16 August 2010 |publisher=The Quietus |quote=We did covers of Venom, Maiden, Priest ... Venom was a big influence on Kerry as far as the imagery, and how we did the song-writing. I still think that Welcome To Hell and Black Metal are fucking awesome records, and I still listen to them now actually.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/slayers-kerry-king-my-10-favorite-metal-albums-197333/venom-black-metal-1982-197516/ |title=Slayer's Kerry King: My 10 Favorite Metal Albums |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=14 July 2017 |quote=Slayer looked like Venom early on. We were impressionable and trying to find ourselves and we were probably a cross between Venom and Mercyful Fate, maybe a little bit of Priest, maybe a little bit of punk. That's where we came from.}}</ref> while Dave Mustaine of Megadeth said he and James Hetfield of Metallica were fans of Venom.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/megadeths-dave-mustaine-the-10-albums-that-changed-my-life |title=Megadeth's Dave Mustaine: The 10 Albums That Changed My Life |date=11 December 2016 |publisher=Metal Hammer |quote=I remember driving up the highway with Hetfield, listening to Venom and Motörhead all the time. Those were two bands we liked a lot.}}</ref> Lars Ulrich of Metallica said of Venom's first album: "''Welcome To Hell'' was a classic! Black metal, speed metal, death metal, whatever you want to call it, Venom started it all with that one record!"<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-true-story-of-venom-the-most-influential-nwobhm-band-of-them-all |title=The true story of Venom, the most influential NWOBHM band of them all |date=7 January 2019 |work=Classic Rock}}</ref> Mille Petrozza of Kreator stated that Venom was one of his favourite bands early in his career, alongside the "Big Four".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://metalinsider.net/interviews/kreators-mille-petrozza-on-dying-alive-and-the-big-teutonic-four |title=Kreator's Mille Petrozza On 'Dying Alive' And The "Big Teutonic Four" |website=Metalinsider.net|date=13 December 2013}}</ref> Canadian band Voivod covered seven different Venom songs on their early demos.

Venom would also be of importance to the black metal scene and the early death metal scene. Swiss band Hellhammer (later to become Celtic Frost) and Norwegian band Mayhem<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://thetruemayhem.com/history.htm |title=The Dark Past |date=9 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090309071234/http://thetruemayhem.com/history.htm |access-date=6 October 2020 |archive-date=9 March 2009}}</ref> are among the acts influenced by Venom; Quorthon, the frontman of Swedish band Bathory, called ''Black Metal'' "one of the best albums ever made" in an interview, although he downplayed Venom's influence on him.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.metalforcesmagazine.com/site/feature-bathory-mf24/ |title=BATHORY – Out of the Black Hole (MF24, 1987) | Features / Interviews |website=Metalforcesmagazine.com |access-date=6 October 2020}}</ref> Possessed and Repulsion,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.voicesfromthedarkside.de/Interviews/REPULSION--7072.html |title=REPULSION|website=Voicesfromthedarkside.de |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130613041130/http://www.voicesfromthedarkside.de/Interviews/REPULSION--7072.html |archive-date=13 June 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> two bands which went on to influence much of the death metal and grindcore to come, were both influenced by Venom, with Jeff Becerra of Possessed often asserting Venom and Exodus as the two main influences on his band.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.voicesfromthedarkside.de/interviews/possessed.htm |title=Possessed |access-date=16 July 2011 |archive-date=16 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716083105/http://www.voicesfromthedarkside.de/interviews/possessed.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> Music critic Bradley Torreano wrote that Venom "caught the attention of both metalheads and punks, the band was emulated by the former and turned into camp icons by the latter."<ref name=torreano/> Henry Rollins once compared the band to Spinal Tap.<ref>{{cite book |last=Rollins |first=Henry |year=1994 |title=Get in the Van: On the Road with Black Flag |publisher=2.13.61 Publications |page=232 |quote=Venom took almost an hour to get onstage. They had roadies tuning their guitars and shit. Finally, they hit the stage. They were hilarious. It was like seeing Spinal Tap.}}</ref>

Although they did not make it to MTV's top 10 heavy metal bands list, they were given an "honorable mention".<ref name=MTVtopmetal>{{cite web |title=Metal's Honorable Mentions |publisher=MTV |url=http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/metal/greatest_metal_bands/071406/index12.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060716191340/http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/metal/greatest_metal_bands/071406/index12.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 July 2006 |access-date=15 March 2011}}</ref> In 2016, the staff of ''Loudwire'' named them the 29th-best metal band of all time.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=Loudwire StaffLoudwire |date=2016-07-20 |title=Top 50 Metal Bands of All Time |url=https://loudwire.com/top-metal-bands-of-all-time/ |access-date=2025-12-20 |website=Loudwire |language=en}}</ref>

Reflecting on Venom's 40th anniversary, Cronos said that without Venom, bands such as Metallica or Slayer would not exist. He explained, "We were the band that was influenced by Motörhead and the Sex Pistols, but we took their sound and made something completely new out of it. We were completely new; no one had heard anything like us. And of course, unbeknown to us, in America there were these kids who were listening to our records and then shaping what we were doing into their own thing. Slayer would be an example of that. And I agree, without us those bands either wouldn't exist, or would sound very different from the way they do." He also cited the line-up consisting of himself, along with guitarist Stuart "Rage" Dixon and drummer Danny "Danté" Needham as "the best one we've ever had."<ref name=kerrang>{{cite web |url=https://www.kerrang.com/features/venoms-cronos-without-us-bands-like-slayer-wouldnt-exist/ |author=Winwood, Ian |title=VENOM'S CRONOS: "WITHOUT US, BANDS LIKE SLAYER WOULDN'T EXIST" |website=Kerrang |date=31 May 2019 |access-date=31 May 2019}}</ref>

Critic Eduardo Rivadavia of AllMusic writes that even though ''Welcome to Hell'' influenced "literally thousands" of bands, Venom were "critically reviled".<ref name="ReferenceA" /> Critic James Christopher Monger, however, declares that the members of Venom "grew as musicians" as their careers progressed.<ref>{{cite web |title=Darkest Hour: Review by James Christopher Monger |url={{AllMusic |class=album |id=darkest-hour-mw0000360084 |pure_url=yes}} |access-date=26 May 2010 |work=AllMusic}}</ref> Ethnographer Keith Kahn-Harris argues that Venom's limited technical skill, particularly early in their career, was a profound, though inadvertent factor in the band's influence: being unable to mimic more technically proficient metal of their predecessors or peers, Venom instead opted to focus on sheer speed, creating music that was inspired by earlier metal, yet simultaneously innovative.{{Cn|date=June 2025}}

==Controversy== A Venom song was included in the so-called "Filthy Fifteen" list compiled by the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) during 1980s hearings on musical content.<ref>{{cite web |last=Fisher |first=Anthony L. |date=Sep 19, 2020 |title=35 years ago the Senate held hearings on rock lyrics. It was a First Amendment showdown for the ages. |work=Business Insider |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/35-years-pmrc-rock-lyrics-senate-tipper-gore-frank-zappa-2020-9 |quote=Hard rockers of note (AC/DC, Motley Crue, Twisted Sister, Def Leppard), and metal bands of little note (Venom, Mercyful Fate) made the list.}}</ref> The title track from the ''Possessed'' album was criticised by the PMRC for having "occult" lyrical content. The efforts by the PMRC resulted in the inclusion of Parental Advisory labels that became ubiquitous on physical music media.

Venom's biggest criticism is regarding Satanism, which is the main driving force behind the band's music and album covers. Cronos explained in 2008 that the reasoning behind it is for entertainment purposes.

{{quotation|I've always been interested in Satanism, but we're entertainers, and we used subjects like Satanism and paganism to entertain people, like horror movies do. Listening to a Venom album is the same thing as watching an Evil Dead movie. I don't go around murdering virgins in my spare time. It's frustrating when people can't make that distinction; I mean, David Bowie's not actually from Mars, is he? But we were always being misquoted in the press. Venom admit to dancing around a campfire with virgins? Nonsense.|Cronos<ref>{{cite web |last=Chick |first=Steve |title=This is the devil's music |website=The Guardian |date=26 June 2008 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2008/jun/27/filmandmusic1.filmandmusic8 |access-date=15 August 2018}}</ref>}}

==Band members== {{Main|List of Venom band members}}

'''Current''' * Conrad "Cronos" Lant – bass (1979–1987, 1995–present), rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1979), lead vocals (1980–1987, 1995–present) * Stuart "Rage" Dixon – guitars, backing vocals (2007–present) * Danny "Dante" Needham – drums, backing vocals (2009–present)

==Discography== {{div col}} '''Studio albums''' * ''Welcome to Hell'' (1981) * ''Black Metal'' (1982) * ''At War with Satan'' (1984) * ''Possessed'' (1985) * ''Calm Before the Storm'' (1987) * ''Prime Evil'' (1989) * ''Temples of Ice'' (1991) * ''The Waste Lands'' (1992) * ''Cast in Stone'' (1997) * ''Resurrection'' (2000) * ''Metal Black'' (2006) * ''Hell'' (2008) * ''Fallen Angels'' (2011) * ''From the Very Depths'' (2015) * ''Storm the Gates'' (2018) * ''Into Oblivion'' (2026)

'''EPs''' * ''Canadian Assault'' (Canada 1984) * ''American Assault'' (USA 1985) * ''French Assault'' (France 1985) * ''Scandinavian Assault'' (Sweden 1985) * ''German Assault'' (Germany 1985) * ''Japanese Assault'' (Japan 1985) * ''Hell at Hammersmith'' (UK 1985) * ''Tear Your Soul Apart'' (1990) * ''Venom '96'' (UK 1996) * ''100 Miles to Hell'' (UK 2017)

'''Live albums''' * ''Official Bootleg'' (1985) * ''Eine kleine Nachtmusik'' (1986) * ''The Second Coming'' (1997) * ''Witching Hour'' (2003) * ''Live from the Hammersmith Odeon Theater'' (2017)

'''UK singles''' * ''In League with Satan / Live Like an Angel'' (1981) * ''Bloodlust'' (1982) * ''Die Hard'' (1983) UK No. 156 * ''Warhead'' (1984) UK No. 134 * ''Manitou'' (1984) UK No. 128 * ''Nightmare'' (1985) UK No. 123 * ''Antechrist'' (2006) * ''Hammerhead'' (2011)

'''Compilation albums''' * ''From Hell to the Unknown...'' (1985) * ''The Singles 80-86'' (1986) * ''Acid Queen'' (1991) * ''In Memorium'' (1991) * ''The Book of Armageddon'' (1992) * ''Kissing the Beast'' (1993) * ''Leave Me in Hell'' (1993) * ''Skeletons in the Closet'' (1993) * ''New, Live and Rare'' (1998) * ''Old, New, Borrowed and Blue'' (1999) * ''Buried Alive'' (1999) * ''From Heaven to the Unknown'' (1999) * ''The Venom Archive'' (2001) * ''Lay Down your Soul!'' (2002) * ''In League with Satan'' (2003) * ''The Seven Gates of Hell - The Singles 1980-1985'' (2003) * ''Sons of Satan - Rare and Unreleased'' (2020)

'''Box sets''' * ''Here Lies Venom'' (1985) * ''Triple Dose of Venom'' (2001) * ''MMV'' (2005) * ''Assault!'' (2017) * ''In Nomine Satanas'' (2019)

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Venom (musical group)|Venom}} * {{official website|http://www.venomslegions.com/}} * {{AllMusic}} * {{Discogs artist}} * {{MusicBrainz artist}} * [http://st-news.com/issues/st-news-volume-11-issues-1-2/features/interviews/gods-rocknroll-cronos-abaddon-of-venom/ Interview with Cronos and Abaddon, 1996] * [http://st-news.com/issues/st-news-volume-10-issue-1/features/interviews/venom/an-interview-with-abaddon/ Interview with Abaddon, 1995]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Venom}} Category:British speed metal musical groups Category:Castle Communications artists Category:Combat Records artists Category:English black metal musical groups Category:English musical trios Category:English thrash metal musical groups Category:Kerrang! Awards winners Category:Music for Nations artists Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1992 Category:Musical groups established in 1978 Category:Musical groups from Newcastle upon Tyne Category:Musical groups reestablished in 1995 Category:Neat Records artists Category:New Wave of British Heavy Metal musical groups Category:Sanctuary Records artists Category:Spinefarm Records artists Category:SPV GmbH artists