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…
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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. Many defining elements of these genres are first found…
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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 .
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…
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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.
Venom were formed in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1978. 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…
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