VENOM Is 'Very Excited' About New Material

British black metal pioneers VENOM are preparing for their Scandinavian tour, which is scheduled to kick off May 23 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Opening acts on the trek will definitely be Scandinavian bands, according to frontman Conrad "Cronos" Lant.

"I asked our agents in Scandinavia to select some local talent to open the shows," he explained. "There's certainly no shortage of metal bands over there, so I've chosen a few that I thought would be ideal, but I've left the final decision to the agency".

Although there has been no official announcement on the matter, several web sites and ticketing agencies are reporting that Swedish cult act NIFELHEIM will provide support on several of the dates.

VENOM and its management are currently discussing other live plans with their agents for later this year. An American tour and some dates in Australia are on the cards, and there is talk of some shows in Japan and across Europe.

The recording schedule for the new VENOM album is well underway. The band has already laid the majority of the backing tracks and "everyone is very excited by the results," according to a posting on the band's web site. "It's a very dark-sounding album following on in the footsteps of last year's release, 'Metal Black'."

VENOM will take part in a signing session on Thursday, May 24 at Sound Pollution in Stockholm, Sweden between 18.00 and 19.00.

Sound Pollution is located at Stora Nygatan 18. More information is available at www.soundpollution.se.

Sanctuary Records last month reissued VENOM's 2000 album, "Resurrection". The CD, which was originally released in 2000 on the Steamhammer label, was the first VENOM album to feature Antony "Antton" Lant (brother of VENOM frontman Conrad "Cronos" Lant) on the drums. The new CD includes an extensive booklet of photos and artwork taken around the time the original LP was released, as well as sleeve notes by longtime U.K. rock journalist Malcolm Dome.

VENOM recently parted ways with guitarist Mykvs (a.k.a. Mike Hickey; ex-CARCASS, CATHEDRAL). "Personal unavoidable commitments in the U.S. have forced Mykvs to announce that he cannot commit 100% to VENOM's 2007 schedule," the band previously wrote in a statement. A new guitarist by the name of Rage has already been drafted in to replace Mykvs.

Check out photos of the new VENOM lineup at this location.

With regards to the direction of the band's next album, VENOM frontman Cronos previously said, "VENOM will be even darker and heavier for the next release. The new song ideas that Antton and I have been composing over the last year will be exactly what the 'legions' expect from us, and will really test the abilities of the band members. There's going to be a lot of blood spilled making the next album. This band belongs to the fans and I'm going to stay true to the spirit of VENOM no matter what sacrifices have to be made."

VENOM last September cancelled its appearance at the Thrash Domination Fest 2006 in Kanagawa, Japan after "Cronos was "taken ill" and was ordered by his doctor to rest.

VENOM's latest CD, "Metal Black", was released in North America in April 2006 via Sanctuary Records. The CD was mixed at the Townhouse Studios in London and contains 14 new songs.

"Scandinavian 7 Dates Tour" dates:

May 23 - Copenhagen, Denmark @ Pumpehuset
May 24 - Stockholm, Sweden @ Klubben
May 26 - Oulu, Finland @ Teatria
May 27 - Helsinki, Finland @ Nosturi
May 29 - Oslo, Norway @ Betong
May 30 - Goteborg, Sweden @ Karen
May 31 - Malmö, Sweden @ KB