VENOM

VENOM is inarguably one of the most important bands in heavy metal history, having influenced the likes of SLAYER, METALLICA and NAPALM DEATH, to name but a few. A lot has happened since their seminal early days. Now, with mainman Cronos's long-running lineup, VENOM returns with their 16th album, "Into Oblivion", a thirteen-track effort that touches upon everything VENOM is known for without sounding dated or out of touch. "Into Oblivion" clearly sounds and feels sincere and, in short, completely badass.

Alongside his longtime bandmates Stuart "Rage" Dixon" (guitars) and Danny "Dante" Needham (drummer),who have accompanied him for nearly twenty years, Cronos and his crew are back after eight years, the last album being "Storm the Gates". "Into Oblivion" is a blazing, thrashing black 'n' roll attack, one that will be worth revisiting.

The opening title track powerfully sets the tone with a gripping melodic riff prior to Dante's beefy drum work which provides the sturdy backbone upon which the rest of the band carries massive, proto-black metal rage. "Lay Down Your Soul" follows with a much more manic assault.

The proceedings sound visceral and almost live, not overly polished. The grit is perfectly captured. The songs are very pointed and aggressive, perfectly suited for fist pumping madness in the live arena. "Nevermore" offers a galloping pace akin to classic IRON MAIDEN tied to an unhinged mid-tempo battery. In one sense, the track is one of the album's weaker points with its repetitive nature, however the song's strong points are also, paradoxically, related to the recurring chorus as well as the melodic guitar runs.

The aforementioned "Lay Down Your Soul" as well as "Kicked Outta Hell" both bridge dark thrash with NWOBHM explosiveness and impassioned guitar soloing. The former is basically a burly bar room brawl in the form of a heavy metal song that sounds like it was crafted by a batch of 20-somethings in a garage. Cronos spouts "Lay down your soul to the gods rock and roll," of course referencing VENOM's "Black Metal".

The massive number "Man & Beast" stands tall amongst the album's tracks with its repetitive refrain. Elsewhere, "Death The Leveller" is a much more thrash-driven track.

On the other end of the spectrum, tempo wise, is "As Above, So Below", a slow and evil dirge seething with a hateful spirit, seemingly an ode to the horned one. This track overplays its best parts, but it's still interesting. However tongue and cheek Venom's worship of the dark lord might be, it remains their overall modus operandi. That said, the wild and brutal thrasher "Kicked Outta Hell" thematically finds VENOM standing above the devil much to his disapproval, leading to their banishment from hell, in terms of the song's storytelling.

"Deathwitch" is one of the most rabid and raucous numbers on hand, considerably belligerent. And finally, "Unholy Mother" takes a detour with melodic keyboards juxtaposed against the nasty and violent riff that's backed by Dante's reliable pummeling.

VENOM has had some years that were less than stellar, however their tenacity is commendable. Cronos has been the core behind the official VENOM for decades and should be commended for his resilience. "Into Oblivion" is a tasteful slab of old-school dark metal that can only be created by a band like VENOM.