Customer Reviews

Welcome To Hell 2

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is where black metal began, even though the term didn't come into use until Venom's second album, "Black Metal" came out. Still, this is where it all started. There's not much to say about this that hasn't been said already, so I'll just say that this is essential if you like REAL HEAVY METAL! Sure, "Black Metal" was more raw & really scary, but this one has the attitude. Sure, Venom's musical skills were limited in the beginning, but after all, it's the feeling of the music that mattered. And this was one rowdy, blasphemous piece of vinyl (or CD, in 2004). After hearing the opening track, "Sons of Satan", you kind of knew what you were getting yourself into. Nearly every song on here is classic Venom, like, oh let's see, "Welcome to Hell"; the early thrash masterpiece "Witching Hour", with its churchbell-like bass intro, complete with thunderstorm & various scary sounds; "In League with Satan", with backwards Satanic intro and tribal drum beats. It even has a cool little guitar interlude called "Mayhem with Mercy", which, amazingly, isn't Satanic at all, but still sounds good. Another cool thing on here is the band quote which said, 'If this lp is warped or defaced in any way, please throw it away and buy a new one'. How many bands would say that? Most black metal bands all seem to sound the same. Screaming obscenities, playing 1000 m.p.h. on every song, never doing anything different, but Venom did things differently. Almost all their songs sounded unique, with interesting lyrics. You could actually remember the way the songs went after you heard them. Anyway, that's my opinion. Buy this CD and if you don't like it, T.S.!

So here it is again, the legendary debut album from Venom and nothing really could prepare you then and nothing can prepare you now for the evil din contained within this classic piece of outrage. Lets see there are Satanic themes, violent guitars, thundering bass and growling vocals. Perfect indeed. Be warned its rough and very under produced yet you can't help going back and giving your ears another bashing like a glutton for punishment. Musically speaking I guess a parallel to say 'Motorhead' crossed through a thermo nuclear meltdown with 'Black Sabbath' could best describe this CD's contents, though that doesn't even come close to describing the OTT delivery given. No where near as fine and refined as its follow up in 'Black Metal' this is indeed a different kind of horned beast. Every song is loud, frenzied and obnoxious though 'Live Like An Angel' is the most tuneful and 'In League With Satan' the most hummable. It can take time to ingest the contents but the bands enthusiasm will win you over to the dark side over time. There are real songs and great ideas hidden under the roughness so persist at all costs. The bonus trax are also well worth a visit in particular the 'Angel Dust' (lead weight version)which I think improves on its eventual cut and the 'Red Light Fever' demo version. Forgive them father for they knew exactly what they were doing!

It takes a great band to have so little musical ability yet still record an album that'll stick in your head twenty-five years later. For those unfamiliar with Venom's tactics, don't let poor production or sloppy presentation fool you. Every track on this album is of an anthematic quality, and in the history of metal itself, Welcome To Hell is considered by most to be the birth of the extreme (I give more credit to Motorhead though). This bonus edition also comes with tons of goodies not found on the original which may or may not impress newcomers to the artist.

When in doubt understand this: thousands of garage bands who choose to cover "100 Days In Sodom" before tracks from your favorite band cannot be wrong!

-l-

Do you know who said that? Jon Bon Jovi. What does he know? Venom are one of the few chosen sons in the history of metal! "Welcome to Hell" is everything your parents did not want you to listen to. Chok full of chainsaw guitar dives, warhead drum blasts, bulldozer bass and vicious vocals it is an essentail release to have in any true metal-head collection. This is the band that was sadly pushed aside when Slayer, Megadeth and Metallica started gaining ground way back in the day. Personally, I love Slayer, I used to like Megadeth and Metallica...well... anyways, I highly reccomend "Welcome to Hell" Aside from lacking in the production, it is a classic!

This the 1. Venom album is a superb expirience into what Venom is all about. Venom kicks ... on this release from 1981, when you think of what [junk], exsistet on the metal scene on that time.
Venom is the undisputed GODS of metal.

I dont even know where to start with this review. Venom, is one of the most influencial bands to the Black Metal and Metal community. Some say bands like Led Zepplin and Black Sabbath were the birth of heavy metal, and even though those bands are a piece of rock and roll history, Venom doesn't get enough credit. Even though Black Metal is still pretty much underground in the US today (it is much more popular overseas)Venom should get ALOT more credit for coming out with such a poweful Metal album, not to mention the fact the FIRST Black Metal album. Remember that there wasn't anything like it in 1980 (even though CDNOW claims it was first released in 1985, this is incorrect, it was released in 1981, and recorded in 1980)and it would be three years before Slayer, Metallica, and Exodus would contribute to the Metal World. What is even more suprising is how the album has stood up to the test of time. Yes, the recording sounds horrid, yet is wasn't exactly recorded in the best of studios, and I am sure it was done on a shoestring budget. This is an Album that every Metal fan should have, as they will have another piece of history to extreme music. What I like even better is that David Grohl (Foo Fighters) got together with Cronus for a song of Grohl's side project, Probot. This proves that Venom has influenced not only Black Metal bands, but rock bands as well. Venom deserved to be elected into the rock and roll hall of fame just for the sake of creating a new genere of music. ENJOY

Without this band, Thrash, Black, and Death metal ( and I'm talking about real Death metal, not Grindcore) would not exist. They were never the most skilled of musicians, but their influence on these three subgenres is undeniable. This band broke new ground in the way that they had a raw, primative, brutal, sound which had never been heard before in the Metal world which is evident in "Poison", "Live like an angel", "Witching hour", "One thousand days in Sodom", and "In league with Satan". It's a shame that such an influential band has gone so underrated over the years. Slayer fans take note: Without this band, you wouldn't be enjoying "Hell awaits" and "Reign in blood", so try to show a little mutual respect. Listen to this album if you want to hear the the roots of these three subgenres. ...

Venom's terrifying 1st release, the original death metal prototype, absolutely seared speakers and left listeners slack-jawed in the early 80's. Rarely had a band come along and played with such blatant disregard for amplification and melody. While not the greatest of musicians, as evidenced by Abbadon's barely passable drumming, this album set a new standard in brutality and mayhem. Mixing Satanic imagery and lyrics with bulldozer rhythms and bargain basement production, the album sounds primitive by today's standards, but listening to such innovative tracks such as "Sons of Satan", "Live Like An Angel, Die Like A Devil", and the still soul-feezing "Welcome To Hell", with it's Lord's Prayer chant that can STILL send shivers up your spine, you knew Venom had caught onto something. They introduced a new wave of metal practitioners, and a new term for the metal masses; Black Metal. Soon afterwards, bands such as Bathory, Celtic Frost and Possessed took the initiative that Venom started and soon made Black Metal a viable exponent of metal. Their influence was worldwide. After awhile, Venom's antics and attitude got a bit much, and their music suffered, never fully recovering after releasing the mediocre "Possessed" album. Their legacy is the the brutal "Black Metal" and this, their debut classic. In your hands, you hold a history lesson followed and preached by many a new generation of metal loyalists and bands, including Metallica, who OPENED for Venom on the infamous and now legendary 7 Dates Of Hell tour. An absolute must have if you even think about getting into death/black metal.

This is great!! Who knew years later, I'd give these guys another spin; and who new how well this stuff holds up!!! I'd tried to avoid Venom. For example, when I felt the urge I would try to sedate it with Motorhead; it didn't work. Nobody else does, or has done what these goofballs did(and without resorting to arson!!) Yes, there is dubious lyrical content, BUT the whirlwind of sound is irrisistable, and pretty soon I'm laughing with glee. The songs are extremely catchy, not like the unlistenable claptrap of the genre which these boys spawned. "Sons of Satan" is undeniably cool; pulls ya right in at the beginning. "Welcome to Hell" is a fist pumping anthem. Another fave is "Witching Hour," a companion piece to the Misfits' "All Hell Breaks Loose" if you will. Great for dark and windy autumn nights. Highly addictive, AND groundbreaking noise!!!

Thank you Venom! Don't dictate to them! They were the FIRST! Even today, it's still too loud for the crowd and that's, without saying, a damn good thing!
3 days of recording were enough for the making this album. I've been a Venom fan for the last 21 years and I ain't getting tired.
Without a care in the world, they wrote and played it the way they wanted and that's part of Venom's charm. And, by the way, Mantas's solos should finally be recognized for their true value.
Venom is efficiently injecting it's venom in your veins, gets you to the bone, rips your rib cage off and sucks you dry! Intense, evil and crazy, Venom is still the band that parents are concerned when they find out their kid is listening to it. Ladies and Gentlemen, from the very gates of Hell...VENOM!!!