Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Black Metal is born!!!, June 5, 2004
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.!
|
|
|
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
WELCOME BACK TO HELL, March 27, 2002
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!
|
|
|
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The supreme of slop metal!, March 12, 2005
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-
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
See all 22 tracks on this disc
is Venom's 
