Venom (band)

Venom is a metal band formed in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, in 1979 by Cronos (vocals, bass), Mantas (guitar) and Abaddon (drums), 'Abaddon' being a name gleaned from The Satanic Bible. They are often regarded as an important early influence on death metal and black metal.

Related Topics:
Metal - Newcastle upon Tyne - England - 1979 - Cronos - Vocals - Bass - Mantas - Guitar - Abaddon - Drums - The Satanic Bible - Death metal - Black metal

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Dissatisfied with the metal scene at the time, where the toughest bands were Motörhead and Judas Priest, Cronos, Mantas and Abbadon proposed pushing the genre further. Originally, the band was called Oberon and consisted of 5 members. Mantas worked on the road, and "Venom" was his nickname.

Related Topics:
Motörhead - Judas Priest - Oberon

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Cronos initially joined the group as a guitarist. After Mantas asked him to sing "Live Like An Angel, Die Like A Devil" the group appreciated the result.

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Their first album, Welcome To Hell (1981), was a remarkable tour de force at the time, when satan was rarely mentioned. It is also credited as the first thrash metal album.

Related Topics:
Welcome To Hell - 1981 - Satan - Thrash metal

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Their second album, Black Metal (1982) is often cited as important in the development of black metal and death metal. Many elements of these genres are found in the lyrics and even the song titles.

Related Topics:
Black Metal - 1982 - Black metal - Death metal

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Venom have spoken out against the acts of the Norwegian black metal bands, also saying that Venom were not a "serious" band, though statements on this aspect vary greatly from interview to interview.

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