Because we’ve been living in a simulation since 2020, there are now three active versions of Venom. Of course, one Mr. Conrad Lant, better known to you and I as Cronos, and his army of lawyers would be the first to tell us that his iteration is the definitive one, as they alone bear the Venom name and logo. Meanwhile, fellow classic era members Mantas and Abaddon are celebrating 45 years of Welcome to Hell with their own incarnation, Mantas/Abaddon Venom, while Prime Evil era frontman/bassist Demolition Man remains CEO of the band that is Venom Inc. Today’s review tackles Cronos and company, who’ve just released their first album in 8 years, Into Oblivion.
Now no matter what iteration of Venom you listen to, this century has been quite bleak for the black metal gods. Sure, the Cronos-led version of the band has been going strong for 20 years now, only to release a string of albums that pale in comparison to the glory days of the ’80s. On the contrary, the Venom Inc. albums haven’t been too thrilling either, so given the lack of anything new and substantial released under any Venom name whatsoever, it’s easy for a fan like myself to fall into the trap of Welcome to Hell, Black Metal, At War with Satan, assorted singles (“Manitou”, “Warhead”, etc.), repeat. That said, I do try my best to keep an open mind, so I figured, “Sure, a new Venom album in 2026. Why the hell not?”
Unlike any Venom album I can remember since I discovered them back in middle school, Into Oblivion features some really solid songs, dare I even say great songs. Sure, they’re obvious musical and thematic throwbacks to the days of Welcome to Hell and Black Metal, but Cronos and the gang do ’em right. “Lay Down Your Soul” is an unabashed sequel to “Black Metal”, even down to its main lyric, while my choice cut, “Death the Leveller”, boasts those prehistoric blackened speed riffs and pissed off demonic rock n’ roll attitude characteristic of Welcome to Hell. Other highlights include the opening title track and “Live Loud”, while “Kicked Outta Hell” does the Slayer-esque thrash sound better than Slayer has since 1988.
My praise, unfortunately, ends there. The remainder of Into Oblivion may as well vanish into oblivion, coming off as tired, sluggish, and generic in terms of writing and delivery. As always, when Venom play fast, they’re right at home. And when they don’t, they’re repetitive and uninspired (i.e. “Man & Beast”, “Metal Bloody Metal”, “Dogs of War”). This especially becomes the case during the album’s back half, which drags like a sloth with a 500 pound weight tied to its back (No sloths were harmed during the writing of this review). Of course, this philosophy of “slow Venom = bad Venom” hasn’t always proven to be true, but let’s not kid ourselves: The days of “Manitou” and “7 Gates of Hell” are far past this band, and there’s a better chance Cronos reconciles with his old mates for one last cash-grab, I mean, go-around, before he writes another song of that caliber.
Lucky for us, we now live in a world where not only can you pick your preferred Venom, but where an entire crop of bands who’ve dedicated their entire careers to sounding like Venom run amok, having a better grip on the sound than the band themselves have as of late. If you really insist on giving Into Oblivion a shot, I recommend cranking the front half to a healthy volume of 666, and popping a melatonin for the back half. Just like the old song says, “Lay down your soul (literally) to the gods rock n’ roll, black metal!”…with an emphasis on “lack”.
5 out of 10
Label: Noise Records
Genre: Black/Speed Metal
For fans of: Motörhead, Midnight, Bewitcher
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