VENOM - "RESURRECTION" (SPV)

 

Venom are back...or are they? With their latest, "Resurrection", they sound more contemporary than ever, but the only thing that still really sounds like Venom is Cronos' voice. The drumming is tighter and better than ever, not the cymbal-bashing insanity that so typified Abaddon.

Perhaps it is because one 'Antton' is credited with the album's drums/percussion. I doubt very much that this is a typo, which means that the unholy triumvirate has broken up. In this light, "Resurrection" may not be a classic Venom album such as "Cast in Stone", indeed, it may be an improved Venom album, for in my eyes Abaddon was always the weak link - it always seemed like any beginning underground metal band had a better drummer than their arch-example, the gods rock and roll, Venom!

Abaddon's absence aside (or perhaps it is him, with drumming lessons added?), "Resurrection" is every bit as heavy and menacing as its predecessor, "Cast in Stone". We have here almost an hour's worth of killer tracks, including small gems such as "War Against Christ" and "Firelight". There's some pretty damn fine guitar solos to be found, and Cronos, well, he's Cronos so there's some good metal vocals. There's a lot of chugga-chugga, and the album sounds good - much like "Cast in Stone", in fact.

Although I wouldn't exactly go as far as saying that it's an absolutely essential purchase, it is surely one more fine offering from the apparently somewhat altered trinity called Venom.

RK

 

Written May 2000

 

Go to the Official Venom website

Back to the Main Menu