Formed in 1978 in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England, Venom blazed a trail for a raw hybrid form of punk and metal, wrapped in an overtly Satanic image that is now credited with starting the Black Metal genre, as well as being an influence on the thrash and speed metal scenes that followed. Derided by the media but beloved of fans wanting a harder and faster fix of metal, Venom released three classic LP’s is quick succession; ‘Welcome To Hell’ (1981), ‘Black Metal’ (1982) and ‘At War With Satan’ (1984). 

 

The band had already famously headlined Hammersmith in June 1984, and returned just over a year later basking in the glory of their fourth album, ‘Possessed’.

 

‘Live From Hammersmith Odeon Theatre’ captures the band in their pomp, shortly before the classic line up of Cronos, Mantas and Abaddon split. An essential document of raw, chaotic underground metal at its best.

 

Rolling Stone says of their influence: “Worldwide, Venom are a classic band on par with The Ramones or Motorhead, and that status owes much to ‘Welcome To Hell’, an album duly credited as a forerunner of black metal and death metal – fringe subgenres that have since become their own musical universes”.