Reviews (page 3 of 8)
I really enjoyed this, I had nerver heard it nor heard of the band, a bit of a kick in the teeth. Off to go through their back catalogue.
Meh lol
I saw this and my heart sank. I read the wiki and it went lower. I do not like much metal and certainly not this end of the spectrum. Maybe this is why i was pleasantly surprised when i actually listened to it. There was actually some melody and some intelligible lyrics. There was a recognisable structure and when the original album finished and the extended edition kicked in, i didnt immediately switch it off. Not my music, but as a way point in the development of a genre it is more then appropriate for this list.
sad cringe
How have I never heard this album before, I've heard of this band but thought they were glam metal for some reason? I've been a metal fan my whole life and I know I would have loved this had I heard it earlier. Fuck, this album rules! So sad I've never listened to them before. I never expected to find a new metal band in these 1001 albums, metal is my main genre and I assumed I knew every band that would be on there. My only note is that it's not quite satanic enough.
not good
The frenetic thrash metal drumming is nice but lyrics are giving cringy edgy 15 year old misunderstood kid vibes. Didn’t really enjoy. But giving an extra star for their influence in more aggressive forms of metal.
Not bad! I was surprised at this, there was some things in here I enjoyed but a lot of grunting like vocals. I'm really not a fan of the cookie-monster like growl of other metal but this didn't quite get to that level. Overall a pretty solid 3 for me
This album has its place on this list mostly because of its legacy--its importance as an influence and seed for the early thrash that came in its wake. Early Metallica and Slayer owe a lot to this album. But they're better musicians and they took this burgeoning thrash and made it work. Objectively, this is 2 stars. It gets an extra 1 star bump for being such a huge influence on the 80s thrash movement. 3 stars.
This isn’t the worst thing I’ve ever heard and I typically hate black metal.
it really doesn't sound very extreme at all
Old school metal, I dig it. Very early example of what was to come, especially with the likes of Metallica in the mix around this time. Solid vocals and heavy guitars wailing to complement. This is a good one.
Oh no thank you. Dark and angry and way metal-y. Nothing for me here.
Oh a metal album! A great chance to complain that this genre is massively underrepresented in this list. Really a crime. Very poor representation of classic heavy metal, and no representation of the wide bodies of work included in doom, black and death metal (and no, despite the name, this is not a black metal album). This album is more myth than substance. It’s often hailed as the first black metal album, but the music is proto thrash. Better bands to see as the origins of black metal would be Hellhammer, Celtic Frost, Bathory or Rotting Christ, with the genre really coming into its own with the Norwegian scene of Mayhem, Darkthrone, Emperor, Burzum and the like (and albums like De Mysteriis Dom Satanas, Transylvanian Hunger and In The Nightside Eclipse do merit a listen, no I won’t include Burzum here for obvious reasons). Others say it’s the lyrical themes the album introduced but really many metal bands had the idea to sing about satan and scary stuff, I mean even Black Sabbath started with the concept of singing about scary stuff. So I guess the real historical unique contribution of this album is its name. I do have to concede that the actual music scene does recognize this as a very influential album, with tributes from Mayhem to Metallica. I just find it pretty boring and monotonous. Trying to listen to this album with a mindset of somebody who never listened to Emperor or Megadeth or anything like that I guess I can see how it felt new and exciting, but to a modern listener there’s much better stuff to listen to, so I’m willing to go as high as two stars but no higher. So lay down your souls for the god’s rock and roll or something.
I don't like this album very much. Cronos SUCKS as a singer and though the playing itself is great, this was recorded on a microwave and a sandwich toaster. This is sonically one of the worst albums I've ever listened to. However, I have nothing but the utmost respect for this album. Its importance in the history and evolution of metal music can't be overstated. This is an incredibly groundbreaking record and its influence can be heard to this day through countless of metal subgenres. With incredibly energetic and fast riffs and dark lyrical themes. As an influental album, it would've been a 5/5, but this is a rating of the album by itself and it is a solid 3/5
It’s just like modern country music but swap the cold beer for hail satan
Nope
This style of Heavy Metal all sounds the same to me, regardless of who is singing it. The lead singer is screaming lyrics, usually a loop of the same words, while the band plays their faces off behind him. I respect the musicality of the band but I’m just not a fan of this genre. At least I could understand this lead singer’s words on these tracks versus some of the other heavy metal bands we’ve listened to.
My favorite song was the one where he screamed about death and hell over the loud guitars. Yeah, that one was really original.
If Jack Black fronted a black metal band, this would be it. Early 80's heavy metal, music was fine. The imagery is what sets this apart, over the top and borderline goofy. At War With Satan was my favorite track, so dumb. Felt like dark evil version of Spinal Tap doing the intro to Stonehenge. I'd be disappointed to learn Venom didn't have a far too small statue of Baphomet lowered onto the stage as they recited that into. Outside of the legit Scandinavian Black Metal bands that are truly terrifying, I'm convinced Black/Satanic metal is all shtick, akin to watching a bad horror movie. Guilty pleasure for some. Not my thing, but a fun listen none the less.
not too bad i guess.... maybe relisten.
Black metalll
I'm not a fan of metal, no matter what color it is. Some of the songs had some good guitar work, but I really wish this guy would stop screaming at me. Best song: Raise The Dead
no more metal por favor
Really good, but not my thing
It's just solid metal. Nothing to really hook me.
4/5
Usually, I’m not into extreme metal but this one is very approachable. The songs don’t all sound the same which is a relief. The album is clearly a great influence on all metal that came after.
Nope
I can understand the case for this album being influential for the development of metal, but that doesn't make it an enjoyable listen. Maybe this points to its influence, but too many of the songs play like a mashup of the worst stereotypes of metal music (mercifully without the growling that hadn't taken hold yet). Venom comes off as the lovechild of Motorhead and a satanist, but they must have missed out on the musicality genes, which was never too strong with Motorhead to begin with. If the music was any good maybe I could get behind the satanic obsession, but in the absence of much interesting going on musically it just seems goofy. Realistically, what am I supposed to make of the lyrics? Am I supposed to relate to any of this stuff? Of course, the one song of any interest to those committed to the land of the living is Teacher's Pet. The bluesy interlude in this song was a nice departure from what came before and afterwards, but in an album full of bad lyrics this one really stands out. Did they think they were being clever, rhyming "pet" with "wet"? It's horrible. If this song and Hot for Teacher were horny high-schoolers, Hot for Teacher would be the popular class clown, and Teacher's Pet would be the incel lurking in the back row, devoid of any charm or sense of humor. And that lack of charm is ultimately the overarching problem throughout the album - not much of it is outright offensive, but there's also nothing to like. Some songs have good elements to them, but the good is outweighed by the bad in almost every case. And even if I was inclined to go for this kind of sound, or if I was in to human sacrifice, just about every aspect of what Venom did on this album has been done better elsewhere. Maybe this is one of those albums that everyone should hear once, but needless to say, I won't be returning to it.
If you’re not into metal you are probably going to struggle with this, but that ain’t me, and this is great. You can clearly see the influence they had on Metallica and early thrash in general, but even without what came after this is still really enjoyable. Crackling with energy, overblown (and slightly daft in places) lyrics, but as a whole it’s just good.
After a few songs, I realized the most metal thing I could do was stop listening.
"Black Metal" is, for me, a two-star album masquerading as a three-star album. It is a record that earns its place on "must-listen" lists almost entirely due to its seismic influence rather than its musical execution. Released in 1982 at the height of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM), it is impossible to deny its historical weight. Without this album, the metal landscape as we know it would look entirely different. Most obviously, it literally coined the term for the "Black Metal" sub-genre. Furthermore, the "Big Four" of Thrash—Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, and Megadeth - all cite Venom as a primary influence on the development of their sound. Truth be told, this album was the point where I began to look for music outside the metal sphere. I simply didn't follow the path that this record started to forge. At the time of its release, I thought the production was awful and muddy; listening again decades later, nothing has changed my mind. While the music is "OK" in brief bursts, it is generally not to my taste. There are occasional hints of dynamics and melody, but they are often deployed in a somewhat cack-handed manner. For the most part, it is a "balls-to-the-wall" assault driven by the drumming of 'Abaddon' (Anthony Bray), which becomes increasingly tiresome as the runtime progresses as it lacks any flair or finesse. As for the vocals, while they are certainly distinctive, they were never going to give the likes of Halford, Dio, or Dickinson a run for their money. Despite my gripes, "Black Metal" possesses an undeniable, albeit grubby, charm. It remains a personal contradiction; if you can peer through the sonic grime, the riffs are actually quite compelling, and I found myself begrudgingly admiring several tracks in spite of the surrounding mess. Ultimately, I respect the album far more than I actually enjoy it; it earns its place on the list through its legacy, not its craftsmanship. Side A ("Black") 1 "Black Metal" (3/5) 2 "To Hell and Back" (3/5) 3 "Buried Alive" (3/5) 4 "Raise the Dead" (3/5) 5 "Teacher's Pet" (2/5) Side B ("Metal") 6 "Leave Me in Hell" (4/5) 7 "Sacrifice" (3/5) 8 "Heaven's on Fire" (3/5) 9 "Countess Bathory" (4/5) 10 "Don't Burn the Witch" (4/5) 11 "At War with Satan (Preview)" (3/5) Total - 35 Average - 3.18 251/1001 138/251 albums reviewed were new to me
This is a comedy act, surely? So, all in all, this is a pretty crap album. However, it does deserve a place on this list as it was apparently quite influential. I wonder if the band ever grew up, and if they did, are they embarrassed?
Yeah. Not exactly my cup of tea. Songs blend into each other, lots of incoherent shouting. I'll give it two stars because of energy and relentlessness.
Metal tönt eif alles gliich für mich. Lyrics lowkey corny au
It's okay
I keep getting stuck on this album. I want to like it but it's not hooking me. Probably best to skip
3/10
Not really actual black metal, but damn this still goes hard. I think that a lot of metal from around the same time has aged a lot better, but purely for its heaviness this is super ahead of its time. Some of the guitar playing even for today's standards is insane, but then you realise that this came out in NINETEEN EIGHTY TWO. 80s metal is a real gamble whether it's going to be the greatest thing you've ever heard, or some cheesy garbage that aged worse than milk. And while this isn't quite in the same league as some of my all time favourites in 80s metal, it's still incredibly ahead of its time and still does hold up surprisingly well.
Not great, not terrible. Poor man's black sabbath. I guess you can see the progression black metal would take.
My musical nightmare: an Unlistenable wall of noise. I honestly lasted one track before I couldn't take it anymore.
I don’t even want this album on my algorithm. Stopped it immediately.
A very influential album for metal. Some lyrics were a bit cheesy but that's just the 80s lol.
Maybe slightly above a 3 for me, but not a 4. Definitely liked it more than Anthrax. Guitar riffs were great, I mostly liked the vocal style. Lyrics are sometimes quite silly. Sometimes the songs felt repetitive, and the mix felt a little flat, like the different instruments weren't standing out much.
Meh. Likes the instrumentation
Idk dude. I thought I'd like this with how much I enjoy other kinds of metal, but I just could not get into this. It's almost not interesting enough to me. Like the vocals are so one note, the instrumentation isn't super variable, or at least not enough to hook me. There are some points in some of the songs where it gets more exciting and I'm like yes, pls more of this, but then it quickly goes back to the same stuff.
Not afraid of Black Metal, even some I like. Sounds like 80s metal with more performative dark lyrics. Still though, very listenable. Like a badly produced Motorhead. 3 Heard before? No Owned: No 48/204 (23%) Will I get: No
A really important album for the metal genre, but not really my thing. A couple of tracks I might listen to again
It’s listenable, but there are so many other heavy metal bands in this style that i would 100% rather listen to. Probably won’t revisit much.
A version of me less tired of all the metal albums may have enjoyed the silly lyrics and crunchy vocals on this much more. I get that this was influential to a bunch of metal subgenres, but I'm really not that interested.
No thanks
Ok
i enjoyed the goblin man singing his song about getting molested
Hail satan
Enjoyed that. Feels more 70s than 80s
Utdaterat tycker jag
Driving hard rock / metal is something I generally like, so I should have appreciated this. And to be sure, the playing was good. I just couldn't get past how bad this dude's voice was, along with the lyrics which were not that great. It was a very mediocre album to me.
i rebuke
😐
Boring and repetitive
I can't believe they'd lie to me and try to convince me this is Black Metal. I mean, it IS Black Metal but it's not Black Metal... whatever... This is a rare instance of an album growing on me the further into the record I get. When Black Metal started, I was really struggling to get into it. Heavy metal in general has been a genre I've been iffy on, so add a very primitive and lo-fi recording that takes the smack out of pretty much everything and I was fully expecting to get nothing out of this. Cronos is also a vocalist that definitely takes some getting used to. By Sacrifice though, I would be lying if I said I wasn't enjoying myself. The album is so over the top in its satanic imagery, and the riffs are undeniably fun even if completely buried under the muddiest mix you've ever heard. Teacher's Pet is the only track that I'd claim is actively bad, the rest is honestly pretty fun once you get into the mood for it. I take their satanism about as seriously as I take Tenacious D's, but there's definitely that early metal cheesiness for those with a soft spot for that sort of thing.
Metal Misfits
For Jim and I
A very generous Metal Bump on this one. Definitely a case where other bands took what Venom did, but did it better (very disappointing that Mayhem and Emperor don't appear on this list).
Terrible recording aside, pretty good.
押し入れから聞こえる呻き声
Don't know how to review this, there's a lot I dislike but also some great songs, and I'm aware how influential it was. Bursting Out was my song of the album and best first listen with Don't Burn The Witch and Buried Alive being other highlights. I like too much of it for it to be 2 stars but I can't rate it any higher
1,1/5
Getting through this album felt like a chore is the only way I can describe this album. The guitar is good, but the drums leave much to be desired. Vocally it’s meh. It’s not the best, but not the worst. It’s just there and it sounds like it was recording on an answering machine. At one point I asked myself, how is this still going? My final verdict: this is an album that exists.
I’m shocked how much I’ve been enjoying the metal albums on this.
Sounds like Gandalf's gothy younger brother.
The fuel this threw on the Satanic Panic fire… this is what metal should be.
A classic, foundational album in heavy metal history. Venom are considered pioneers of black metal by, well, coining the term, and they inspired its future direction by combining the speed and tenacity of Motorhead with the darkness and grottiness of anarcho punk / the UK82 scene, and the satanic lyrical themes of early heavy metal. The likes of Crass, Discharge and Rudimentary Peni loom large here, particularly so on a number such as "Buried Alive" where the track opens up with that disenfranchised, slower, tension-invoking playing, or towards the conclusion of "At War With Satan". It's during those more choatic moments where I feel that the album truly shines, but it's a consistently engaging experience nonetheless. Varg supposedly hates Venom, but most rationally-minded people hate him as well. Now time for a rant / monologue about the scarce representation of metal in the 1001. It's a real shame and a terrible undersight. This is a great start and a more than worthy inclusion, but you'd surely have to acknowledge Bathory and Celtic Frost / Hellhammer as well, as far as first wave black metal is concerned. Then there's no second wave black metal in the list whatsoever - the style that most people would envisage when the genre is mentioned. I'd have at least an album apiece from Emperor, Immortal and Darkthrone to cover the bare essentials, and you probably would have to give Mayhem / Varg their dues in some way despite the rampant controversy and dickheadery. I'll be writing a letter to Mr. Robert Dimery when time allows.
Let's go 3/10. I found most of this hilarious, tbh. It's SO not for me. Some of it, though? Not terrible! But, yeah. No.
funniest shit I've ever heard
This album sounded like a parody of metal. So bad but also quite funny
I can appreciate it being a pioneer of a sub-genre but the lyricism is pretty one-note through the entire album. I’m not a huge metalhead though, just not my cup of tea.
very hype
N’étant pas un fan de tout ce qui est métal, j’ai été surpris de pas haïr ça plus que ça. Le plus gros problème (et souvent le plus récurent dans le metal), c’est que rapidement tout semble sonner pareil, tu peux seulement être le plus violent, rapide et agressif sur une courte période, l’étirer sur un album revient à brûler la chadelle de tout bord tout côté, ça me fatigue et tout semble plus fade.
bangers
Not my thing
I would love to know what 1996 version of me would have rated this. 1996 me loved metal. 2026 me still enjoys it when it’s done really well, but has less patience for nonsense. I guess this is ok, and I appreciate that it was probably pretty cutting edge for its time. But it got pretty boring for me pretty quickly. I am glad that there is some representation for the genre here though, even if this one wasn’t one of my favorites. 3/5
Loved the music, lyrically not my thing.
I liked this more than expected. I can see how it was influential. Think Motorhead w Eddie van halen effects talking about satan lol
Not for me.
nope
There's a lot of things that I like about this album: the cover art, the influences on speed / thrash metal, and plenty of the fretwork. But at the same time, I found myself sort of bored by the middle of it. The mixing is pretty trash (as seems to be a common theme among early metal albums); it sounds so overly compressed... And ultimately, I found this to be a pretty forgettable experience. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for the other music it clearly inspired, but I wasn't very moved by this specifically... High 2 in my book.
It's all the same song. High 2.
I liked the instrumentals throughout the album but the singer sounded like he belonged in a different band. Pretty whack for me in terms of metal that I like but still ok. Low 3
Finally a nice chill Saturday morning album. While some of the music was alright I just couldn’t get into it. I can mess with some hardcore but this was a bit much.
This one is tough to rate. On one hand I really enjoy metal and there is not a lot of metal on this list, on the other hand this album doesn't sound great. Ultimately, I enjoy this album even though there's a ton of better metal out there.
Kind of boring
Really really not for me, but that is expected. I can tell the guitar is incredible throughout, so I wish I could handle listening to it more.
Nope. Didn’t get it the first time round. Still nothing 30+ years later.
There's better metal than this. Also the production is atrocious and most of the riffs are just Motorhead
I found out I hate metal music
Not my style
terrible
I've never heard this band. Maybe I've seen the name. The themes were a bit dark for me, almost comically so, but I thought the music was pretty good.
La verdad no lo escuché porque tenía al diablo y yo no lo voy a escuchar gracias
Venom’s Black Metal was one of the pioneering albums and sounds of the Black Metal genre. I had listened to Venom before and knew some of their discography, this album is pure aggression and an amazing album. It’s raw, in your face, fast paced with dark themes and imagery! I’d 100% listen to again, it’s an extremely influential album in the realms of thrash, black and heavy metal
I smiled all the way through the album.
These goofy dudes. You probably wouldn't believe the impact this tongue-in-cheek piece had in a decade, or that the genre and counterculture which bore this album's title did actually strike fear in the hearts of normies at the mere sight of us freaks back then. Yes it's not very good, they weren't serious about devil worship, and neither were us, although a few dabbled with it. What we were serious about was the rejection of the worldview which was placed upon our generation, except pretty soon most forgot about that and became alcoholics, drug addicts, went to business school, or all of the above.
7/10
argh. Why should I care if the singer doesn't?
Raw and aggressive. As a metal head this is ok album but it didn't evoke bigger feelings. Hard to pick best song as they all were okeyish but I pick Don't Burn the Witch.
Aware that this is going to be a polarizing album. Many just don't enjoy metal, while others won't be able to appreciate the influence from Venom and this album in particular. Still others will be repelled by the theming or the sound quality that becomes mainstream for many metal subgenres. As a metal fan, I absolutely loved this and appreciated its inclusion.
Beating my kids is awesome
Black Metal... not my genre of choice I must admit. First song sounds shockingly bad sound-wise compared to the rest album - even though all of it sounds quite weak as well. There is no oumph at all, everything just becomes a mid-range mess. If you compare 'Don't Burn The Witch' to 'Black Metal' it's like night and day. Technicalities aside, this type of music is just a bit too fast for me to pick up any type of hooks or rhythms really. It's mostly the singer shouting some occult-like lyrics along with soo much guitar mess and drumming. No real finesse to it in my eyes, and everything just drowns out. The bad sound really doesn't help it either. In the end this wasn't for me, but I can imagine it is for some people.
Accidentally listened to the wrong album first, it didn't make much difference as the second Venom album sounds much like this one. I understand this is a big deal and started Black Metal sub-genre but I couldn’t find it that interesting. I dabble in metal from time to time but it’s not really my main genre of listening. Bad production quality and at times it sounded quite a bit like Judas Priest which made me wonder why this was so groundbreaking. Is it the occult theme? Going to be a 2 star from me.
Teacher's Pet is a song
I find the production undeniably awful, often sounding like it was recorded in a closet, and the lyrics often veer into juvenile, Spinal Tap territory, particularly on tracks like the cringe-inducing "Teacher's Pet". The musicianship is equally sloppy and primitive, yet I can’t help but be charmed by the infectious, punk-infused energy that courses through standout tracks like "Countess Bathory" and the title track. Still debating if this is a "listen to before you die" album though...
Just not my thing.
was okay not more
Oh blimey! I have brain ache, there’s no excuse for this, the fact they influenced new Metal genres means nothing, crap influencing crap. Ultimate low point was chants of ‘Get Your Tits Out For The Lads’…yeah, deep
Sounds like early Metallica
Wow, just wow. Early thrash/speed/death metal. I have not heard this before, I was more of a Judas Priest guy. I am not sure I would just put this on to listen to, but it is cool to hear the genesis of a whole genre.
Venom on tuttu bändi, mutten ole juurikaan heidän tuotantoa kuunnellut. Black Metal-albumi on oikeastaan aika jees, eikä sen parissa ehdi tylsistyä. Levy tarjoilee sarjakuvasatanismia sekä nopeasti rämisevää metallia, jonka vaikutus kuuluu Metallican ja Slayerin kaltaisissa thrash-bändeissä sekä tietysti myös varmaan kaikissa norjalaisissa black metal-yhtyeissä.
“Lay down your soul to the gods rock and roll… BLACK METAAAAL!” We metalheads would call this thrash or speed metal now, but Venom really did birth the black metal subgenre here. They created the esthetics, satanic themes, and sonic realm that other bands would run with. A damn good listen in a vacuum, but monumental when its influence is accounted for.
If this came out today it would be put in the comedy/parody category
What?! Sometimes you just need to listen to black metal I fear. It crazy what influence they had on the metal genre, I mean they gave black metal their name and it’s crazy to see how the genre developed since then. Anyway I guess this is not for everyone.
Frankly, cringe. Also not my thing, so I am a little biased, but still - I KNOW metal can be better than this, genre defining or not.
I’m all for finding new music but is it sad that for Venom - Black Metal I’m unsure which is the band and which is the album? Quite possibly the longest hour ever and an audacious start of this project for me... For most of the album I wondered if this site allowed ratings lower than 1* but there were one or two songs that weren’t horrible so I guess 1* will do…
Laughable
Metal is like Marmite, you either love it or hate it.
Now I know how people in the 80s/90s felt around "metal kids" in high school
I listened to this when I had a bit of a backlog of albums to listen to, because I had been putting off the other options. They were The Rolling Stones, The Specials, The Beach Boys and The Stooges, all making at least their third appearance on this list for me. I got into this project to hear new music and all I had was another uninspiring top ten dad rock hits. So this I enjoyed just as some fresh air, I was very grateful for the heavy sound. It's a bit rudimentary and the lyrics are more than a bit Spinal Tap (especially To Hell And Back), or like a (heavier and better) AC/DC such as Teacher's Pet but I am grateful for its inclusion on this list. The Satanic lyrics are a bit embarassing, especially as they were admittedly written only for shock value. If you want to hear some genuine practicing Satanists, check out the doo-wop Twin Temple, strongly recommended.
It was aight for metal. I’ve listened to better newer and older stuff
This was completely new ro me, and Im really glad I heard it. The lyrics are really funny. Its like they were written by a brooding 15 year old. Everything is EVIL and everything RHYMES. The music rips.
sympa je dois me pencher plus sur le metal
Idk of its just Spotify's version but the audio mixing sucked. Beyond that was a pretty interesting album for its time.
It’s a raw emission from the underworld, chugging toward you like a runaway train. Its mission statement is clear: be loud, be Satanic, be the thing that makes people clutch their pearls. I respect metal music and this album for being committed to the bit… though Teacher’s Pet was an unwelcome addition to the record’s themes. It’s so unabashedly up front about it, that it feels like a parody… and parody doesn’t hold up well to repeated listening. I guess I can see why this makes the list, but once is enough.
Love it
Not my thing - feels a little bit embarrassing in terms of the lyrics - satan and devil focused very troubled teens.
182 Tuvo sus momentos, pero cuando llegué al lado B con versiones de 60 minutos y versiones para la radio, fue como meh. Tiene eso más desarmado medio punketa que nunca me ha gustado.
Hadn't heard of them so I checked wikipedia and saw the 1982 release date. I figured I was in for something good. This makes me want to mosh like Beavis and Butthead! If this had come out ten years later it would've been cartoonish, instead it's a blueprint for a lot of what followed. Very cool.
3,5
influential metal album that defined the early black metal scene. the album stood out at the time with its lo-fi sound and blatantly dark lyrics. while the subject matter perhaps came across as shocking in 1982, today it seems as if the band strung random menacing sounding words together in mad libs fashion, whether the sentences actually made sense or not. this isn’t to say that i didn’t enjoy the album, as i liked the way it sounded, but in 2026 the lyrics are clearly interpreted as being tongue planted firmly in cheek. an interesting listen, nonetheless if than for nothing more from an historical aspect.
Nope
It may have spawned an entire genre but my mildly informed ears tell me this album doesn’t deliver the trademark sound of its name. Nevertheless, this is great listen; sludgy, filthy, lo-fi metal that is genuinely way ahead of its time. It works on a serious level and it works if it’s not taken too seriously. Obviously it won’t be for everyone but I’d take this over tons of slick, overproduced albums that take themselves far too seriously.
Aight
Wow. This is interesting! Something that I've found with the metal representation of this list is that it likes to include albums that influenced specific metal subgenres but are not really part of said subgenres themselves. Slayer was undoubtedly an influence on what would become death metal, but Reign in Blood is not a death metal album. It's just a particularly heavy thrash record. Iron Maiden's operatic vocals and epic energy helped to provide a basis for the birth of power metal, but they themselves were just a good old fashioned heavy metal band. And then we have the clearest example of this yet, Venom's 1982 album Black Metal. As some of you might know, black metal happens to be among the more prevalent metal subgenres in the metal fandom. This style that focuses on lo-fi production, satanic lyrics, and screech-like vocals really got its start in the 90s through Norwegian bands like Mayhem and Darkthrone, but its influence can be dated back to albums like this. At first glance, this album has many of the features that I just listed as the defining traits of black metal. In fact, as has probably become obvious to you by now, this album is actually the namesake of the black metal genre itself! So, that's pretty cool, right? The influence that this band and album had on the scene to come are immense! However, many metal fans don't particularly consider this album to be "black metal" in the sense of the genre that they know and love. Many regard this to just be a particularly lo-fi speed metal album, likening this to "Motörhead, but with shitty production." Now, I'm not the biggest metal expert on the planet. I'm more knowledgeable than most people doing this project (probably), but I'm still not deeply ingrained in the culture or anything, so I can't say for sure what type of metal I'd call it. Speed metal? Black metal? I'll just be over here calling it good. I like this album, okay? Admittedly, the production is low quality, but I don't know; that kinda gives it more edge, you know? It feels right for the music. The riffs are cool. I think these songs sound pretty cool and spooky. The vocals are very fitting and they're fun. The writing isn't always great. "Teacher's Pet" is kinda wack. But for the most part, I think the writing here is good enough. I think this album's pretty fun. It's got a dark energy that's clearly not sinister in any genuine way, but is still the kind of thing that I can really get behind. It's not the greatest metal album ever, but it's good enough for me. Low 4/5.
Yikes
Buen contraste para escuchar el día de Reyes. Normalmente estoy mucho más inclinado al hard rock que al heavy metal, pero he de decir que he disfrutado con interés y sin prejuicios este “Black Metal” de Venom. El satanismo como pretexto me resulta atractivo artísticamente hablando, te abre a numerosas posibilidades de expresión, y la banda las ha explorado, tanto musical como líricamente. Ser el disco seminal de un estilo al cual dará nombre no es ninguna tontería, pero creo que se ha ganado ese honor. Hay guiños al blues, incluso al punk, pero lo que más destaca es esa speed guitar y el acelerado ritmo de la batería, las señas de identidad del género. La explosión de energía para una banda de tres componentes y tres instrumentos es digna de elogio, además destaca la voz de Cronos, que sabe gritar y cantar también. En definitiva, un disco para pasarlo bien invocando a Satán.
Solid rock music. But the latter stuff sounded boring for me
Should it be here? As an example of this music, yes. Do I like I? No, sorry guys. 2 stars
La, la, la ,al ,la la, la la, la la... My cherie amour, lovely as a summer day My cherie amour, distant as the Milky Way My cherie amour, pretty little one that I adore You're the only girl my heart beats for How I wish that you were mine......la la la, la la la..la la la la la la..
Venom are a hilariously terrible band, but turns their significant limitations into a new genre (much like Black Sabbath before them). This record sounds like the missing link between Motorhead and Metallica recorded through a cardboard tube in an underground car park, which I find strangely charming. Venom's career reads like Spinal Tap, ever snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. I love their DIY attitude. I love that Cronos drew the cover art of this album using tipex. Objectively, there is nothing about this album that measures up to a more competent metal album like, say, Megadeth. But I would much rather listen to this energetic and straightforward blast of noise any day. 2.5 stars, rounding up for energy.
Basically Motörhead (literally one of these songs sounds exactly like “Ace of Spades” with the lyrics changed), but more explicitly about Satan/spooky stuff. I actually really dug it.
Favorite Track: Black Metal
Very important, yes. Influenced many and etc I don't rate based on importance, but it's still a good album even by modern standards. Albeit a bit basic
Not my tempo
In some ways, Black Metal is one of those albums where having the actual 1001 Albums book on hand would have been helpful – Robert Dimery apparently described Black Metal as the "perfect parody" and its inclusion seems to be due to Venom accidentally kickstarting a much darker wave of Norwegian metal with this album, despite the fact that they weren't actually Satanists themselves. On the other hand, knowing that the whole "Lucifer is my master" shtick was theatrical and not done in earnest doesn't make the music much easier to listen to. I can't stand the raspy, atonal vocals or the one-note lyrics, no matter how much of it is played for irony. The guitar work is solid all around and there were a couple cuts I thought were okay, but there's not much else here I'd willingly subject myself to a second time. I also just want to point out how funny the final track is – it's a preview of the intro of the first track from Venom's next album, which just slowly fades out like two minutes in. I can't imagine buying this LP in 1982, hearing this at the end and having to wait nearly two years to hear the full song (which is almost 20 minutes long). Not sure if it was an intentional joke on Venom's part or not, but it got a chuckle out of me! Highlights: Raise the Dead, Teacher's Pet
This did not need to be on the list. I can think of a fair few metal bands that could have easily taken the spot that this album took up
Not for me
I’ve never heard of Venom before, but oh boy, this album cover is saying a lot. I find that I can be pretty picky when it comes to metal music, so I’m not sure if this album is going to wind up being something that I’ll enjoy. Regardless, I’m sure this will be an interesting experience! Overall, I thought this album was pretty good, and I found it entertaining to listen to. For a thrash metal album, there was quite a bit of variation in the sound from song to song, but every song still fit the overall mood and sound of the album really well. One of my favorite things about thrash metal tends to be the drumming, and Black Metal had some blistering drumming on each song. I’m not really into lyrics as dark as this, but I appreciate that Venom used dark Satanic themes as part of their artistry, despite not being Satanists. As far as thrash metal goes, this album was really unique, and Venom’s musical style was really distinct. They can thrash, but they can also slow it down to craft a dark atmosphere, like on “Buried Alive” and “Raise The Dead.” Those two songs happened to be a couple of my favorite songs on the album, due to how unique they were. “Teacher’s Pet” was also really good, and I enjoyed the shock value of the sexual lyrics. I really didn’t see it coming that this song would be so sexually explicit, but it fit Venom’s style pretty well. That little schoolyard song guitar riff at the beginning was a nice touch as well. The guitar riff on “Heaven’s on Fire” was incredibly catchy, and the drumming was great too. “Countess Bathory” was probably my favorite song on the album. I really enjoyed the distorted guitar, and the story in the lyrics was great. My biggest complaint with this album is that these songs felt really long as I listened to them. I don’t know if the music was really repetitive, but each song felt really long to me for some reason, especially the first two songs on each side of the album, all of which I didn’t care for too much. On top of that, I don’t know what was going on with the production on the title track, but it sounded like the whole song was recorded underwater, and it drove me insane. Still, even with those flaws, this album was pretty enjoyable. I don’t think I’d fire this up again, but Black Metal is certainly a memorable experience.
This album means nothing to me except as a reminder why I find most metal incredibly annoying and boring.
It wasn't as bad as I had feared. I couldn't listen to it all the way through because I'm not into that genre. Some of the music reminded me of old gothic bands I used to listen to in my youth. Nowadays, I find it all pretty boring. Still, I listened to more of the album than I thought I would. 2/5
Honestly, when I read the review, I expected way more intensity. The review talks about their satanic subject matter, the reviling music, etc. As a foundational piece to the genre, I understand that the music gets harder with time, at that 1981 death metal vs 2025 death metal is very different. However, my metalhead past was like, "this is death metal? Where is the heat??" Generally, I did not enjoy it much. I felt underwhelmed by its intensity while also feeling annoyed but it's raspy, proto-scream vibes. I'd rather listen to Suicide Silence.
Very intense, fast album. Great heavy guitar riffs and growly vocals. Absolutely loved it from start to finish. One of the cornerstone albums of metal. I might be a little biased because this is exactly my type of music, but this is an easy 5 stars for me. Standout Songs: Black Metal To Hell and Back Raise the Dead Leave Me In Hell Sacrifice Heaven's On Fire Countess Bathory At War With Satan
The definitive Thrash album!!!! I must listen if you like this style of music. Funny I got this on Christmas to review!
it's astounding that this album had as much of an impact on metal as it did when it's pretty much garbage. it all sounds like shit. one of the muddiest albums i've heard in my life so i can't even appreciate the energy of the riffs. the whole album sounds like i'm hearing it through the wall to my neighbor's apartment. it's unclear to me if this is a creative choice or a skill issue but it's nigh unlistenable. the lyrics are hilariously cringe so of course the biggest nazi dullards on the planet in norway took it and ran with it.
Jesus Christ this album is so English. Imagine if Tenacious D was not in on their own joke, that's this album. I had fun listening to it but it ain't good. I can see the inspiration lyrically on some of later metal, I think In that they sing like they're talking about a weird biblical-themed DND homebrew but seem to be unaware its not as cool as they think it is. It does get a point for making me laugh though.
Bizarre album to listen to on Christmas Eve, didn't exactly put me in a festive spirit...unless I was worshipping Satan? (Cue the church lady). I guess I can appreciate the sincerity by which these guys express their devotion to hell and the devil, etc. And I guess they invented the genre of black metal. But, musically, this is standard issue and no one sold their souls to make a good or even memorable album.
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥👿👿🤘🤘🤘👿👿🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Hail Satan, I guess? If this were twenty mins shorter, its a four. Its campy as hell, but if you just embrace it and go with the thrash, there are rewards to be had.
about as generic as you get for metal. Although it kind of pioneers the sound and themes for what was to come later. It strikes me as being very tryhard edgy. Something you would play in a haunted house attraction run by the goth kids or something.
An album designed to scare parents. That’s basically it. It does an admirable job but I have zero interest in albums like this
Some more mellow tracks I enjoyed but the metal sound wasn't for me.
Not a great album. Possibly influential to others that came after, but in hindsight, this one didn’t really hit the mark.
Absolutely not my kind of music. I can appreciate that Venom pioneered a sub-genre of music, but I am not their intended audience.
Satan rules
Would I listen to it again? No. Def not my vibe, but I can appreciate the musical abilities and the guitars are dope.
I was looking forward to this. Sad to say I can't say I love it. I like black metal (the genre) and various extreme metal genres. As such I can appreciate how important this album is. But it seems more like a draft of what black metal could be. It's more like someone was trying to be Motorhead but said "make them more evil". In fact I can hear more thrash influence in the music and black metal in the production. And clearly lots to like (bar Teacher's Pet) and some great guitar playing. But almost too rough and punkish to love.
overall this was solid. some of these were great but overall just did not hook me just enough for a 4.
Oh, I really like this. I had heard about the influence of venom so I was intrigued to hear a full album. It is not as inaccessible as I expected. In fact it sounds a lot like motorhead to my ears. I think they could have binned off teachers pet and I don't like the idea of a preview of your next album as a last track... But beyond that I think I like everything. The lofi-ness was off putting at first, but once you're into the first track you just get used to it. The imagery is pure theatre and quite funny in its way. You can see how that was influential. It's mad that some of these tracks were first written in 1970!!! So ahead of it's time there, although I dunno what state they were in then, I assume quite different since it was another 9 years before this came out. I'd like to hear their first album now! I'm not sure this is quite a 5, but it's a high 4.
It's well-known how hugely influential this album is, probably one of the most influential albums ever. Would be incredible to go back and hear this when it came out. It's touched all things metal and metal-adjacent. You have to respect it. I'm not like super-into it on its own, but listening in the context of history and legacy is interesting.
I had higher hopes. The album was kind of just boring.
Not necessarily the words I want to be in my ears. The music is pretty fine, but the themes and lyrics aren't for me.
Absolutely, no thank you. Also, not interested in music promoted with so much satanic imagery.
Can't say it was my speed exactly
One of the origins of one of my favorite genres, this album gets points for historical importance. However, the production quality is rough, to be kind, and the music isn't as well developed as the bands that it inspired. Still, I don't hate it, and can appreciate it for what it is.
Uuum. No.
Surprised at how modern this sounds considering it was released over 40 years ago. I immediately was reminded of Metallica and megadeath and these guys must have been a huge influence on all forms of metal that came afterwards. Not a huge metal fan but can appreciate their contribution so for that I’ll round up to 3.
Hell yeah. Big influence on those naughty Norwegians.
Speed metal To hell and back Raise the dead
Takes a track to warm up but then settles in for some decent rock. Nothing special though.
Absolute shit.
Sounds like ai-generated NWOBM, taking samples from many so-so artists and aiming for "generic, teen-pleasing noise"
No. Extreme metal .. nope. More than an hour? Nope. Sameness
Not my thing
Surprised the heck outta me. Thought I'd hate it.
как будто пародия, калька на блэк
Didn't care for this one very much
Like a parody of itself. Physically difficult to sit through.
Ehhhhhhh The generous interpretation is that this is a fun Halloweeny exaggerated take on metal themes, and it has a genuinely interesting punkish vibe I haven't seen in a lot of other metal. The less generous interpretation is that it sounds like self-parody, and while it might have been influential enough to give a name to black metal, it mostly sucks.
i had a phase like this in high school too i just didn't insist on making it everybody else's problem
It's an alright metal album. It's not very musical, more like noise in the background with some growling and grunting. It's a solid 3/10
Neat metal stuff
🤟666🤟 ⚡️⚡️
Terrible. Rock for nerds. There is nothing authentic about this at all. Feels so fake and forced
Is this an album I must have listened to before I die? No. Was this enjoyable? Also, no. Should you listen to this, even with the knowledge that this album was a pioneering metal album? Well, no. Should you listen to this even though the drummer and guitarists are genuinely talented, and their talents shine through in this bad album? Nah.
Metalhead that I am, it seems inconceivable that I've not heard this before. There's clearly lots of influential material here, and I can see why Venom are held up as pioneers of the thrash genre. The production is a bit naff, which is a shame because there's some decent tracks struggling to get out and some very obvious trail blazing sounds. The 'Big Four' and Voïvod all cite Venom as being responsible for shaping their sound. It's a bit heavy on the satanic elements! Tempted. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ✅️ Important ★★★★☆ (7/10)
No.
Had this on at the gym and honestly thats the only occasion I would listen to this. Sounded a bit motorhead to me. Teachers pet maybe the most memorable of the songs but mostly for the cringe lyrics
It’s very protozoan, it’s not quite thrash, not quite black metal, a bit iron maiden, a bit punky. Loved it back in the 2000s but more quietly appreciate it now.
I've listened to some Venom before. Not my favorite music, but some songs like "Bloodlust" (not appearing on this album) are awesome. This is a fun listen. I figured the lo-fi production might bother me more but it's not bad at all. I appreciate the influence Venom had on one of my favorite genres and the album is surprisingly enjoyable. "Teacher's Pet" has an interesting bluesy section. Much of the album is more straightforward proto-thrash. Really excellent. Standouts: "Black Metal", "Raise the Dead", "Leave Me in Hell"
Spooky Motorhead is alright.
I just laughed my way through this. It’s not that it’s bad, it’s just so freakin corny. Guttural screams, singing about satan and hell and sacrificing Luther or something. lol * After skipping through the album again, I'm changing my rating from 2 to 1
Keech!
Genuinely terrible production, vocals, and lyrics. Some decent riffs and fun energy though so it's not all bad
🐐
It wasn't bad, it was just boring
The musical equivalent of spray-painting a pentagram on your homework and turning it in anyway. Rating: 4.4/5 Short Review: Chaotic, sloppy, loud, ridiculous… and somehow legendary. Venom didn’t perfect black metal — they accidentally invented the blueprint by being too feral to play by the rules of thrash or NWOBHM. It’s raw, juvenile, dumb in a smart way, and iconic in a “we recorded this in a basement next to a dying washing machine” kind of way. Favorite Track: Black Metal — the anthem, the manifesto, the moment they said, “We don’t know what we’re doing but we’re doing it loudly.”
Ouuuuh je crie fort ouuuuuh je parle de Satan ouuuuh j'ai une double pédale sur ma batterie ouuuuuh je fais peur je suis méchant.
so bad
"LAY DOWN YOUR SOUL TO THE GOD'S ROCK AND ROLL" 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
High pace and high energy heavy metal with macabre themes. Liked this more than anticipated.
too metal
This is some very basic. Presumably it's from the early days of metal. I guess being able to hear the individual instruments and lyrics is in some ways quite novel. Ultimately a 3, inoffensive.
nicht meine Musik, aber durchaus OK
The logo is a little too friendly for the vibe. Cool thrashy sound, ridiculous lyrics. Definitely an influence for a lot of metal bands that followed. Feels weird giving the Satan praising, dragon slaying dudes such a high rating, but horns up I guess.
Kind of liked it. Not the best metal album ever, but it was good for today. The more thrash/hardcore songs were better. 3/5 Might listen again
ha-ha-hail satanas that's fun
Nah.
Nope!
Global average less than 2.5 is definitely too low.. heard a lot of similarity to Metallica, Ozzy, Megadeth etc, and those groups are certainly regarded higher. Production value is lower so that hurts a bit but this sounds fairly influential.. 4/5
Unnecessary goth metal.
I liked it mainly because I can hear where a lot of the albums I love came from. It's worth a listen just for its historical relevance.
Raaaawk!! Criiiiiiinge!! Raaaaaaawk!!!
BAT!.gif
horrível
Some songs were ok
Really classic sounding inoffensive metal. I appreciate the lack of screaming. Some nice guitar work! People who really like heavy metal music will probably think this isn’t hard enough, but it’s very accessible for me. Maybe it’s starter metal?
Not my thing
This is actual garbage, no redeeming qualities
Classic metal. Very nice
Pretty much what I expected from the title. Not really a fan, a little too "in your face" most of the time. They have a couple of cool rifts though, the voice is rough but can still be heard plainly, so that's a plus
I was bracing something as bad as Napalm Death from the year and the album name, but this was surprisingly better. The sound quality is absolutely bad. The songs themselves at least have musicality. If I'd discovered this when I was 15 or 16, I would probably have liked it a lot, but in hindsight, this is just okay. Would give 2.5 stars, but deciding to round it down.
Not my taste
I know someday I’m going to hear a metal song and suddenly understand why people like it so much. My eyes will be open to the power of the darkness. That day is not today.
I jive with metal, but Ill flat out say that I didnt love this. The wiki described how yuge their influence was, so maybe its one of those bands you needed to be there for… or maybe its just that the 80s sucked 😂 The intro lick of Leave Me In Hell was cool. I hear motley crue on that
Hated this, then hated it a little less. They really went for it. The instrumental moments are pretty fun. The vocals are tough. I like the differences in dynamics in Buried Alive. Main takeaway is that Metallica really needs more songs about jerking off in the middle of class.
They helped popularizing a lot of metal subgenres, including black metal. This is not the best record ever but we have to acknowledge that it was extremely influential.
Just noise
Historically significant perhaps, but really not enjoyable in any way.
I kinda want to hate it, but it is probably one of the funniest album I've ever heard.
A very consistent metal album! It deserves a much higher score than it got, but those assholes behind this project only like hip hop and that kind of crap.
Venom were a bit of an embarrassment to people from Newcastle in the early 1980s, seen as a talentless trio of musicians who brought shame upon their birth town. However, they redeemed themselves by sticking at it, doing loads of gigging, appearing on Metro Radio, even mock-assaulting Alan Robson (the North East's DJ for metal music) in one memorable interview. This album falls somewhere between Punk and early Speed Metal, similar to Motorhead, but with more amusing lyrics. I hope they weren't taking themselves seriously when they put this album together, as it's only fun if it's meant to be funny. I had a copy of Buried Alive and Countess Bathory, taped from the radio when I was a young teenager. I listened to them many times, associating them with horror books I read at the same time in my life, "Manitou" stands out in my mind, kind of similar to "Mantis" I guess? Both of these tracks stand up today, particularly Buried Alive, which is genuinely disturbing. Teacher's Pet falls more into the Punk/ Metal crossover category, and really shows its age. I always used to skip this track when I finally got a copy of this album in the 1990s. However, everything else here is great, good fun with hilarious satanic imagery, and some actually quite decent music, better than I remembered to be honest. Yes, it sounds like it was recorded in someone's bathroom, but so did many other albums from this time in this scene. It doesn't detract from the album for me, giving it an almost live performance type atmosphere. I imagine that early Venom concerts were great fun to go to, and it's a shame I was too young for this experience. One thing that surprised me on a relisten was how similar to Celtic Frost some of this sounds, and I see they list Venom as a band that influenced them. I'm kind of reluctant to give this five stars, but I feel it's somewhere between four and five, partly because this was such a genre-defining album, even the name of the album, "Black Metal", was important in the development of more great music into the 80s and 90s.
I see why it's influential. There's some solid ideas/performances. Songs aren't super memorable, but there's some good moments
Metal really isn't my genre, so I wasn't looking forward to this one. In the end though, it wasn't too bad. The higher tempo made it less boring than the Metallica albums that I've loathed. I wouldn't choose to listen to Venom again, but I wouldn't turn it off if it came on.
I get it. This is an influential album, the one that literally coined the genre. That's why it's in the list. I actually enjoyed it a bit, hence the extra star. However, it's just not my cup of tea. Hope you get it, too.
I've never heard ANYTHING like it... So bad its kinda good. Bonus points for being metal.
I can hear how influential it was, but not really my thing
Black metal... black metal... black metal... black metal... black metal... black metal... The lyrics and delivery are just too goofy for me.
That was boring.
This is exactly my kind of thing. Really liked this album. Brings great energy.
Venom’s ‘Black Metal’ is chaotic, cartoonish, and so over-the-top it sometimes undercuts its own menace. The band are clearly having a great time, but the album frequently jumps the shark into self-parody, its theatrical extremity threatening to eclipse the genuine innovation underneath. The result renders it somewhat ‘quaint’ by today’s standards, but it’s still a fun listen.
This is silly.
4.9/10
It’s not good is it. Nice cover though
You can definitely understand the influence this album had on the genre. It's not really my style but was entertaining nonetheless.
Alright. Didn’t quite pay attention to the lyrics, but the instrumental bits almost blew me away.
Not my style
Do they have any idea how cringe this is? “Oooh, Satan, we’re so edgy”.
I like this more than I thought I would. It was good front to back, just not exactly my style. 2.7 outta 5
Not a fan of metal
A quote from Leave Me In Hell: "I don't want to be bored". Well, I was.
Misleading album name, this is clearly thrash. Early thrash at that - this may be influential as a genre pioneer, but it was totally eclipsed barely a year after its release by Metallica’s ‘Kill ‘em all’ which totally leaves it in the dust. I can see the influence here, but it just doesn’t hold up as anything other than just ok.
Just some solid classic speed. Nothing too fancy nor does it need to be. Great stuff with not many standouts, just consistently great track you can put on and leave the album on repeat for hours. 8/10
This album inspired a bunch of freaks to go and burn churches and murder eachother in Norway, revenge a thousand years in the making for the Viking Age? Not just that, but apparently one of the tracks on here inspired the riff for Smells Like Teen Spirit. The context and history of this album aside, it's A LOT of fun to listen to. If I heard this when I was 14 I would have loved this shit and been a little bit crestfallen that these guys were taking the piss. This album is clearly a bunch of dudes having a lot of fun, they seem like they would have been phenomenal to see back in their heyday. The only song on here I didn't care that much for was Teacher's Pet as it feels like it's simulating what it's like to be a lone woman being heckled and harassed by a group of drunken English lads, probably. So points for atmosphere, I guess. Not without flaw, but also very, very listenable. It doesn't want to make me burn a church per se, but I do really wanna put on some corpse paint, wear all black and stab one of my mates to death. Highlights: Buried Alive, Leave Me in Hell, Countess Bathory
Meh. Got a little too long for me.
They can jam.
This was fun. I didn't take it very seriously, and I think that helped. The whole intro to a song just for them to slowly fade out when they got into the song was hilarious.
Here’s how this album goes. Satan, death, occult stuff, weirdly horny teenage fantasy, murder, blood, satan. One of these things is not like the other, one of them doesn’t belong! Seriously, if you weren’t paying attention, Teacher’s Pet doesn’t make any sense. It’s also just a straight forward blues rock song so musically it also sticks out like a sore thumb. Anyways, this album definitely deserves to be on the list. It’s hella lofi sounding but you can tell how influential it was for metal in the 80s.
I love rock and heavy metal music but this is mostly kind of boring. Guitar is innovating thrash metal but drums are not doing anything interesting and it's jarring to have those put together like that. The sound engineering is awful, which I assume is on purpose but makes for a significantly less enjoyable listen. I am starting to understand why this era of metal bands was called New Wave (of British heavy metal), hearing how the vocals are performed with little regard for being in tune (in this instance clearly valuing the sound of the growl over the pitch of the note) and then being drenched in reverb, which only lengthen and highlight the imperfections.
I've yet to find a metal album I enjoy. This didn't help.
Never heard of these guys, but I definitely hear them in bands that were influenced by them.
Not really my bag, but seems early for thrash. Guessing it was influential. Reminded me of Motorhead somewhat.
Not my cup of tea.
7/10 A bit conflicted on this. Not sure why exactly.
The lyrics are a bit cringey, but maybe that's because they're the genesis of so much black metal aesthetic. Music overall was fine but I couldn't help but largely find the songs almost parody-like in their content.
Strange album. Somehow it makes me think of a band trying to make great metal by playing fast and concentrating their lyrics on hell, satan etc. But the music is simply not interesting. A few parts where you think 'ok, now it's starting' but no, nothing follows. Maybe it's simply since it was 1982. Of course at that time one hadn't heard all the music which was to come so it probably was different at that time. But if it is like that, the album should have been omitted from this list.
Fucking rips. 4.5/5
real ones know this isn’t black metal
It kinda reminded me of KISS, if KISS was a little heavier and wrote about satanic themes. Which they sort of do, in a tenuous way. I don't really like KISS that much, but I did like this well enough. It was fun in that dark way, it had some head-bang ability, and it was entertaining even if over the top. While I probably won't listen to this album on repeat any time soon, I wouldn't be upset to hear it again. Overall: 3/5
I can't tell whether this album sounds like all other Black Metal, or if all other Black Metal sounds like this album. Either way, not really my thing. I prefer singing to screaming/growling. Teacher's Pet is a pretty funny track, though.
Loved having this as my Sunday AM soundtrack !
Some Ross Williams sounding shit
terrible mixing these guitars are too quiet also for metal these are some boring drums my 108th album and my first 1 so long and all the songs sound the same and are about the same things except for teachers pet where I wish they were singing about Satan again
★★½
Normally I despise most speed metal, but this has a sort of rare artistic balance between grating and easy sounds. So I don't hate it. But I also don't really like it.
Important to the creation of its genre? Sure. Enjoyable? I’d say no.
Igh
Very nice, bit not mine.
Best Song: Don't Burn the Witch. A really solid groove here. Worst Song: At War With Satan. Extremely corny to end with this goofy little LARP. Overall: It is easy to hear how this album planted the creative seeds that spawned a lot of my favourite artists. That said, it suffers somewhat from the success of its successors, as their speed, vigour, and intensity work backwards in time to make this seem slower, quieter, and paler retroactively.
Als ich Black Metal zum ersten Mal hörte, knallte „Countess Bathory“ wie ein Faustschlag – roh, wild, kompromisslos. Auch „Buried Alive“ und „Raise the Dead“ haben diesen düsteren Charme, der das Genre prägte. Aber ehrlich gesagt: Vieles klingt heute eher wie ein wütender Proberaum-Mitschnitt als ein durchdachtes Album. Ich respektiere, was Venom losgetreten hat – ohne sie gäbe es viele spätere Metal-Spielarten nicht. Aber musikalisch ist es mehr Kult als Genuss. Ein Stück Geschichte, das man gehört haben sollte, aber nicht unbedingt regelmäßig auflegt.
Standard sounding metal. Not terrible I guess. High 2.
The best thing I can about this album is I made it through the entire thing. The vocals are guttural and muddy and the lyrics are pretty stupid, but at least I could understand most of what he was "singing". Not as bad as some of the thrash and death metal on this list, but still far from good. 1.5 if possible.
I did finish it I guess but man was I happy when it was over.