ALBUM REVIEW: There’s Only Black – Venom Inc.
When VENOM INC. rose from the dead with their album Avé in 2017, fans rejoiced at the fresh chance to revel in having another incarnation of the classic band and their intensely recognisable metal sound. With that well received record under their belts, the trio have returned with the follow-up which is titled There’s Only Black and it sees the new line-up (guitarist Mantas, vocalist/bassist Demolition Man and new drummer War Machine) firing on all cylinders for the whole of the album’s duration. There is barely a chance for you to pause for breath as the album is delivered in a speedy, breakneck fashion.
That high-octane nature of VENOM INC.‘s music is given a renewed focus here as the title of the album refers to an actual near death experience that Mantas had, so it is heartening to hear them with this new music and they sound as if they are having the time of their lives playing these songs.
Another reason for this renewed focus could well be due to the fact that VENOM INC. have a new drummer in the shape of War Machine, whose powerhouse drumming lends a crucial and crushing groove to the band’s sound. Of course, the guitar sound of Mantas is instantly recognisable and it is great to hear those riffs and solos blaring out. The combo of bone rattling bass and roaring vocals from Demolition Man crowns this new line-up and it sounds like they have been playing together much longer than they have, such is the groove they find together.
How Many Can Die kicks off in pure VENOM INC. fashion and the band continue this explosive opening as the album flies by, with Rampant, Nine and the album’s title track (to name a few) detonating that classic VENOM INC. sound brilliantly – if it ain’t broke don’t fix as the saying goes. You know what you’re getting with VENOM INC. and they certainly deliver on all counts,
There is enough variety to keep things more than interesting and fresh as well, though. The brooding Don’t Feed Me Your Lies and The Dance Macabre as well as the grooving Tyrant for example show off elements of a slower groove at times, but as with all the songs on the album, these tracks still explode into life like a pyro explosion.
You can forget anything that has happened in the past (that history is what it is) because VENOM INC. are all about the present and the future of the band and their music, and when it sounds as good as There’s Only Black that is all that matters. This is an album sees the band on top form with a renewed vigour and is a fully packed collection of energetic and evil sounding heavy metal anthems.
Rating: 8/10
There’s Only Black is set for release on September 23rd via Nuclear Blast Records.
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