The reviews in this section are from 1985 at the time of the original release of most of the albums.

Let me begin by saying that Venom are not for the faint of heart, nor are they for the average music buff. Indeed, they could make the blood curdle in your veins. With a repertoire like Sons of Satan, 1000 Days in Sodom and In Nomine Satanas it's no wonder they have a very elite, very select following. Face it metalheads, Abaddon, Cronos and Mantas represent the sound of evil metal power incarnate. Hell, they are it! And they are on the verge of taking the world by storm. It's just too bad they haven't yet been able to tour the States - yet - which goes back to a rumour that they had their entry visas pulled when they blew up the Palladium stage the one time they did play here.

Anyway, their debut LP, Welcome to Hell, is very rough to listen to, even by Venom standards, because it is very raw and not mixed too well in my opinion. Most of it isn't too well polished and, at times, grates on your nerves and ears - which has nothing to do with Cronos's sandpaper voice. The follow-up, Black Metal, is like a 100% improvement. The arrangements are better, the mix is better, the whole thing is better, and just as powerful. I like it better just by virtue of its listenability, but I like all their songs equally well. The Warhead EP gets my vote for this group's best work to date. Seven Gates Of Hell, I think, is magnificent in content and arrangement, and it shows some genuine promise for this group. Finally comes At War With Satan. All of side one is the title cut, broken into 'movements,' each different yet with a solid thread binding it together. This record has their least listenable piece ever. Called, simply, Aaaargh!, it consists of nothing but pure noise, but I think it was just used to fill out the last recordable space on the LP. That's okay, Cry Wolf, Women, Leather And Hell, and the other titles live up to the reputation Venom have so quickly built for themselves.

Following 1984's blockbuster self-titled four-track mini LP, Copenhagen's metal-demon have returned with more searing-hot metal. Coming with Melissa was also a change from Holland's Rave-On Records to America's Megaforce label. In any case, the change didn't slow them down or cool them off any, and I think both releases show this group hae every intention of sticking around for a long time to come.

Coming from the same mould as Venom and Slayer, their songs deal with witchcraft, demonology and the occult. King Diamond's constantaly changing vocal range (on lead and back-up_, the switch-off leads of guitarists Timi Grabber and Hank Shermann, and the pounding fast rhythm of bassist Michael Hansen and drummer Kim Ruzz power this group to new heights of metal.

I have only one complaint about Don't Break the Oath, the follow-up to Melissa, and that is the mix. I don't much care for the production on this record - it's a little too brassy. This group needs the pounding bass sounds heard on their early works.

In any case, the coven is looking for new members and any true metalhead who hears Mercyful will become a member, I'm sure.