Monday, April 6, 2009

Venom - Bloodlust (1982)


The Bloodlust single was released by Neat Records in August of 1982, a couple months before their second L.P. This single was not any more important than the dozens of other releases just like it, but it happens to contain two of my favorite Venom songs so it seemed appropriate to review it, here.

"Bloodlust" starts out with a couple of stray guitar riffs and then Cronos shouting, "Come on, turn it up!" Abaddon utilizes a classic old school drum beat that is typical for the period as Mantas unleashes a Hell of a guitar solo as Cronos shouts his name. The song never really gets up to high speed, as this is more of a relaxed tune and has all the evil atmosphere of a 70s/80s horror movie. Even the lyrics echo this sentiment well enough:

"Now I shall feast
On your life giving blood
Leave you to die
On the land you once stood"

Everything about this song is perfectly executed with regard to the feeling that they were going for. With the campy lyrics and the obvious sense of humour, it is clear that Venom could not only make hellish music but they could also have a good time while doing so; something many later bands forgot how to do.

On Side B is the song "In Nomine Satanas". This song is a little heavier and mid-paced. It is pretty relaxed, like the first one, but still a little more serious in its delivery. As the song nears its conclusion, everything calms down and all that is left are terrifying, drawn-out guitar chords as the drums pound randomly and the dreadful voice of Cronos speaks out over the screams of the damned:

"Hear infernal legions plead
As Satan sings his songs of war
As I see mortal corpses rise
Up from the depths"

Bloodlust is a great single, featuring a killer B-side and served as a good way to keep Venom fans sated until the release of Black Metal while offering up two classic songs that would have been at home on either one of the first two albums.