Venom

Venom is a British heavy metal and black metal band hailing from Newcastle upon Tyne, England. The group was formed in 1978 by vocalist/bassist Cronos (Conrad Lant), guitarist Mantas (Jeffrey Dunn), and drummer Abaddon (Anthony Bray). Venom is often credited as one of the pioneers of black metal and played a crucial role in the development of extreme metal.

Musical Career:
Venom released their debut album, "Welcome to Hell," in 1981, quickly followed by "Black Metal" in 1982. These albums have become genre classics and greatly influenced the extreme metal scene. Venom was known for their uncompromising approach to music, featuring provocative lyrics and wild stage performances.

Over the years, the band released several albums, including "At War with Satan" (1984) and "Possessed" (1985). While Venom underwent various lineup changes over time, the core of the group remained consistent with Cronos on bass and vocals.

Influences:
Venom drew influences from 1970s hard rock and heavy metal bands such as Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and Kiss. However, they pushed these influences to the extreme by creating a darker, heavier, and more aggressive sound. The band is also renowned for popularizing the term "black metal," which became a distinct subgenre of heavy metal.

Musical Style:
Venom's musical style is characterized by heavy, distorted guitar riffs, raspy vocals, and often provocative and occult-themed lyrics. The band was known for its musical simplicity, adding to its raw intensity. Their music was a major source of inspiration for many extreme metal bands, especially those in the Norwegian black metal scene.

Venom is recognized for its impact on the heavy metal music, particularly in the development of black metal, and remains an icon of extreme metal to this day.