Venom Inc is Jeff “Mantas” Dunn, Tony “Demolition Man” Dolan and Jeramie “War Machine” Kling.
In 2015, the crowd at the Keep It True Festival were treated to a reunion of three Venom members from the Prime Evil lineup – Mantas, Demolition Man and drummer Abbadon. And so it began. Venom Inc were inundated with offers and began touring the world.
In 2017 they released the album “Avé”, and continued to melt faces around the world. Not long after their Asia/Australia (and New Zealand) tour, Abbadon left the band and was replaced by Jeramie “War Machine” Kling. The introduction of Kling proved to be the final piece of the puzzle and his absolute assault on the drumkit is exactly what the band needed. Having seen the first lineup of the band in New Zealand and then with the current lineup at Wacken Open Air, I was astounded at the energy and pure force that Kling unleashes on the drums.
Then in 2020, Covid put a halt to touring and the band focused on their new album. A tough time for touring bands such as Venom Inc, with no sense of when they might get out on the road again, however it did give a lot of bands the opportunity to prepare new releases and work on multiple projects. The guys in Venom Inc have also been involved in a number of different projects during this time, including some worthy causes for various charities.
“There’s Only Black” is due for release on 23rd September via Nuclear Blast and the band have released a few tracks leading up to the release starting with “How Many Can Die” followed by “Don’t Feed Me Your Lies” and “Come To Me”. With each track release, the anticipation for the album increased as it became evident that Venom Inc are intent on taking no prisoners.
The first track “How Many Can Die” is ruthless and furious, Dolan’s vocals are menacing, Dunn’s riffs are brutal with exceptionally classy solos and Kling’s drumming is untamed. As the first taste of what to expect from “There’s Only Black”, it definitely got my spidey senses tingling.
“Don’t Feed me Your Lies” is my favourite track on the album, it has everything my metal heart desires, beginning with a clean intro and a sense of foreboding as it builds into a raging cacophony of savagery. The lyrics and vocals have an aggression that rages throughout the song. The guitar and drums are an explosion of fury and the solo is total insanity. It didn’t just melt my face, it ripped it clean off!
The violent frenzy is continuous, it doesn’t let up in any of the songs. The whole album from start to finish is an onslaught, even in “Burn Liar Burn”, which showcases Dunn’s exceptional finesse on guitar and gives you a hint of some of his musical influences, it only serves to lull you into a false sense of security.
My expectations for this album were high, but I was not prepared for how much this would be exceeded. Dolan’s vocals all the way through are primal and barbaric with a definite ‘don’t f**k with me’ undertone and can only be described as maniacal . Dunn’s guitar work is extraordinary, shifting from chunky heavy riffs, to mad solos and so much more. The drums are like hell has been unleashed. With this combined, it is a complete massacre of your senses and I can’t wait to see the new material live!
It is hard to comprehend that the writing and recording of “There’s Only Black” was done from a distance, with the band residing in different countries during the pandemic. The cohesion of it is a testament to the winning formula that Venom Inc have with this lineup.
There is no way to explain to anyone in words what this album will do to you. You simply need to experience it for yourself. With each listen I felt as if I had been hit by a freight train, but couldn’t wait to be destroyed again. This is, without a doubt, my album of the year.
online pharmacy order vibramycin online best drugstore for you
If I could I would give it a 10 out of 5.
online pharmacy order valtrex online best drugstore for you
Venom Inc: Facebook
Release Year: 2022
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Category: Album
Country: UK
Reviewed by ForsakenMisery
