Well, I was feeling like I needed some real rock and roll.  I had my fill of lifeless soulless drivel being pushed out the ass of record labels and radio stations, indie and major alike, across the wasteland.  Another reason was that after 9/11 quality went down and bullshit went up.  American Idol is now our greatest musical art form, Reality Shows have replaced Drama at the top, and remakes of movies less than five years old is becoming standard in cinema.  Art lost one of its BALLS.  And magic.  Neil Young said something to the effect of “since the younger generation isn’t saying anything about the state of affairs, then it left me no choice but to get up and speak out in protest with another album.”  Or something like that.  Come on.  The baby boomers are still that full of themselves?  

And then I thought what are the old thrash guys doing? 

Metallica sold out long ago, but they were not the only thrash band.  I looked around the Internet, and searched a few used CD stores and read a few music rags and it dawned on me.  Thrash was still alive.  In fact, it had been making a comeback for some time by the original bands that started it all, not second or third-rate imitators.  Post 2001, VoiVod, now featuring Jason Newsted of Metallica on bass put out an album in 2003.  Exodus, one of the original bay area bashers put out a comeback album with the original line-up in 2004 called “Tempo Of The Damned.”  What was the first track?  Scar-Spangled Banner!  Nuclear Assault put out a come back album in 2005 called “Third World Genocide.”  Take that, Neil Young.  It was now the summer of 2006.  What else was there?  A lot, and it all started off with Venom…

That’s right Cronos was back with a Venom album, first in 6 years, and the art work was perfect and the name was perfect.  Metal Black, a simple reverse of their second album, 1982’s Black Metal.  And it hit me:  it has all the staples of what real rock n roll (metal, whatever) has… a feeling of to hell everything!  Conservatives, Liberals, the government, media, organized religion, especially Islam and Christianity, every so-called teacher, every college, every boss, every chick that ever fucked you over, every ignorant fuck who ever pissed you off, ever restaurant that ever served you bad food, in short anyone who thinks anything is anything.  And in Venom’s case it was to hell with it all, and bring it on with Satan.

So I felt after I purchased Venom’s new album, Metal Black and popped in the CD player.  The first track blasted off with ANTECHRIST!  And it made you feel like an antichrist, and that is what true heavy music, hell any music, should do.  I didn’t care who didn’t like it, or didn’t like that I liked it.  “We sell you pain and anger, and thrive on sex and lies, I summon storms to please me, and you beg to the skies.”

So then it was ticket time folks, because Venom played LA on August 25th at the House Of Blues.  There could be no better preparation than this.  I pulled out my old Venom vinyl and the Satan-worshipping began baby.  Welcome to Hell, Black Metal, At War With Satan, Possessed, it was like the power of 20 years ago, twenty fucking years, was as strong as the first time you heard the band ignite.  Granted it may have been fueled by the fact that I haven’t listened to this work in over a decade, yet it only added to the fact that the work of the original thrash masters lives on fresh as ever, and will live on.

Now before I get in to my review of the Venom show, it’s time to go back and display a little thrash history to bring you into the world.

Prime Thrash Metal existed from 1981-1991, brought on by the Conservative Revolution of the 80’s and brought down by Nirvana and the “alternative” revolution of the early 90’s.  Yes, it made heavy metal uncool, especially thrash.  Many of the bands called it quits, others went underground.  But with the new dark age ushered in by the events of 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, (need I keep going?), the genre is back.  It’s been called back for Satan’s sake.  So the New Thrash Era is well under way, 2003 to ????

Here’s list of the top 10 bands of the first era and classic albums that made a difference:

Venom – How do you capture the band that started it all? Death Metal.  Black Metal.  Thrash Metal.  Whatever you label it.  They burst on the English scene in 1980, and were the band Metallica worshipped before they were even Metallica.  The history is complicated but original bassist/vocalist Cronos continues to play with a new line-up.  But we all know, Cronos is all we need.    
    Welcome To Hell – 1981
    Black Metal – 1982
    At War With Satan – 1984
    Possessed – 1985
    Eine Klene Nachtmusak – 1986
    Metal Black – 2006*

Metallica – Nothing really can be said that hasn’t been said about Metallica.  They are the band that broke through first, and establish the genre for all time.  They lead the “bay-area basher” scene for a decade.  Whenever they made an album, everyone used it as a template to beat (or imitate).  Consequently, they were the band that sold out completely; yet maintain immense popularity until this day.
    No Life ‘Til Leather – 1982
    Kill ‘em All – 1983
    Ride The Lightning – 1984
    Master of Puppets – 1986
    Garage Day Revisited – 1987
    …And Justice For All – 1988
    Metallica - 1991

Metal Church – This may have been the first thrash metal band in history, another bay-area classic.  The had one truly great album, and one of he best song’s of the 80’s, “Watch the Children Pray.”  They were also the first band to reform and that was in 1999 before darkness descended.  R.I.P. to singer David Wayne who died in 2005, one of the best vocalists in the scene.  The band continues on with founding member Kurt Vanderhoof and a new line-up.
    Metal Hymns - 1982
    Metal Church – 1984
    The Dark – 1986
    Masterpiece – 1999*

Slayer – A bunch of “beach bums” formed this band in LA in 1982 and have never stopped since.  They never gave a fuck, never changed, and retained a solid following almost 25 years.  Legendary drummer Dave Lombardo parted ways with the band, resulting in some less then exceptional albums.  But he has returned this year and the band has released its first original line-up album since 1991, and taking the throne of thrash metal once again.  Need it be said the Reign In Blood, produced by Rick Rubin is the best thrash metal album of all time?                            
    Show No Mercy – 1983
    Haunting The Chapel  - 1984
    Hell Awaits – 1985
    Live Undead - 1985
    Reign In Blood – 1986
    South Of Heaven – 1988
    Seasons In The Abyss - 1990
    Christ Illusion – 2006*

Anthrax – New York Thrash metal kings formed in 1982, they fused humor, comic books, social concerns and clothing into the scene.  They even made it into an episode of Married with Children in 1990.  Lead Vocalist Joey Belladonna left the band in 91.  They continued on underground during the 90’s and first half of this decade.  As of 2005 they have re-united with Joey and have been on tour playing the entire Among The Living album.                            
    Fistful Of Metal – 1984
    Armed and Dangerous - 1985
    Spreading The Disease - 1985
    Among The Living - 1987
    I’m The Man - 1987
    State Of Euphoria – 1988
    Persistence of Time – 1990
    Attack of the Killer B’s - 1991
    
Celtic Frost – This Swiss Death Metal trio was formed in 1983 as Hellhammer, became Celtic Frost in 1984 and defined the death metal/apocalyptic vision music with their first 3 albums.  They sold out to cheese/hair metal in 1988, and folded in 1992 after the grunge explosion.  Now, after 14 years absence, after not making a decent album in almost twenty 20 years, they are back with a vengeance releasing not only the best comeback album of the decade so far (Monotheist) but the most beautiful death metal album since the 80’s.
    Morbid Tales - 1984
    Emperor’s Return - 1985
    To Mega Therion – 1985
    Tragic Serenades - 1986
    Into The Pandemonium - 1987
    Monotheist – 2006*

VoiVod – The Canadian unit formed in 1983 and has offered the most unique and compelling thrash metal cyber melded with science fiction and dark future horizons.  They continued to put out albums through the 90’s but were wandering, sometimes resorting to covers.  They came back to form in 2003, but suffered the unfortunate loss of Piggy, one of the most original guitarists of all time, who died in 2005.  His last recordings fortunately are captured in their latest release, Katorz, 2006.            
    War & Pain – 1984
    Rrroooaaarrr!!! – 1986
    Killing Technology – 1987
    Dimension: Hatross – 1988
    Nothingface – 1989
VoiVod – 2003*

Exodus – one of the first thrash band’s formed in the San Francisco Bay Area, their original guitarist, Kirk Hammett left for Metallica in 1983, but it didn’t stop the band from releasing some great albums.  In 2004 they re-formed and put out an album in 2004.  They parted ways again, but continue on with original founder Gary Holt and a new line-up.
    Bonded By Blood - 1985
    Pleasures Of The Flesh - 1987
    Fabulous Disaster - 1989
    Tempo Of The Damned – 2004*
    
Megadeth – Megadeth was and is primarily the voice of its founder, Dave Mustaine, who was kicked out of Metallica in 1983.  After moving back to LA he formed this band within a year, and has been right behind in popularity to Metallica ever since.  When Nirvana destroyed thrash in 1991, Megadeth made the choice of becoming a “Beevis and Butthead Band” and merged with the MTV metal scene of the 90’s.  Showing again the price of maintaining popularity is the quality of music.                        Killing Is My Business… And Business is Good – 1985
    Peace Sells, But Who’s Buying? – 1986
    So Far.. So Good.. So What! – 1988
    Rust In Peace – 1990

Kreator – They come to us from Germany, where metal still reigns supreme.  Their sound was a savage mix of Slayer and Celtic Frost, but were able to carry on, releasing album after album of pure thrash since 1985, 20+ years!                
    Endless Pain - 1985
    Pleasure To Kill – 1986
    Flag of Hate - 1987
    Terrible Certainty – 1987
    Out of the dark… Into the light - 1988
    Enemy Of God – 2005

The delve into Venom twenty years later had of course became the delve into all thrash; having most of the above albums, it was easy to open the brain cells to the onslaught.  I’ve had the fortunate blessing of digesting bands I thought were long gone, only to see them suddenly reform and rise from the dead.  Venom and Anthrax in August, Celtic Frost and Slayer in October.   But what’s a poor writer to do when bands are charging a retirement package to get in?  Motorhead wanted $100 a pop for their all-original reunion.  These guys were a little more sane, charging $35 to $50.  And with friends of mine seeing acts like Queensryche and saying “not bad” to Iron Maiden and saying “totally lame,” taking four chances was out.

I showed up at the Venom show and was amazed by how many Mexicans were there.  Half of the audience were Mexican-Americans!  Who would’ve though that a limey three piece Black Metal band from Britain would appeal to the Average Joe from south of the border?  What a stereotype killer, because nothing his more American than banging your head in the mosh pit.  Secondly I was shocked at how young the audience was.  Half were 12 years old, wearing classic shirts from Death Angel, Possessed, even Laaz Rockit.  Now I know what baby-boomers thought of me when I wore a Zeppelin shirt when I was 16 (and that was long after Jon Bonham’s death).

First there was opening act Hire On Fire, a band from the bay-area that re-started thrash about six years ago.  I’ll be short.  They were amazing.  Bam, on to Venom.  As I was waiting I heard someone older than me talk about how he saw Venom in 1985, two drunken slutty chicks stood right next to me, and I got my free beer.  It was sizing up to be a classic night of metal mayhem.  

The lights went down, the air raid sirens rang and then the intro that the band has used since 1981… “Ladies and Gentlemen… From the very depths of Hell… Venom!”  Everyone saluted their satanic majesties.  One of the chicks put her arm around my waist as she jumped up and down, cheering on Venom’s leap onto stage like a succubus from the inner planes.

And bam, Mykvs (looking like a clone of original guitarist Mantas) began shredding the chords to “Black Metal” and then the man himself, Cronos, entered the stage and began blasting out the bass lines and vocals.  Above, his brother Antton (replacing original drummer Abbadon) bashed the drum kit.  The sound was crisp and perfect as a studio but louder than you’d live to tell.  Across the stage was a wall of Marshall stacks that added to the already pushed to the max sound system of the House of Blues.

Now back to these two girls, one was Mexican, not kidding, but they were both approaching thirty.  They looked like they belonged in Heidi Fleiss’s long lost Hollywood Madam party not a Venom show.  But they told me how much they loved Venom and “heavy rock” and we sang the words together to the next song, “Welcome to Hell.” So I figured, maybe they did.  But then they split to go dancing, asking Killing Joke to go, but he declined.

Venom continued to put on an amazing show.  This band was formed with a few goals in mind:  to be more satanic than Black Sabbath, louder than Motorhead, faster than Judas Priest, and more pyro than Kiss.  And they delivered.  Cronos was exactly the same as he was twenty years ago, same outfit (upside down spiked crosses on his boots), same tongue sticking out, same screams, same 70’s hair cut.  He asked the crowd all the right questions:  “Do you want it turned up?  Can you scream?  Should we play the songs faster and heavier?  How the fucking hell are you doing, Los Angles!  Rawwwllllrrrr!”

Their set contained the classics:  Bloodlust, In Nomine Satanas, Warhead, At War With Satan, Seven Gates of Hell, Leave Me In Hell, Countess Bathory, and some new tracks, Antechrist, House Of Pain and Metal Black.  Then Cronos mentioned about how much “hell” they had to go through to get in the country from England.  As my ears were now nearly destroyed I grabbed another luke-warm draft and headed towards the back.  The floor was a complete mayhem of East L.A., young kids who weren’t even born before Venom’s first break-up in 1987, and rejects from the retired headbangers ball club.  But they moshed one and all in a circle of craziness.  A guess a biker or two may have been in there shoving anyone who strayed from the circle.

At encore I was ready to leave, waited to make sure it was the song they always closed with and it was.  “Witching Hour” began and I made my quick exit.  I knew then that the drowning ring in my ears was the kind that would last three days.  Too bad I didn’t bring the plugs but what a thrash metal memory.  “Welcome to fucking hell, House of Blues,” I could hear Cronos shout as I walked up Sunset Boulevard.  Welcome to fucking reality everyone else.

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