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Metal Monday Vol. 8:  This is from the same seller as last week’s Whiplash test, a copy of Venom - Black Metal on Neat records on a weird grey and brown vinyl swirl. I know I’ve featured Venom on here a bunch of times but this is probably one of the more sought after pressings of the Black Metal lp on Neat, (not a later pressing). My brain still isn’t feeling “on” this morning and it’s hard to know what to say about an album with the level of impact that Black Metal has had, and the insane amount of baggage attached to it because of the title. It’s kind of funny though, for the amount that it’s sighted as a key influence by bands, there aren’t a whole hell of a lot that sound like it. There’s no question the biggest influence that hangs over the song writing is Motorhead, although with a much trashier delivery. A couple of tracks, most notable, Buried Alive play like a dumbed up, moron-Black Sabbath, but most of the rest are really a kind of punk-metal, that too few groups had time to develop with the advent of full on thrash taking over almost right after this album was released. Still the album is significantly more musically accomplished than the preceding one, Welcome to Hell, marking the first time the Venom drum kit sounded like something other than plastic buckets, and though the drumming is still likably terrible, it’s noticeably more accomplished than previous recordings too.  It’s sort of funny to think, I guess, how seriously so many people have attempted to take this album, when you see photos of the Helvete shop there’s even a trinity of Venom lps hanging above a door way. But the album that the most overwrought, unnecessarily serious genre was named after, has a song like Teachers Pet, which is essentially just a prediction of Hot For Teacher, and plenty of choruses that just sound like amateur Judas Priest. To me it will always be a bit of a party album, and I’m sure I’m not the only one, even as some dope in evil face makeup is probably right now trying to hear the shouts of “S-A-C-R-I-F-I-C-E — SACRIFICE!” and not smile and play air guitar. I don’t know, I got nothing here. Have fun, listen to Venom, I need to take a nap at lunch.