Venom Inc
January 5, 2016
Atlanta, GA
The Masquerade
I have been a Venom fan since the 80’s and I have never had the opportunity to see Venom live which always bummed me out. Last year Venom (featuring only Cronos) put out one of my favorite albums. Last year it was also announced that former/founding members Jeff “Mantas” Dunn and Anthony “Abaddon” Bray would be hitting the road as Venom Inc (yes, a 2nd Venom). I’ll be the first one to admit it. I was very much on the fence and damn near rolling my eyes when I learned this. I mean, really? Why do we need 2 Venoms? In a world where we have 2 Ratts, 2 Queensryches, and more versions of LA Guns than we really need (hell, one is too many), you can’t even begin to know my lack of interest in this. Well, when I learned that this line up actually featured former Venom bassist/vocalist Tony “Demolition Man” Dolan, I was definitely on board and I couldn’t wait to see what the end result would be.
To make a long story hopefully not as long, here’s the Reader’s Digest version. Mantas, Abaddon, and Demolition Man actually WERE Venom. This line up put out 3 stellar albums, then Demolition Man was out, Cronos came back and they reunited then over the years things fell apart again. Well, in 2015, Mantas, Abaddon, and Demotion Man reunited and decided that since Cronos was pretty much ignoring the classic Venom catalog and they would bring the songs to the people. In other words, if Venom is Cronos’ band, Venom Inc is the fan’s band and after an absolutely mindblowing performance that statement was made very, very loud and very clear.
The Masquerade was only about 1/2 full this night but there was a certain magic in the air. Everyone that was there was there to see some of the most iconic, classic, genre shaping music of all time and Venom Inc definitely did not disappoint. The band took the stage to a roaring crowd as they slammed face first into 1992’s “Prime Evil”. I was so floored by the sheer volume, energy, and electricity that was coming from that stage that by the time the band was kicking into “Don’t Burn the Witch”, I couldn’t give a rat’s ass that I wasn’t seeing Cronos up on stage. Demolition Man was absolutely owning these songs. His love and passion for these songs shines bright as the storms through them playing them with so much conviction that you’d believe he wrote these songs himself.
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While the crowd might not have been a packed house, the connection that Venom Inc was making with this crowd was way more intense and strong than just about any packed show I have ever seen. Demolition Man’s between song banter created such a bond with the crowd that at times I felt like I was the only person in the room. Founding members Mantas (guitar) and Abaddon (drums) played so fucking intensely that it’s hard for me to believe that these guys are in their 50s. Venom Inc stormed through a marathon set of Venom classics such as “One Thousand Days of Sodom”, “Warhead”, and “Seven Gates of Hell” but it was the last five songs of that set that just completely took us over the fucking top and dropped us all on our fucking faces.
“Sons of Satan” from Welcome to Hell brought on a huge roar from the crowd as did “Welcome to Hell” but it was “Black Metal” that seemed to whip everyone into a frenzy. Venom Inc played this song with all of the excitement and drive of a brand new song and at the command of Demolition Man, hearing the crowd sing, “LAY DOWN YOUR SOUL TO THE GODS ROCK N’ ROLL” sent a shiver up my spine. I was absolutely losing my goddamn mind and then comes “Countess Bathory.” That crowd was responding so loud and energetically that they sounded 3x their size. As the band closed things out with “Witching Hour”, the place roared with gratitude as the band took their bows, shook hands, and exited the stage.
Seeing Venom Inc was a night that I will never forget for the rest of my life. This was easily one of the most moving, intense live performances I have ever seen. Demolition Man, Abaddon, and Mantas performed like the top notch pros that they are delivering a performance that made you feel worthy and appreciated. Venom Inc played the same level and quality of show that you would expect a band to give while playing before thousands. It’s shows like this that make me so happy and proud to be a fan of a band. Venom Inc, the “other” Venom, fake Venom, call them whatever the fuck you want. The passion, the fire, the energy, it was all there. I can honestly say that I saw it for myself and what I saw that night was nothing short of Venom. Enough said.
Prime Evil
Die Hard
Don’t Burn the Witch
Live Like an Angel (Die Like a Devil)
Buried Alive
Raise the Dead
One Thousand Days in Sodom
Warhead
Schizo
The Seven Gates of Hell
In Nomine Satanas
Bloodlust
Sons of Satan
Encore:
Welcome to Hell
Black Metal
Countess Bathory
Witching Hour
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