Venom – Prime Evil (1989)

January 29, 2025

The final (original) run with Cronos was a bit disappointing, in all honesty. With Prime Evil, it was Mantas’ turn to try and take Venom forward; and he did so into a whole new era, with members new and old (but no Cronos). Can I just say, that what a marvel it is that new frontman / bassist Tony Dolan fits in right out of the gate! I remember when, idk, I first heard Priest with Ripper or Maiden with Blaze – Sabbath with Tony Martin even; these were jarring experiences that took some getting used to. Not here with the Demolition Man. This guy feels like he friggin’ belongs in Venom.

Look, Prime Evil is not perfect, but it’s better than the previous album and it was the start of a whole new era for the band. Production wise, it’s a step up from the last couple of records, with crisp, clear yet massively 80s sounding drums. The guitars hit hard, as does the previously mentioned vocal performance.

Speaking of Sabbath above, the cover of “Megalomania” here was unexpected, but was a nice touch. Touche!

Make Venom thrash again!

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