Search - Venom :: Beauty & Beast

Hey, Wait A Venom Minute......

Eric Ericson | Venice, Florida USA | 12/08/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I love Venom like all true fans of the Thrash/Black Metal 80's & early 90's, but I noticed something strange about this Venom album called "Beauty And The Beast"...it's actually Venom's 1987 "Calm Before The Storm" album with a different title & cover! Now I guess if you never picked up the "Calm" album when it came out, this would fill that hole in your Venom collection, but don't bother if you already have it (unless you just like that cool new cover, I suppose).
Anyway, the album isn't one of Venom's best & if you're gonna start your Venom Legion, start with either one of these:
1981 Welcome To Hell (Incredible Debut!)
1982 Black Metal
1984 At War With Satan
1985 Possessed
1986 Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (Live)
1986 The Singles 80-86
1993 Skeletons In The Closet (Rarities Compilation)
1996 From Heaven To The Unknown (2 Disc Best Of Compilation)
1997 Cast In Stone (The Reunion Album!)
2000 Resurrection
This album was released two years after "Possessed" and actually was the last to feature vocalist/bassist Cronos before leaving the band and being replaced by the awful "Demolition Man" for three or four not-so-good albums in the 90's (which should be avoided at all costs!) But this album does have a couple of Venom staples they would play live, so it isn't all too bad. So enjoy and Long Live Venom!
Oh and by the way, before there was a Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth, or even Anthrax, first there was Venom-the originators of Thrash Metal (so there!)."