Out of the Ashes of the legendary Venom’s past, in 2015, Venom Inc. was spawned. Embodying the spirit of Venom, but also a very separate entity, Venom Inc. took shape with former Venom mates Tony “Demolition Man” Dolan (bass/vocals) and Jeffrey “Mantas” Dunn (guitar) uniting. Now including The Absence’s Jeramie “War Machine” Kling on drums, the trio is solidified and a force all their own. First releasing their debut album Avé in 2017, they now return in 2022 with their second album There’s Only Black.
Released on September 23rd through Nuclear Blast Records, the new album has one foot in the past while also focusing on creating some new sounds that encompass Extreme Metal. Featuring twelve songs in total, it is really quite the rager of an album. In fact, it has all the heaviness you might expect, but also some really solid production as well. It all starts when “How Many Can Die” offers a solid introduction story with some creative riffs and equally stellar vocals. Next up is a speedy and diabolically heavy “Come To Me.” Quite powerful, it is directly followed by the title-track living up to its name with harsh vocals that devour the souls of each and every listener.
Then, midway through the album, “Tyrant” arrives and it bleeds the essence of old school Venom. A delight to listen to, it features soldier-like drumming and anthemic guitar work all while holding a certain nostalgic quality. Then comes the extremely intense “Don’t Feed Me Your Lies” which starts off with creative, energetic drumming before flowing into a rapid fire of mayhem and carnage. Different from anything Venom had ever recorded before, “Don’t Feed Me Your Lies” is also a very exciting entry into the story of Venom Inc..
Later on you are driven deeper into darkness with over five minute of quality Metal thanks to “Burn Liar Burn.” This is while “Rampant” exemplifies how creativity can be found even in the simplest structure. Meanwhile, “The Dance,” more complex in comparison, turns into spurts of pleasant chaos. And for the grand finale “Inferno” dishes out more old school Black Metal styled lyrics full of hell and damnation… all how it was intended to be.
From the build up, to the final three tracks that possess a classic sound, to the execution of every other track involved, There’s Only Black truly has it all. Speaking to the turmoil of modern times and Extreme Metal at its finest, Cryptic Rock gives There’s Only Black 5 out of 5 stars.
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