Venom Invented Black Metal

Carpe Mortem

Benevolently Batshit
Aug 21, 2013
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So Norway does not get the credit. True or False? I was told this recently and only looked into it a little.

They did have a song called 'Black Metal' forever ago.
 
So Norway does not get the credit. True or False? I was told this recently and only looked into it a little.

They did have a song called 'Black Metal' forever ago.

Venom did not invent black metal. They were one of the very first bands that played extreme metal music. They inspired too many bands and musicians. Some of the very early thrash bands (Metallica, Overkill) have said that they Venom was a major influence.

Norway has nothing to do with "starting black metal". The bands from Norway were the "second wave" of black metal, and that was early 90's.
 
Venom did not invent black metal. They were one of the very first bands that played extreme metal music. They inspired too many bands and musicians. Some of the very early thrash bands (Metallica, Overkill) have said that they Venom was a major influence.

Norway has nothing to do with "starting black metal". The bands from Norway were the "second wave" of black metal, and that was early 90's.

Realistically.... you're probably right. But there's a reason people associate the two so strongly. Goddamn human rationalities and their.... making weird connections between shit.... :yell:
 
If Cronos was here he'd say "we coined the term (correct) and we were the first band to say we played black metal (also correct)". Therefore yes, in essence I personally believe they are the first black metal band.

However, the genre of black metal has progressed so much, and did so so quickly, that what is now and even was shortly after Venom began (i.e. the second wave) sounds very different to Venom.
 
So Norway does not get the credit. True or False? I was told this recently and only looked into it a little.

They did have a song called 'Black Metal' forever ago.

Total bullshit. Venom's material was indistinguishable from NWOBHM.

Black metal wasn't invented as a proper genre until Norway, but contributions from Sarcofago, Merciless, Hellhammer, Bathory and even Slayer were essential.
 
Venom's material was indistinguishable from NWOBHM.

No it wasn't... did you not see my previous post? :loco:

EDIT: Also, what you consider a "proper genre" is debatable. Venom being the first 'black metal' band, purely by coining the term and proclaiming themselves a band which played black metal before anyone else, is not debatable.

I agree with you that contributions from Sarcofago, Merciless, Hellhammer, Bathory and Slayer were essential in the evolution of black metal though, especially in creating the style of music we today consider 'black metal' i.e. the second wave. But in terms of who was the first black metal band? You have to credit Venom seeing as though their 2nd album was released before anything any of those bands did!
 
I would call the Norwegian style for Black Metal and Venom for Heavy Metal/Punk with Satanic (and the rest what Black Metal contains) theme. But that's just me.
 
Venom did not invent black metal. They were one of the very first bands that played extreme metal music. They inspired too many bands and musicians. Some of the very early thrash bands (Metallica, Overkill) have said that they Venom was a major influence.

Norway has nothing to do with "starting black metal". The bands from Norway were the "second wave" of black metal, and that was early 90's.

This is a bit confusing. On the one hand, you say that Norway didn't invent it because those bands were the second wave of BM, which is true. On the other hand, you also don't give credit to Venom, although they played a major part in the First Wave of Black Metal.

Because this First Wave consisted basically of bands like Venom, Bathory, Hellhammer/Celtic Frost, Sodom, Destruction and so on, whose music at that time was called Black Metal.

And I think that's exactly the important point here. Those First Wave-bands didn't play music you'd call Black Metal nowadays. This style was probably indeed developed in Norway in the early 90's (and called Death Meal in the beginning, e.g. by Euronymous, to set it apart from the 80's Black Metal). But the term and this type of poorly produced Heavy/Thrash with weird vocals and satanic vocals first called Black Metal originated in the 80's. Venom weren't the sole inventors, but they were one of the most important bands to shape it.

And since we're talking videos already, one of the best (and probably most entertaining) takes on documenting Black Metal's history was performed by one of Norway's most kvlt BM-vets, Darkthrone's Fenriz:





edit: after reviewing Fenriz and thinking about it, I think the biggest credit should go to Quorthon. But Venom were pretty important as well.
 
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Total bullshit. Venom's material was indistinguishable from NWOBHM.

Do you even understand what NWOBHM is?

Listen to "Welcome To Hell" right now, only decent black metal ever wrote...well and maybe Hellhammer.
 
Total bullshit. Venom's material was indistinguishable from NWOBHM.

"indistinguishable from NWOBHM" ???? Seriously?

I was 23 back in 1981 when I first heard Venom and I already had most NWOBHM releases in my possession. When I first heard Venom I knew they were different. They never sounded like a typical NWOBHM band to me or to my friends.
 
Of course , Venom created Black Metal . They were the very first band to play this style ...Hellhammer and Bathory in a second time.
No one can change that .
Years later, Norwegians are reappropriated this extreme Metal with another philosophy , with a lot of talent.
 
Venom is first band, which to introduce punk elements in metal, and this is first speed metal band.
In the begining "Black Metal" term has been used in relation to all bands with satanic texts, irrespective of the way of playing (whether heavy/ speed/ thrash).
In my opinion Venom is very important and authentic band, because they been pioneers of such music.
"Welcome To Hell", "Black Metal", "At War With Satan" and "Possessed" rules.
Black Metal ( separate sort of metal, specific music and vocal style ), has been started by Bathory from Sweden in 1984.
Bathory (First 3 LP's), Hellhammer & Celtic Frost, early Sodom ("In The Sign Of Evil" EP) is "first wave of Black Metal".
Venom has been progenitor of thrash and black metal.
I think that they followed the example on Motorhead - the first heavy metal band which bet on the speed.
Venom's material is a first merger of traditional heavy metal (especially NWOBHM) and punk rock.
 
Venom is first band, which to introduce punk elements in metal, and this is first speed metal band.

Venom has been progenitor of thrash and black metal.

I think that they followed the example on Motorhead - the first heavy metal band which bet on the speed.
Venom's material is a first merger of traditional heavy metal (especially NWOBHM) and punk rock.

I have to disagree on the first part of your statement. That was Motorhead. Lemmy and Co., introduced the punk elements in metal back in 1975, way before Venom and clearly sound throughout their whole career. Also Tank and then Warfare did the same.