By Christopher David<\/p>\n
Venom Inc. dropped an atomic bomb of black thrash metal at Reggie\u2019s in Chicago this Friday, the opening date to a quick hit-and-run of headlining shows before they head out on the road with Danzig this fall. And by halfway through the show, every member of the rabid crowd knew how lucky they were to be there.<\/p>\n
13 weeks prior to the day, guitarist\/Venom founder Jeff \u201cMantas\u201d Dunn suffered a fatal heart attack near his home in Portugal – and yes, you read that right; had doctors not worked their magic and brought him back, the Venom family would be in a very different place. For the duration of the ninety minute set that hit on Venom classics old and new, Dunn was smiles, wicked sneers, and appreciation, and for fans, it was as emotionally charged a show as it was visceral; witnessing one of the most influential guitarists in heavy metal storm the stage with such fury and intensity after such a life-altering event was something to see.<\/p>\n
Addressing the crowd as the band launched into \u201cBlack Metal,\u201d Dunn rallied the moshing masses. \u201cMusic is the most universal thing that brings us and keeps us together,\u201d he shouted, \u201cand we can never lose that!\u201d And indeed, the three men on stage sounded like an army who took not a moment for granted. Bassist\/vocalist Tony \u201cDemolition Man\u201d Dolan is the ultimate MC, snarling and rallying the crowd to ever-greater frenzy (the mosh pit took up nearly the entire floor of Reggie\u2019s) and new drummer Jeramie Kling, an underrated octopus if ever there was one, proven by his breaking a snare drum just prior to the encore. While the sudden dismissal of founding drummer Abaddon earlier this year may have been jarring to long-time fans, as a live unit the band is no worse for it; if anything, the second leg of the tour in support of last year\u2019s stellar \u2018comeback\u2019 album Ave <\/em>is already a savage outing. \u201cCountess Bathory,\u201d \u201cWelcome to Hell,\u201d and \u201cBloodlust\u201d became rousing singalongs, and some deep cuts (\u201cIn League With Satan\u201d and \u201cLady Lust,\u201d both surprising and welcome entries to the set) fit in tightly with some choice selections from 1989\u2019s Prime Evil<\/em> (Dolan\u2019s first Venom outing and one of their all-time best).<\/p>\n Opener \u201cMetal We Bleed,\u201d one of Ave<\/em>\u2019s best and most brutal tracks, quickly set the tone for the evening. \u201cOpen wide the gates of Hell,\u201d Dolan sang, and when the crowd returned \u201cmetal we bleed!\u201d in full unison, it was impossible for Dolan and Dunn to not share a smile. And who could blame them? The mighty Mantas is still with us against all odds, the addition of Kling to the lineup has brought added power, and Dolan remains a stalwart metal titan of the first order.<\/p>\n The devil\u2019s work is, clearly, far from done.<\/p>\n For more on Venom, Inc., click here<\/a><\/p>\n