Bands splitting in two very rarely carry the same amount of freshness and innovation as their source: Oliver/Dawson Saxon, Riley’s LA Guns, Jack Russel’s Great White…for whatever reason, there’s always something off with these spinoffs. Luckily, that’s not the case with Venom Inc., one of the two entities carrying the flag of metal pioneers from Venom. While the band that maintains the original name chose to play only the songs from the beginning of their career, Venom Inc. kicks it up a notch, with a mix of old and new.
In practical terms, Venom Inc. is the reincarnation of Venom’s lineup from the late 80’s and early 90’s: Jeff Dunn (aka Mantas – Guitar), Tony ”Demolition Man” Dolan (bass and vocals) and Anthony “Abaddon” Bray (drums). They reformed in 2015 for the famous Keep It True Festival, and put out an incredible effort in 2017, titled “Avé,” which the fans quickly embraced. For this year’s release, “There’s Only Black”, a change of lineup came into place, with the addition of drummer Jeramie ‘Warmachine’ Kling replacing Abbadon. Their current sound is a solid blend of the classic sound of the band with modern-day thrash.
“There’s Only Black” Album Artwork
Already on the list of best albums of 2022, “There’s Only Black” doesn’t hold back, with songs like “How Many Can Die” and “Come to Me” approaching the speed of light, while “The Dance Macabre”, “Burn Liar Burn” and “Inferno” explore dark alleys and moodier overtones.
Bassist/vocalist Tony ”Demolition Man” has plenty to say about the writing process of the album, the band’s increasing popularity, the touring plans and his acting career. He sat down with Sonic Perspectives interviewer Rodrigo Altaf to discuss all these topics and much more. Watch or listen to their all-encompassing conversation below and remember that for more interviews and other daily content, Sonic Perspectives is on Facebook, Flipboard, Twitter and YouTube, where you can be notified about new content we publish on a daily basis.
