Venom (8) – Welcome To Hell

Remember that many of the hard rock and metal crowd in my local metal bar hated this calling it punk.
Saw them in 82 in Poperinge Belgium and in 84(same venue) with support act Metallica.
Welcome To Hell and Black Metal are classics.

How do the Earmark pressings sound compared to Back on Black?

I purchased this when it originally came out on Neat records. Like Ravens first record this one was signed by the band. Not after the fact. Anybody heard of this?

"What a pity the second album release on Neat had to be Venom's effort. "Welcome to Hell" is this music I ask? Rather a series of loud noises and hoarse croaks backed by no production at all. I don't like giving new bands a hard time, but what can you do when the product is so bad. As for your Satanic imagery lads - I'm frightened out of my wits (yawn)"- H. Johnson, Kerrang No 8, February 1982.
Band replies...
"Dear Mr Johnson. Regarding your comments on our LP "Welcome To hell" in Kershit No 8, we would like to thank you. But wait, what is this "thank you" you say. For if we wish to ask an opinion of our latest work, do we not go unto our fathers and say,"Verily, son, is a merry tune", do we not scrap the shit? But if he do say "Son, that's the biggest load of horse shit I've ever heard", we make merry and rejoice, for it will be our next single.
Now you may ask yourself "what is the meaning of this crap". But there is a moral to this story, 'Don't feed old men heavy metal'
We don't like giving old journalists a hard time, but we certainly are. Also may I suggest that Mr Johnson retire to his reclining wheelchair and seek comfort with his over-the-top Journey LPs" - Stan speaking for Venom. Kerrang No 11 letters page, March 1982.

This album was undoubtedly a vital and pivotal release in Heavy Metal history. Reviled and loved in equal measures upon its release, it would have to be seen as the first extreme metal album of all time, paving way for the deluge of metal sub genres that followed. Death metal, speed metal, thrash metal etc, this 1981 release was the first.
At a time when most bands were seeking better production, this album sought to deconstruct Heavy Metal to its rawest state.
"Sons of Satan" dives in with distorted guitars and flat bass lines in what could be seen as the precursor to early death metal. The title track is perhaps the most coherent old style heavy metal track on the album - but dirtied up.
What follows through the rest of the album can be best described as metal mayhem. With tongue planted firmly in cheek lyrically, Venom deliver an album that goes from speed tracks like "Live like an Angel.." and "Witching Hour" to the slower tempo ones like "1000 days in Sodom" and In League with Satan" but all punctuated with same kind of twisted guitar riffs and rumbling bass lines. The album is fittingly ended with a track that descends into guitar chaos , has almost no audible direction in the middle and is held together only by a basic 4x4 drumbeat.

Of course the terms "metal mayhem" and "raw" are extremely subjective but bearing in mind when this album was released, it is a must for every extreme metal fan to see exactly where it all started