VENOM Black Metal (What can you say about an album that named an entire genre? Legendary white & red label 1982 UK 10-track LP by the wholesome chaps of Venom, which sees Cronos, Abaddon & Mantas [known as Conrad Lant, Anthony Bray & Jeffrey Dunn to their Mums]take metal to a whole new level [or should that be depth?] as they plunge into the fires of hell & re-invent Metal for the Muthas. This, their second album, is cited as perhaps the most important influence in the developmentof black metal, thrash metal, death metal and other related styles that are often grouped under the extreme metal umbrella. With a nice embossed picture sleeve adorned with a horned goat on the front & the chilling warning 'Home Taping Is Killing Music - So Are Venom' on the back and complete with foldout poster and lyric inner. The sleeve displays some minor wear, the insert is clean, the poster has a couple spots of light discolouration andd the vinyl has only light signs of play - do you dare not to buy it? NEAT1005)