Venom vs. Venom Inc.

01. Venom Inc. - Avé, 2017 CD Album      Nuclear Blast, Nuclear Blast - NB 3801-2, 3801-2 02. Venom - Storm The Gates, 2018 CD Album      Spinefarm Records - 2577021626 Laaaaaaaadies and gentlemeeeen! From the very depths of zerrRrRRRrRrrRRrrrRRR, Venoooooooooooooom twiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice! For those who are not Venom-woke, since 2015 we've enjoyed two concurrent incarnations of Venom: the Cronos-led Venom and the Mantas/Demolition Man-led Venom Inc. (sort of M-Pire of Evil re-branded). Both are legit. I saw Venom Inc. last year at a festival and they were amazing, of course spitting out all the 1981/1984 classics with utter energy. I lost my voice that evening. So, which one is the best? From a graphical art perspective, Venom Inc.'s artwork is much better. The Storm The Gates artwork is just ridiculous. What with this smoking-dick giant stone demon shitting out small demons who climb on the high portal of heaven on the back of the CD? Fuck! If it is a parody, it is too well done for my tiny neuron. That Venom Inc. flute-blowing demon is much more sinister and engaging. Musically speaking, both are excellent, they sound very, very similar delivering the crunchy sleazy thrashy heavy rocking metal they have been famous for for the past four decades. I have a preference for Storm The Gates. I find the songs slightly more exciting and crispier (but again, Avé  is very close in style and performance). The big advantage of Storm The Gates is its more visceral, less clinical production. I have been thinking the drumming on Avé was a well-programmed computer track. I am still not sure - anyway, it sounds too clean. Storm The Gates has that raw 80s atmosphere but bigger, just perfect for these songs. Two magnificent albums by veterans who know their public, nothing new or innovative, but who would want anything else from this team? Two fucking zeristic albums for the ancient metalosaurus! Lay down you soul twice!! I am glad they are unable to reunite as a single band, it provides us with twice as much fucking VENOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!! Remove brackets and unzip: [welcome to zer] !ZER Venom Inc., Venom ZER!