VENOM The Singles 5CD (2018)

Before black metal had a rulebook, Venom set the whole thing on fire. Newcastle's filthiest trio didn't invent evil, they just made it catchier, louder, and considerably more fun than anyone else working in NWOBHM's shadow circa 1980.

This five-disc box set collects Venom's singles output in one place, which means you get the whole messy, glorious arc: the proto-thrash rattle of In League with Satan, the amphetamine chug of Bloodlust, the moment Black Metal handed an entire subgenre its name and walked away without looking back. Motörhead gave them the blueprint for speed and volume, Venom used it to summon something darker. Every band from Bathory to Slayer to Midnight owes this catalogue a debt they'll never fully repay.

Five CDs, UK pressing. Compilation box set, 2018 release.

Fans of: Bathory, Hellhammer, Celtic Frost, Motörhead, Sodom, Midnight, Slayer