Review by Tammy Lomax for MPM
In 2015 Larissa Stupar moved from Russia to Wales and met guitarist Ash Gray from Brutality Will Prevail. From there they began their journey writing music for Venom Prison, lead guitarist Ben Thomas, drummer Joe Bills and bass player Mike Jeffries joining them, marvellously crafting a twist on death metal.
A combination of hardcore, punk and grind, let’s not deny, Venom Prison are not your usual cultured metal band.
With influences ranging from huge bands like Napalm Death and Carcass, the foundations of their energy behind their lyrics is inspired by some of the reality surrounding us all, including misogyny, fascism and mental health.
In 2020 they released album ‘Primeval’ via Prosthetic Records and then signed to Century Media Records, 2021 seeing them playing the main stage at Bloodstock.
Their third album, ‘Erebos’ is due for release any day now.
Whispers of metal vocals and gentle plucking on the beautiful heavy toned guitars make opening track ‘Born From Chaos’ a perfect way to open. I had a hint that the next track ‘Judges Of The Underworld’ would be quite the opposite, I was right.
This single was the first to be released from the album. The riffs and shredding that leak from the guitars are pouring through, they scream talent and death metal.
If you are not headbanging within three minutes, go see a doctor, you must be broken. These drops and time signature changes have already got me all wobbly, umph.
‘Nemesis’ is full of aggressiveness and rawness, it’s a relatable emotion. It exemplifies pure militancy and is simply hammering.
This song is about the urge to hurt the person who has caused you irreparable harm and changed your life forever, specifically directing towards narcissistic abuse.
Guilty as charged” is repeatedly screamed at you with total voraciousness and the pace of the drums make this blisteringly brutal. It goes without saying, there is a vast amount of passion, this track is viscerally projecting so much anger and pain.
‘Erebos’ feels a little more melodic in places, compared to their previous releases, almost like they are tapping into a different territory.
There are numerous melodic elements and sections throughout some tracks that make the whole world around you pause, sucking in all the flavours of what they have to offer and finding some reflection in the lyrics. ‘Pain Of Oizys’ is a perfect example of what I mean.
This was the second single released before Christmas. There is an array of melodic sections in this track. The piano notes float alongside the plucks of the guitars which make it feel sexy especially with the clean singing.
Larissa has pulled it out the bag and it totally works, real raw emotion. Flipping from angelic to ferocious, of course there is some carnage too, it wouldn’t be Venom Prison without the carnage. I am totally hooked and bewildered.
‘Gorgon Sisters’ is up there with my favourite track of the year so far. The aggression is pushing further and further into your face, it’s angry and smashes through every single blood cell in your body. I particularly like the random mixes in place, not easy to do but they’ve made it work.
The slams and drops are the one though, what a heap of beef. Absolutely packed with meat. It is a fine display of gut shaking brutality that indeed made me throw my head around like I meant it. I feel energised. Just, wow.
The art behind the album cover is a perfect representation of what this album is all about, it certainly has captured and created a beautiful disaster: a cycle of violence.
Order now: https://venomprison.lnk.to/ErebosID
FIND VENOM PRISON ONLINE:https://www.venomprison.com/
