Venom's original personnel came from three different bands: Guillotine, Oberon and Dwarfstar. The original Guillotine featured Jeffrey Dunn and Dave Rutherford on guitars, Dean Hewitt on bass guitar, Dave Blackman on vocals, and Chris Mercater on drums who replaced Paul Burke, the original drummer when the band was founded. Blackman and Mercater were later also replaced by drummer Anthony Bray and vocalist Clive Archer. Later, Dean Hewitt was replaced by Alan Winston on bass. Around that time a number of personnel changes occurred. Clive Archer, Eric Cook, Tony Bray and Ian Kell formed a band while working at Reyrolles. Ian Kell was replaced in mid-1978. In late 1979, Conrad Lant replaced Dave Rutherford. Lant later switched to bass after the departure of Winston. The band members took on new stage names. Archer became "Jesus Christ", Lant "Cronos", Tony Bray "Abbadon", and Jeff Dunn "Mantas".
Prime influences of the formative band were Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Motörhead, and Kiss. Other musicians that have influenced Venom are Deep Purple, Sex Pistols, the Who, the Tubes, Van Halen, the Rolling Stones, and Elvis Presley.
'Welcome to Hell' influenced several later bands. Venom's music helped shape the development of many thrash metal bands, specifically the "Big Four of Thrash" (who in turn were highly influential): Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, and Megadeth (Metallica opened for Venom on an early 1980s tour, and Venom opened for Metallica and Slayer on the Ride the Lightning tour, and Slayer played with them and Exodus on the Combat Tour in 1985). Venom would also be of extreme importance to the black metal scene and even the early death metal scene, with numerous bands copying styles, themes, and imagery from the band, such as the Swiss band Hellhammer (later to become Celtic Frost), whom also helped pioneer the genres. Music critic Bradley Torreano wrote that Venom "caught the attention of both metalheads and punks, the band was emulated by the former and turned into camp icons by the latter." Henry Rollins once compared the band to Spinal Tap.
Assassin
Venom Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ultimate hunter - Playing ultimate game
Patience awaiting prey - No conscience for his deeds
Deals another deathblow - So his thirst can feed
Assassin - Assassin - Assassin
Assassin - Assassin - Assassin
Ultimate butcher - Playing ultimate show
Matador par excellence - Travels incognito
In this concrete jungle - He's king and it's his world
There's no going back - It's time to attack
He's just signed your death warrant
Watch them die
Drain their lives
Kill the bastards
Annihilation soldier - Malignant - Insane
Ultimate killer - Seeking ultimate fame
Desperado killing spree - A bloodbath night and day
Violent extremist - Pray he don't get your name
The song "Assassin" by Venom describes the life of a homicidal maniac who is also an assassin. He is the ultimate hunter who plays an ultimate game. He is a patient killer who waits for his prey and has no conscience for his deeds. He deals another deathblow so his thirst for blood can be quenched. He is a psychopathic slayer who destroys everything in his path, and his blood is cold and callous. He is the ultimate butcher who plays an ultimate show, and he is a matador par excellence who travels incognito. In this concrete jungle, he is the king, and it's his world.
The song goes on to say that there's no going back once he's set his target; it's time to attack, and he's just signed your death warrant. The assassin watches his victims die and drains their lives. He kills without hesitation, for he is a soldier of annihilation who is malignant and insane. He's the ultimate killer who seeks ultimate fame. He's a desperado killing spree, and it's a bloodbath night and day. He's a violent extremist, and pray he doesn't get your name.
Line by Line Meaning
Homicidal maniac - No shadow - No name
Referring to a person with a psychological disorder marked by aggressive, violent, anti-social behavior, with no hint of compassion, mercy or remorse.
Ultimate hunter - Playing ultimate game
The person referred here is an expert in tracking and killing, while enjoying their proficiency to the maximum.
Patience awaiting prey - No conscience for his deeds
The assassin's approach is methodical, waiting for the right moment to strike, with no sense of right and wrong.
Deals another deathblow - So his thirst can feed
The assassin takes pleasure in ending someone's life, as this satiates an inner hunger for violence and carnage.
Assassin - Assassin - Assassin
Repeated use of the word 'Assassin' only emphasizes the true nature of the person referred to.
Psychopathic slayer - Destroyer - Blood cold
A person displaying unhinged, remorseless, violent behavior, destroying everything in their way, and having an unemotional attitude towards their actions.
Ultimate butcher - Playing ultimate show
The referred person is an expert in mastering torture and suffering while taking pleasure in doing so, sometimes even putting on a display for an audience.
Matador par excellence - Travels incognito
The use of the term 'Matador par excellence,' implies the assassin is the best of the best, killing incognito, disappearing into the ether leaving no trace.
In this concrete jungle - He's king and it's his world
Outlining how the assassin has mastery over his surroundings and is in complete control of everything happening in his domain.
There's no going back - It's time to attack
Once the assassin has made his decision, nothing can prevent him from fulfilling his inner-most desires, no matter what comes his way.
He's just signed your death warrant
Implying that if the assassin has set his sights on a target, then it is as good as done.
Watch them die
Simply a statement that the one targeted by the assassin is going to die.
Drain their lives
Referencing the almost vampiric nature of the assassin, that he gets his sustenance from taking the lives of others.
Kill the bastards
The assassin refers to his targets as bastards, hoping to dehumanize them, and make killing them more easy and acceptable in his mind.
Annihilation soldier - Malignant - Insane
A more elaborate way of describing a robotic, heartless, insanely brutal person.
Ultimate killer - Seeking ultimate fame
The assassin sees killing as his art, a way to gain fame, and build his reputation even more.
Desperado killing spree - A bloodbath night and day
This line implies a killing spree, without any mercy or respite, only ending in a trail of blood.
Violent extremist - Pray he don't get your name
Calling the assassin a violent extremist, warning anyone who listens to beware of this person and to make sure the assassin doesn't know their name.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ANTONY ESME LANT, CONRAD THOMAS LANT, MIKE HICKEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Michael McAlexander
Assassin by Venom
Homicidal maniac - No shadow - No name
Ultimate hunter - Playing ultimate game
Patience awaiting prey - No conscience for his deeds
Deals another deathblow - So he his thirst can feed
Assassin - Assassin - Assassin
Assassin - Assassin - Assassin
Psychopathic slayer - Destroyer - Blood cold
Ultimate butcher - Playing ultimate show
Matador par excellence - Travels incognito
In this concrete jungle - He's king and it's his world
There's no going back - It's time to attack
He's just signed your death warrant
Watch them die
Drain their lives
Kill the bastards
Annihilation soldier - Malignant - Insane
Ultimate killer - Seeking ultimate fame
Desperado killing spree - A bloodbath night and day
Violent extremist - Pray he don't get your name
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Antony Esme Lant / Conrad Thomas Lant / Mike Hickey
Assassin lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., BMG Rights Management
Pete P
Great song! Venom is awesome!
DoisB0x
Genial \m/
Alejandro Guzman
Venom rules !
Eric Koroscik
long live metal
na3ee1
METAL WILL NEVER DIE
Guillermo Bordet
De que álbum es esta canción?
Almeida Christian
Quando ouço essa música lembro do Anatoly Onoprienko o exterminador ucraniano.
daniel uchôa
Hell yeah
eddy tsukuyomi
eas venom awebo we chido por subir la rola we
sebax0206
Hail venom!