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.
Smoke
Venom Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From where I came in pain it ends
You're breathing in I'm taking out
I will destroy & I will shout
Smoke
Like a storm in the night
Rising up to take flight
Open your eyes they bleed & weep
Can't see your face in distant fires
Looking at pain in pleasure stale
I am the air that you inhale
Smoke
Smoke
Inhale my life my blackened lies
Filling the air I pity not
Forever young prepare to die
Glorious smoke I'm taking life
Smoke
As a storm never
Into infinity flies
The lyrics of Venom's song "Smoke" are open to interpretation, but one possible explanation is that the singer is a malevolent ghost who wants to destroy everything in his path. He warns his targets to beware of his curse and declares that he can take away their breath if he wants to. He compares himself to smoke, rising up like a storm in the night, and suggests that he can blind and suffocate those who inhale him. He seems to take pleasure in causing pain and taking lives, claiming that he fills the air with his blackened lies and that he is eternal while his victims will perish.
The lyrics of "Smoke" have a dark and menacing tone, reflecting the aggressive and chaotic music of Venom. The band is known for pioneering the black metal genre in the 1980s, and their music often deals with occult and satanic themes. "Smoke" is one of the band's most popular songs, included in their 2006 compilation album "MMV" and covered by many other metal bands. The song's lyrics have been interpreted in different ways by different fans, some seeing it as a metaphor for addiction, while others see it as a celebration of chaos and destruction.
Line by Line Meaning
Beware my curse for I am ghost
Be careful of the harm I can bring because I am like a spirit
From where I came in pain it ends
I come from a place of suffering and my actions will result in even more pain
You're breathing in I'm taking out
While you inhale, I exhale and take away life
I will destroy & I will shout
I will cause chaos and make myself heard
Smoke
Referring to the destruction and chaos I will bring
Like a storm in the night
The destruction will come suddenly and fiercely, like a storm at night
Rising up to take flight
The chaos will rise and spread like smoke
Open your eyes they bleed & weep
The destruction and chaos will be so great, it will cause physical pain and tears
Can't see your face in distant fires
The distant flames obscure your identity or who you once were
Looking at pain in pleasure stale
Some may find enjoyment or pleasure in the chaos and pain I bring
I am the air that you inhale
I am everywhere and inescapable, like the air that you breathe
Inhale my life my blackened lies
Believing my lies will ultimately lead to destruction of your own life
Filling the air I pity not
I am unconcerned with the destruction I cause and feel no remorse
Forever young prepare to die
Despite appearances, the chaos and destruction caused will lead to eventual death
Glorious smoke I'm taking life
Celebrating the destruction and death I bring
As a storm never
Continuing with the storm imagery to emphasize the chaos caused will never end
Into infinity flies
The destruction will continue on forever and spread infinitely
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CONRAD LANT, JOHN DIXON, DANIEL NEEDHAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Georgios Seitopoulos
Beware my curse for I am ghost
From where I came in pain it ends
You're breathing in I'm taking out
I will destroy & I will shout
Smoke
Like a storm in the night
Rising up to take flight
Open your eyes they bleed & weep
Can't see your face in distant fires
Looking at pain in pleasure stale
I am the air that you inhale
Smoke - Smoke
Inhale my life my blackened lies
Filling the air I pity not
Forever young prepare to die
Glorious smoke I'm taking life
Smoke
As a storm never
Into infinity flies
oblaco
Beware my curse for I am ghost
From where I came in pain it ends
You're breathing in I'm taking out
I will destroy & I will shout
Smoke
Like a storm in the night
Rising up to take flight
Open your eyes they bleed & weep
Can't see your face in distant fires
Looking at pain in pleasure stale
I am the air that you inhale
Smoke
Smoke
Inhale my…
Rohit Kar
Its sad one of the most influential metal band don't get enough attention.
D01WNFÅLL
Well it's because they got a SaTaNiC iMaGe PpL dOnT lIkE
Darrell Pasion
@D01WNFÅLL have u heard of Slayer.
Rohit Kar
@V3ntilator Yeah but then again. They are so much ignored nowadays comparing to other black metal bands
Sju Puncake
@Rohit Kar Yes because they don't play exactly black metal
Rohit Kar
@Sju Puncake They were proto black metal
gerardo valdez
Cronos, de los vocalistas más longevos, quién ha hecho más escuela, de los más profesionales en cada presentación, quién no deja de sorprender, producción tras producción, y a quién desgraciadamente no se le ha reconocido toda su grandeza y legado a la música y su evolución...honor a quién honor merece...por siempre Cronos
Rtcurry Curry
has always been one of my favorites bands.this song just blows me away.
Marko Visić
All my respect for Venom!
MrMegaFredZeppelin
Right into my KICK ASS METAL playlist :) ROCK ON!!!!!!!