VENOM have shared the music video for their new single "Kicked Outta Hell" — the second taste of their upcoming sixteenth studio album "Into Oblivion", set for release on May 1 via Noise/BMG. The clip was directed by Andy Pilkington.
The record marks VENOM's first new studio material since 2018's "Storm The Gates" and reunites the long-standing trio of Cronos (bass/vocals), Rage (guitar), and Danté (drums) — a lineup that has been together for seventeen years.
Cronos spoke about the creative effort behind the album: "This album has really pushed the boundaries, but if you want to make a killer album, you pay for it in blood, sweat and tears." Guitarist Rage added: "It's astounding! It feels so different, yet so familiar. The sonics are a step up."
The thirteen-track "Into Oblivion" blends VENOM's classic 1980s rawness with more progressive modern elements. The lead single "Lay Down Your Soul" already signaled a return to the band's formative era. With eight years between albums, expectations are high for this release.
Founded in Newcastle, England in 1979, VENOM are widely credited as one of the founding acts of black metal and speed metal, having directly influenced generations of extreme metal bands from METALLICA and SLAYER to MAYHEM and DARKTHRONE. Their debut album "Welcome to Hell" (1981) and "Black Metal" (1982) are considered genre cornerstones.