Venom Inc. w/ Necrophagia, Lesbian, and Wounded Giant
Neumos, Seattle, WA
01.17.16

Through the various twists and turns of Seattle’s Capitol Hill, beneath a gentle drizzle of rain, you can hear the tribal kick of the drums and the primal growl of the demons. A congregation has gathered at Neumos like monks on a pilgrimage. Denim jackets decorated with devilish red fur and gothic leathers, thick heavy boots plated with metal on the sides that seems fatal at a glance, and chains that glitter like fish scales beneath the moonlight. It’s not just another metal show, it’s black metal, and if it was a summoning of demons you bet the dark lord Lucifer would make an appearance.

This performance is truly a pilgrimage, because members of Venom – one of the most influential bands, oft credited with creating the whole sub genre of black metal – are playing tonight, under the new iteration Venom Inc. And if they weren’t enough to light the visceral beacon that opens the gates of hell, no one could. With them are bands Wounded Giant, Lesbian, and Necrophagia, each masters at their craft.

Seattle’s Wounded Giant opens up with heavy chords, hard hitting drums and rough vocals. They greet the audience at the very beginning by saying, “Let’s get drunk, it’s Sunday.” It really goes to show the entire atmosphere of the show. No one cares what is going on, they’re just here to have a good time. To vent out whatever is within them. One of their songs – serves like an appetizer for the rest of the night – is about killing rich people with a guillotine.

After Wounded Giant’s opening, Seattle thrash band Lesbian shows up on stage with full-force reverb and even recorded parts of their music filling the bridge of some of their songs. Unlike Wounded Giant, Lesbian up their stage appearance by a notch. The vocalist sporting a black jacket in multiple layers, almost like a straitjacket, with two layers of bags for his mask. It’s unreal, seeing the entire band harmonizing in a way, for their heavy yet beautiful tunes.

Necrophagia really takes their stage presence seriously. The band brought a prop of a mutilated mannequin, severed plastic arms and legs, a burnt torso attached with a head, and a spine that serves as the vocalist’s microphone stand. The band lives up to their name, blasting visceral tunes while interacting with fans with our mutilated mannequin friend.

When Venom Inc. enters the stage, it’s almost like witnessing giants for the first time. These musicians, although looking a bit weathered, have maintained their energy and attitude ever since they recording their first album as extreme-metal incarnates. What radiates out of the heavily distorted sounds is the exact attitude they’ve had since the 80s. Guitarist Jeffrey Dunn solos each song as if it’s second nature, as simple as blinking his eyes! Crowd interaction is first class. When the band plays “Warhead,” they’ve synchronized the song along with their back and forth sing-along with the crowd. The lighting during the show is spectacular as well, perfectly synchronized with the drum’s double pedal. There is a brief pause in the middle of the show, almost like a mini-intermission, the crowd shouting and struggling to persuade Venom Inc. back to the stage. After a while, the legendary band thanks everyone and plays more songs, most notably “Black Metal.”

The performance is exactly what one could hope for, engaging and intimate. Through all the heavy jackets and boots, thick jewelry, and makeup, Venom Inc. shows a side of their fans that people wouldn’t at first glance. It’s not just a typical metal show, it’s an illuminating conversation.

Review by Kai-Yao Lan
Photos by Neil Lim Sang

Venom