Band: Venom Prison
Country: United Kingdom
Album: Erebos
Label: Century Media Records
Website: Instagram
Another act that made its presence known quickly after its formation, Venom Prison's debut Animus in 2016 contained its fine amount of hardcore induced death metal and it was quite expressive when it comes to the contents and the messages it conveyed, an expression that started from the album's splendid and afflictive cover art. I'm really glad to see that they stick to the same kind of aesthetics in their albums, as it is evident from the equally dense design of their fourth full length album to date, Erebos.
From day one, the band didn't fall in a specific genre well, yet the different elements in their music come from styles that are already well connected. I would definitely put them into the category of modern death metal, but one who goes into a Venom Prison album expecting just that would be, quite possibly, repeatedly surprised. Personally, as much as I find some aspects of the band interesting, more often that I would have hoped for, I found myself having difficulties appreciating the musical directions because of a feeling of idleness it gave me, as it is in a sense, a jack of all trades example of a band. The music scene praises them for their genre-defying work, yet I am not clearly seeing that: you have heard of some deathcore, Carcass, groove metal, and then you have already mapped almost all of Venom Prison's content.
At the same time, it's quite clear that they try to push their own boundaries with every release, without that meaning that the situation changes that much. There's more attempts of experimentation, or to put it more accurately, not real musical experimentation but an addition of song types that you wouldn't think they fit here, which is the case in Erebos for example with "Pain of Oizys". Much like "Immortal" in Der Weg Einer Freiheit's latest opus Noktvrn, "Pain of Oizys" sticks out like a fly in milk and features a pop rock song with a few moments of angst, screams above clean guitars and eerie keys, but also with lyrics much closer to the heart and of personal struggle rather than a social one. In my opinion, apart from an interesting (almost post-rock, if you listen to it as a stand alone melody, it would easily fit in a God Is An Astronaut or If These Trees Could Talk session) solo towards the end, there's no smooth transition in this song and it crumbles because of its own ambition, a quite clear weak point in Erebos. At the same time, it will be one that might be the favorite for many out there, so probably it's a great piece!
Thankfully, this mellow / indie trickery is contained in just one track and the listener gets immediately repaid for his patience with an ultra bombastic piece "Golden Apples of the Hesperides", bringing back the loathe of modern society and its rotten foundations. Erebos deals a lot with oppression and inequality but its more particular target against misogyny, which was central in previous works, is also present here, for example in "Gorgon Sisters", which has some of the nicest and most visceral breakdows of the record, much like in "Judges of the Underworld", also spewing a seriously heavy part towards its end. Forceful grooves are employed in "Nemesis", along with some short clean guitar lines that make Venom Prison different from the whole lot, and there's plenty of riveting riffing and soloing throughout Erebos to make its case solid.
At the same time, we shouldn't exaggerate by how much innovation the band has. Take a track like "Comfort of Complicity", which is a clear reproduction of Lamb of God riffs and fast paced As Blood Runs Black patterns, and that's all. If it wasn't for Larissa Stupar's unique vocals, you wouldn't tell the difference, it's just too close. I hear almost Swedish melodic black / death metal in "Technologies of Death" and slight The Black Dahlia Murder influences might be hidden here and there, especially in the vocals.. "Veil of Night" is a solid track, yet "Castigated in Steel and Concrete" is not nearly as heavy as the title suggests. These comments don't stand as pure complaints for Erebos, however I see Venom Prison in accordance to their magnitude at the moment and while the band is fully deserving of someone times, and that goes also further than the music, I don't see myself lifting them higher than at the level of an above average band.
If you're into implausibly heavy death metal, Erebos will feel like a Christmas cookie to you. If you're into socially angry, groovy deathcore with some death metal influences, and a couple of twists towards lesser aggressive sounds, Venom Prison is for you. The band has a singer with a great vocal variety, striking lyrics, a mind for new ideas which might not work for this author sometimes, yet the intentions are pure. Since I listened to the new Acranius album at the same day as Erebos, the comparison with more ear punishing clamors might not have helped them, but Venom Prison are surely a more multifaceted band. I'm slightly offput by the possible misspelling of the album title too. Anyway, in the end, just listen to some Dyscarnate when you're in this mood.
Release date: February 4th, 2022
Tracklist:
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