Hey there evil-doers, metal maniacs, and artisan beer freaks! Happy Saturday! I've got another killer pairing for you! The Meista here donning my Venom Welcome to Hell t-shirt whilst rocking the hell out to the wonderful genius that is "Welcome To Hell", the debut album by the legendary Venom and a delicious and crisp Oberbräu Hell (that I purchased from a quaint little market in Düsseldorf, Germany) from the fine folks at Oberbräu Brewery! Hell. Yes. This pairing goes out to my buddy Jerm... cheers brother!!
Album Info:
- Artist: Venom
- Title: "Welcome To Hell"
- Recorded: 1981 at Impulse Studios in Newcastle, England
- Release date: December 1st, 1981 (1st full-length studio album by Venom)
- Record company: Neat Records
- Production: Keith Nichol, Mickey Sweeney, and Steve Thompson
- Album cover art: Conrad Lant
- Personnel: Conrad Lant (aka Cronos) on bass guitar and lead vocals, Jeffery Dunn (aka Mantas) on guitars, and Anthony Bray (aka Abaddon) on drums
- Additional personnel: uncredited Impulse Studios secretary (spoken word on "Sons Of Satan")
- Musical style: Heavy metal, proto-thrash metal, proto-black metal
- Sound: The influence from "Welcome To Hell" cannot be overstated; multiple thrash metal, death metal, and black metal bands have sited this album as having inspired their work... a plethora of mayhem! With tongue-in-cheek lyrics exploring Satanic and sexual themes (fully intent on scaring the crap out of clergy and parents alike) along with grinding rhythms and chainsaw guitar solos, with its raw, fiery sound, "Welcome To Hell" profoundly influenced thrash metalists of the '80s (especially the Germans) and the almost entirety of the Norwegian black metal scene in the early 1990s. Marked by raw, powerful, and unadulterated aggressiveness, the album is a wonderful punch to the eardrums! Songs like "Sons Of Satan", "Welcome To Hell", "Live Like An Angel (Die Like A Devil)", "One Thousand Days In Sodom", "Angel Dust", and "In League With Satan" demand every ounce of your attention and seem to torment your very soul!
- Major themes: Evil, the occult, Satan, witchcraft, sin, horror, insanity, mythology, violence, hedonism, sexual depravity, drugs, etc.
- Tracks:
- "Sons Of Satan"
- "Welcome To Hell"
- "Schizo"
- "Mayhem With Mercy"
- "Poison"
- "Live Like An Angel (Die Like A Devil)"
- "Witching Hour"
- "One Thousand Days In Sodom"
- "Angel Dust"
- "In League With Satan"
- "Red Light Fever"
Brew Info:
- Brewery: Oberbräu Brewery (Holzkirchen, Bayern Germany)
- Website: https://oberbraeu.com/
- Brew: Oberbräu Hell
- Style: German Helles, Lager
- Serving: 16 ounce bottle
- ABV: 5.0%
- IBUs: 20
- Ingredients: Water, barley malt, and hops
- Pour: The Oberbräu Hell pours a fairly clear, bright golden yellow hue with a bright white, 2+ finger, very frothy head with great retention and lots of sticky, intricate lacing.
- Nose: The nose is malty, grainy, and slightly sweet. There are aromas of freshly baked doughy bread, crackery biscuit, pale malts, light herbs, a hint of wildflowers, and a splash of honey.
- Taste: The taste of the Oberbräu Hell follows the nose with lots of malty, grainy, and slightly sweet flavors. There are notes of bright, crackery grains, bready malts, and maybe a hint of apple.
- Mouthfeel: Light-bodied and well carbonated, the mouthfeel is very crisp, yet smooth with a dry, clean finish with low bitterness.
Overall pairing: The very crushable, very drinkable tastiness of the Oberbräu Hell is perfect for an evening of rocking the hell out to the insanely raw, aggressive, and monumentally influential power of Venom's "Welcome To Hell"! Those bright, slightly sweet flavors are a great foil for the biting sarcasm while the malty backbone goes great with the depth of musicianship and inventiveness. 'Nuff said!
And make sure to check out the interview I did with the amazing and very friendly Jeff "Mantas" Dunn waaay back in 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgQa6i1R91E
Cheers and hails!!
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