Venom & Bathory Split LP

Here is a split record by two bands who need absolutely no introduction. What I know about this record is this: apparently it was made in South America, in a run of at least 300 copies, but I can't tell if mine is one of those or yet another bootleg of a bootleg. The copy I own is on clear green vinyl. It is 7 tracks by Venom, and 5 from Bathory. The Bathory side is my favorite, as it seems to draw demos from the early stages of Quorthon's reign. The first song sounds more like the viking metal they pioneered, while the 2nd track sounds like first album stuff, 3rd track sounds like "Blood Fire Death" era, etc, etc. The Venom side is equally as good, with what I'm guessing is demos from the first 2 albums. A huge reason why I love this record and am very glad to have it in my collection is the fact that it could be just about the most black metal record I own. Sure, I've got some Darkthrone/Ulver albums, but this is really like having the birth of the genre on one LP, as you have the band that coined the term Black Metal and the band that truly defines Black Metal sound and aesthetics to me.

Burning Leather

Bathory - "Under The Sign Of The Black Mark"

Sweden's Bathory should need no introduction, and it's a damn shame that I haven't posted this here yet, but here it is now. This album is another of those albums that truly define black metal for me. Dirty, raw production, evil riffs, bashing drumming, and more. And just check out the riff at 1:30 during the song "Chariots Of Fire". Yes, Venom may have coined the term "black metal", but Bathory fully delivered the goods with this album. Features the all time classics "Enter The Eternal Fire" and "Equimanthorn" also. This album just destroys, and is definitely not for the weak or people who want pretty, polished, symphonic bullshit, 'cause there's none of that to be found on this beast of an album.

Enter The Eternal Fire