''Calm Before the Storm'' is the fifth studio album by British heavy metal band

Venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...

. The original title of the album would have been ''Deadline'', but the title was changed when guitarist Jeffrey "Mantas" Dunn left the band and was replaced by Jimi Clare and Mike Hickey. Both were to follow bassist Conrad "Cronos" Lant in his later solo career and the latter would also return on the 2006 album ''

Metal Black ''Metal Black'' is the eleventh studio album by heavy metal band Venom. It was released in 2006 through Castle/Sanctuary. It is the last to feature Mykvs on guitar. The name of the album is a play on their 1982 album ''Black Metal Black me ...

''. The album is characterised by a "cleaner", more synthetic sound when compared to Venom's other albums. Especially the drums, which sound almost like a

drum machine A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument that creates percussion sounds, drum beats, and patterns. Drum machines may imitate drum kits or other percussion instruments, or produce unique sounds, such as synthesized electronic tones. A d ...

, are contributing to this fact. Also, the guitar has a brighter sound and is easily distinguishable from the bass. The change in sound is perhaps mostly due to the addition of another guitarist and the producer

Nick Tauber Nick Tauber is a British record producer best known for his work with Thin Lizzy, Toyah and Marillion in the 1970s and 1980s. Nick Tauber continues to manage, produce, and consult with acts/artists/and producers. In the late 1990s, Tauber was inv ...

, who had previously worked with

hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a heavier subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and Distortion (music), distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the Garage rock, garage, Psychedelic rock, psychedelic and blues ...

acts such as

UFO An unidentified flying object (UFO) is an object or phenomenon seen in the sky but not yet identified or explained. The term was coined when United States Air Force (USAF) investigations into flying saucers found too broad a range of shapes ...

and

Thin Lizzy Thin Lizzy are an Irish rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. The band initially consisted of bass guitarist, lead vocalist and principal songwriter Phil Lynott, drummer Brian Downey, guitarist Eric Bell and organist Eric Wrixon although Wr ...

Track listing

All tracks by

Conrad Lant Conrad Thomas Lant (born 15 January 1963), also known by his stage name Cronos, is an English musician. He is the founder, vocalist and bassist of heavy metal band Venom. Biography Early life After playing in a couple of high school bands—Dwa ...

unless noted.

Personnel

;Venom * Cronos – vocals, bass *Mike "Mykus" Hickey – guitar *James Clare – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals *Abaddon – drums, backing vocals ;Production *

– producer *Keith Nichol, Andy Lovell – engineers *Stuart Brown, Nigel Broad – assistant engineers *Aaron Chakraverty – mastering

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Calm Before The Storm (Venom Album) Venom (band) albums 1987 albums