Venom (Wargasm album)

The duo announced in July 2023 that they had spent the "last 16 months [...] perfecting" the album during downtime from touring.{{cite web|url=https://guitar.com/news/music-news/wargasm-venom/|title=Wargasm announce long-awaited debut album, Venom|website=Guitar.com|last=England|first=Adam|date=19 July 2023|access-date=26 October 2023}}

{{Music ratings

| MC = 81/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/venom/wargasm|title=Venom by Wargasm Reviews and Tracks|website=Metacritic|access-date=1 November 2023}}

| rev1 = Clash

| rev1score = 7/10{{cite magazine|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/wargasm-venom/|title=Wargasm – Venom {{!}} Reviews|magazine=Clash|last=Chatterton|first=Caitlin|date=27 October 2023|access-date=1 November 2023}}

| rev2 = Dork

| rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|url=https://readdork.com/albums/wargasm-venom/|title=Wargasm – Venom|magazine=Dork|last=Shutler|first=Ali|date=25 October 2023|access-date=26 October 2023}}

| rev3 = Kerrang!

| rev3score = 4/5{{cite magazine|url=https://www.kerrang.com/album-review-wargasm-venom|title=Album review: Wargasm – Venom|magazine=Kerrang!|last=Wilkes|first=Emma|date=26 October 2023|access-date=1 November 2023}}

| rev4 = The Line of Best Fit

| rev4score = 8/10{{cite web|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/albums/wargasm-venom-wield-wrath-vengeance-snarling-debut|title=Wargasm wield wrath and vengeance on snarling debut Venom|website=The Line of Best Fit|last=Williams|first=Lana|date=26 October 2023|access-date=1 November 2023}}

| rev5 = Metal Hammer

| rev5score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/wargasm-venom-review|title=Wargasm's Venom: a fun as hell, genre-splicing, relentlessly entertaining ride, and one of 2023's essential debut albums|magazine=Metal Hammer|last=Alderslade|first=Merlin|date=23 October 2023|access-date=26 October 2023|via=Loudersound}}

| rev6 = NME

| rev6score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/wargasm-venom-review-lyrics-fred-durst-radar-3514998|title=Wargasm – Venom review: London duo continue to light up the UK heavy scene|website=NME|last=Shah|first=Rishi|date=26 October 2023|access-date=1 November 2023}}

}}

Venom received a score of 81 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on four critics' reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". Metal Hammer{{'}}s Merlin Alderslade wrote that "bashing together elements of punk, metal, EDM and hip hop [...] Venom is a relentlessly entertaining ride, driven by sheer energy", calling it "one of 2023's essential debut albums". Ali Shutler of Dork called the album "pure, screaming catharsis" as well as the band "the spiritual successor to Limp Bizkit", summarising that it "build[s] on everything that's come before, while amping up the carnage, the energy and the emotion, Wargasm's debut album is a lesson in excess".

NME{{'}}s Rishi Shah called it "a consistent album [...] with a significantly raw feel" that "cements Wargasm's position as one of UK heavy music's leading forces". Lana Williams of The Line of Best Fit described it as "a rip-roaring effort from Wargasm", also finding that "where it stands apart from typical Wargasm-feats is in its objectively quieter, more indulgent breaks" as on "Death Rattle" and "Ride the Thunder". Reviewing the album for Clash, Caitlin Chatterton felt that "despite the odd lapse in power, Venom is a super-charged and dramatic record characteristic of Wargasm’s spirit". Emma Wilkes of Kerrang! concluded that it is "a satisfying, feisty record made for blasting loud enough to annoy the neighbours, and for partying the existential dread away. This band's not cooling down anytime soon."

{{Track listing

| headline = Venom track listing

| title1 = Introduction

| writer1 = {{hlist|Rachel Hastings|Sam Matlock}}

| length1 = 0:57

| title2 = Venom

| writer2 = {{hlist|Hastings|Matlock}}

| length2 = 3:35

| title3 = Minigun

| writer3 = {{hlist|Hastings|Matlock}}

| length3 = 2:20

| title4 = Death Rattle

| writer4 = {{hlist|Hastings|Matlock|Adam Crilly|Björk Guðmundsdóttir|Graham Massey|Charlie Russell}}

| length4 = 3:12

| title5 = Ride the Thunder

| writer5 = {{hlist|Hastings|Matlock|Kieron Pepper|Russell}}

| length5 = 3:01

| title6 = Do It So Good

| writer6 = {{hlist|Hastings|Matlock|Pepper|Russell}}

| length6 = 3:22

| title7 = Bang Ya Head

| note7 = featuring Fred Durst

| writer7 = {{hlist|Hastings|Matlock|Jason Aalon Butler|Fred Durst|Zach Jones|Pepper|Russell}}

| length7 = 3:36

| title8 = Feral

| writer8 = {{hlist|Hastings|Matlock|Pepper|Russell}}

| length8 = 3:16

| title9 = Sonic Dog Tag

| writer9 = {{hlist|Hastings|Matlock|Pepper}}

| length9 = 4:26

| title10 = Modern Love

| writer10 = {{hlist|Hastings|Matlock|Dana Dentata|Ben Havok|Pepper|Russell|Michael Taylor}}

| length10 = 3:28

| title11 = S.A.D.

| writer11 = {{hlist|Hastings|Matlock|Pepper|Tyler Smith}}

| length11 = 3:30

| title12 = Outrage

| writer12 = {{hlist|Hastings|Matlock|Pepper}}

| length12 = 3:28

| title13 = Sombre Goodbye

| writer13 = {{hlist|Hastings|Matlock|Pepper|Russell}}

| length13 = 2:19

| total_length = 40:30

}}

Wargasm

• Sam Matlock – vocals, guitar, programming, additional production (all tracks); drums (track 4)
• Milkie Way – vocals, bass guitar, programming, additional production; drums (track 4)

Additional contributors

• Charlie Russell – production, mixing, engineering, recording, keyboards, programming
• Kieron Pepper – additional production, keyboards, programming
• Chris Allgood – mastering
• Emily Lazar – mastering
• Pieter Rietkerk – recording
• Adam Breeze – drums (tracks 1–3, 5–9, 11–13)
• Jonny Solway – immersive mix engineering (track 6)
• Fred Durst – vocals (track 7)
• Zach Jones – additional production (track 7)
• Ben Havok – guitar (track 10)
• Michael Taylor – programming (track 10)

{{reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2023 debut albums

Category:Albums produced by Charlie Russell (producer)

Category:Republic Records albums

Category:Wargasm (band) albums