Von

Ultra-simplistic and probably a joke, this band like Venom (also simplistic and a joke) broke rules and forged a path for others to put theory to chaos.

Von
Hellspawn
1988

Production: Demo done by competent hands.
Review: Designed to be the ultimate minimalist black metal sendup, Von used the most basic riffs and songwriting concepts available to present a vision of demonic music as frenetic, simplistic and chaotic sound emerging in a continuity of linear energy. Pulsing drums play occasional fills but otherwise vary little, and guitars drone between two or three notes in a main riff that has one or two counterpoints in transitional subspecies of riffs which transfer direction in song development. Hilariously, Bathory-style disposable lead guitar stitches through many of these songs, making random-sounding diatribes with a sense of humor in their choice of points of harmonization.

Tracklist:

1. Devil Pig (2:22)
2. Veinen (2:28)
3. Watain (2:51)
4. Lamb (1:43)
5. Deadfuck (3:19)
6. Satanic Blood (2:08)
7. Christ Fire (2:59)
8. Von (2:30)
Length: 20:22

Copyright © 1988 Hellspawn

Chanting, chuckling, churning, guttural outpouring of vocals blend into guitars droning three tones of a grindcore-styled even interval offbeat strum at high speed and offset incessant drumming. Much in the way Venom functioned a generation earlier to liberate the aesthetic of metal at the time, Von broke through barriers in conceptions of songwriting and what constitutes a song, and in doing so gave place to the next generation more inclined to develop musicality within those frameworks. Driving, insurgent, insane: this twisted music winds through loops of its own making.
The sideproject of a better known Bay Area band, Von gained fame again when mentioned by Varg Vikernes in his infamous "Victory-Orgasm-Nazis" citation and were shortly thereafter covered by Dark Funeral, who unleashed the horde upon this rare release now on CD as a token of origins almost invisible in more refined forms of black metal. Like many extreme projects of any genre, this one in humor or design attempts to transcend the quantitative factors of musical composition and makes almost pure energy music in sparse but intuitive logical connection.