Venom: Cronos, Mantas, Abaddon.

Compilation producers: Steve Hammonds, Antony Amos.

Recorded between 1980 & 1985. Includes liner notes by John Tucker.

It's about time that Bobby Vee, one of the most talented and successful of the early '60s teen idols, received something approaching the box set treatment. The British wing of EMI compiled Singles Collection, a three-disc set that collects the A- and B-sides of Vee's singles from 1959-1977. Groomed as Buddy Holly's replacement after his untimely death, Vee actually did capture the sound of Holly's final recordings when Holly was moving toward lushly orchestrated pop music. Vee could write songs but lacked Holly's supreme compositional skills and relied heavily on outside songwriters, including many of the greats, among them Sonny Curtis, John D. Loudermilk, Gerry Goffin and Carole King. Snuff Garrett's production work, augmented with meticulous string and vocal arrangements, is always interesting and easy on the ears, and Vee's performance style distinctive and strong. The later singles, recorded after Vee's early-'60s commercial peak, find him trying out various styles in pursuit of a hit, including British Invasion sounds, adult contemporary balladry, country-pop, and country-rock, but most of the recordings are generally in line with his established style. A number of songs make their stereo and/or CD debuts, and four Italian language versions of Vee's hits appear as a bonus. ~ Greg Adams

Although they were looked down upon during their first go-round, the mark that Venom left on all things metal has loomed large for quite some time. Without Venom, there's a fair chance that we wouldn't have thrash metal or death metal, while the group's early work served as an obvious blueprint for Metallica (just go back to the manic riffing of Kill 'Em All for the proof). And with their classic early releases only available as pricey imports in the late '90s and early- 21st century, an avalanche of compilations appeared, including 2003's The Seven Gates of Hell: Singles 1980-1985. As the title states, the focus here are Venom's singles, but as longtime fans know, most of the group's strongest material was never issued in single form (namely "Black Metal," "Raise the Dead," "Genocide," etc.). So if you're looking for Venom's best cuts, this isn't the place, as rarities take precedence -- several 12" versions ("Die Hard," "Warhead," and "Nightmare"), as well as tracks from the rare Hell at Hammersmith EP ("Witching Hour" and "Teacher's Pet Medley"). A worthy purchase for longtime fans, but newcomers may be better off sticking with Venom's early work or one of their many 'best -of' sets. ~ Greg Prato