Coming to prominence towards the end of the new wave of British heavy metal, both 'Welcome to Hell' and 'Black Metal' were major influences on the whole genres of thrash and extreme metal. Often considered the first black metal band, the band even gave a certain band named Metallica their first break in Europe nearly 30 years ago. Indeed Lars Ulrich once said '[The first Venom album] 'Welcome to Hell' was a classic! Black metal, speed metal, death metal, whatever you want to call it, Venom started it all with that one record!'