Venom, Possessed | Controversial Songs

In the fifth edition of Controversial Songs (2025), we explore the controversy behind the “Possessed” by English heavy metal band Venom.

Bring on the controversy! Controversial Songs is a column that provides background information and insight into songs that raised eyebrows, stirred the pot, or were banned. The more censorship censor$hit, the better! The records that grace Controversial Songs are old and new alike, with all genres of music welcome.  In the fifth edition of Controversial Songs (2025), we explore the controversy behind the “Possessed” by Venom.

“Look at my eyes and you will see / Fire is burning inside of me.” Hmm, what kind of fire, Venom? That is the question! “Look at me, Satan’s child / Born of evil thus defiled / Brought to life through Satanic birth / Raised in Hell to live on Earth.” Uh-oh… sounds like some ungodly, unsettling, occult, Satanic stuff to me. Of course, it does because it is.  The intent of “Possessed” by the English heavy metal band was to be outlandish and shocking.  Mission accomplished! Singer Conrad “Cronos” Lant and guitarist Jeff “Mantas” Dunn penned “Possessed.” Though it encompasses Satanism and the occult, Cronos has stated it was merely a song, not a ‘left-hand path’ sermon.

“Possessed” earned the band criticism from the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center).  The song was one of the infamous ‘Filthy 15’. The songs that made this list were deemed shocking and obscene at the time.  “Possessed” was among those because it explored the occult.

“We drink the vomit of the priests

Make love with the dying whore

We suck the blood of the beast

And hold the key to death’s door.”

Given the period, the 1980s, a conservative time in America, it’s not surprising that “Possessed” raised eyebrows. Televangelism and Christianity were roaring, and a song that embraces Satan (“Satan is my master incarnate”) and demands “The death of your God” wouldn’t be popular with parents. Kids listening to that! No way! Even beyond the lyrics, “Possessed” is chilling.  It’s loud and unsettling.  The guitars are uncouth while the drums pummel.  Furthermore, the vocals by Cronos are indeed hellish, as if Baphomet himself were singing.  Ultimately, as Cronos stated, “Possessed” is more ‘shock value’ than anything else.  There have been far more shocking songs since the sixth track of Possessed arrived in 1985.

Venom // Possessed // Sanctuary // 1985

Venom, Possessed: Controversial Songs No. 5 (2025) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Sanctuary; Andrea Mosti from Pexels; AcatXlo, OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay; christian buehner on Unsplash]