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"Much like fellow Ohioans Fuzztub, Venomin James plays a strain of muscular riff rock that touches upon the traditional doom. The band (singer Jim Meador, guitarists Tomasz Scull and Joe Fortunato, bassist Erin Cocoran, and drummer Jared Koston) doesn't really stretch out too much – simple and direct is their MO, but that serves songs well. Same goes for the production. It's one of those albums that hints at what the band sounds like live. All in all, 'Left Hand Man' is a weighty slab of riff-doom-rock. Fans of Down, Solace, and Sixty Watt Shaman ought to give this a shot."
"Venomin James return from the same sludgy depths that spawned the likes of bands ranging from Thin Lizzy to Acid Bath with 'Left Hand Man', a top notch recording in every sense of the word from a group of guys who set their sights on the top and beat and molded these eight tracks until each was a sharp, biting look into the gloomy heart of the southern/stoner rock scene. Venomin James isn’t re-inventing the wheel, but they can reasonably be stood alongside some of classic metal’s great acts. Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Kyuss, Mountain and Thin Lizzy all live on in their sound and Acid Bath, Clutch and Monster Magnet can call them brothers. You’ll find them right next to their kindred spirits... seated proudly at their left hand."
"Singer Jim Meador really nails the doom that surrounds Venomin James. Meador was an Army sergeant in Iraq, and his intensely personal lyrics amount to one helluva riveting listen. But Meador isn't making political statements on songs like "Abu Ghraib" (where he served). Rather, he's exorcising demons and ghosts he can't quite shake. While Meador rips his lyrics from the headlines, Venomin James' music consistently nods to past giants like Black Sabbath and Kyuss. 'Left Hand Man', the band's debut, divides into two parts, and the analog sound intensifies the disorienting gloom that prevails."
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