Conrad «Cronos» Lant, singer, bassist and founding member of Venom, has died at the age of 63. The band confirmed the news with a statement in which it expresses its deep sorrow for the man who stood at the centre of Venom for more than four decades. The news broke on 1 October 2026.
The band’s farewell
In the statement, Venom note that Lant never followed the rules and carved out his own path, always remaining uncompromising and unforgettable. They address the fans, the «Legions», who supported the band all these years, saying that Cronos was always grateful to them. The text closes with a message from his son, Nathan, who thanked everyone for their support and stressed that his father put his soul into the music and that the legend of Cronos will never die.
Mantas’ tribute
Guitarist Jeff «Mantas» Dunn, who formed Venom together with Lant, said goodbye with a message on social media, speaking also on behalf of drummer Antony «Abaddon» Bray. Dunn said that the two of them knew about the death two days before it became public, but respected the family’s wish and did not speak to anyone. He remembered the friendship of the early years, the «all for one, one for all» and the desire to do something different, admitting that the arguments and the ups and downs of the band do not make the loss any lighter, because, as he put it, this hits him hard.
The legacy
Lant, Dunn and Bray put together the classic Venom line-up in Newcastle upon Tyne in England, in the late 1970s. Together they recorded four studio albums — «Welcome To Hell» (1981), «Black Metal» (1982), «At War With Satan» (1984) and «Possessed» (1985) — as well as the live album «Eine Kleine Nachtmusik» in 1986. Their sound and image deeply influenced black metal, death metal and other extreme genres, while names such as Metallica, Celtic Frost, Mayhem and Behemoth have stated that Venom were a major influence.
In the following years the paths of the founders split. Lant continued with his own version of Venom, as the only member from the classic era, with guitarist Rage (Stuart Dixon) and drummer Danté (Danny Needham). That line-up released «Into Oblivion» on Noise/BMG in May, the sixteenth studio album by Venom and the first since «Storm The Gates» in 2018. Dunn and Bray reunited in 2026 for the 45th anniversary of «Welcome To Hell», with festival appearances, while Venom Inc. continue with Tony «Demolition Man» Dolan, who sang and played bass in Venom from 1989 to 1992.
The relationship between the founders also went through the courts. In June 2024 Lant sued Bray and the distributor Plastic Head Music Distribution, arguing that products with Venom designs he had made himself were being sold under a licence approved by Bray. Bray responded with a countersuit, saying he was the creator of the artwork. According to Law360, Lant stated in court that he joined Venom in late 1979 and created the band’s satanic image, with goat heads, pentagrams and inverted crosses. Because he was able to show sketches of his work, he was judged the creator and copyright holder of all the disputed works except one, while Bray was recognised as the owner of the original Venom logo.
See also: the founding members of Venom, Mantas and Abaddon, together with Nergal and Erik Danielsson and their reunion at Pitfest for the 45th anniversary of «Welcome To Hell».