Original Venom guitarist Jeff ‘Mantas’ Dunn has shared his first message on the death of Conrad ‘Cronos’ Lant, in a post on Instagram. Lant was the band’s bassist and vocalist, and he died at the age of 63.
Dunn thanked fans for their condolences. He also spoke about the band’s history and the bond between its three founding members.
“May I thank you all for the overwhelming outpouring of appreciation and condolences,” Dunn said. “Justly deserved I believe.”
He then spoke on behalf of himself and drummer Abaddon, with whom he said he had spoken that day.
“I speak for myself and Abaddon, who I spoke to today when I say that, despite the turbulent history of this band, it was at the end of the day the three of us, who started something so special,” Dunn said. “We changed the direction, the movement and the history of metal as we know it.”
Dunn also explained why the news was not shared sooner.
“We were aware of the news two days ago, but obviously without the consent and wishes of Conrad’s family, we were not at liberty to say anything to anyone,” he said. “We respected that.”
He added: “At times like this the thing I remember is the friendship that we had in those early days. That one for all, all for one mentality, that rebellious quality and the absolute driven urge to be something so different whether it was accepted or not.”
Dunn then recalled the early days of the band.
“I still have many early video footage recordings of the three of us where we just laughed sometimes for no other reason than just being silly,” he said. “Our sense of humor was an acquired taste.”
He closed by thanking fans and saying the loss had affected him deeply.
“I thank you all for the countless messages,” Dunn said. “As I’ve said, despite the history, the arguments, the name-calling, the ups and downs and the dysfunctional manner of this band, this hits hard.”
“I shall speak to you tomorrow, my friends,” he continued. “Rest in power, Conrad Cronos Lant.”
Dunn said he would speak to fans again tomorrow.
Dunn’s message came shortly after Venom publicly confirmed Lant’s death. It also looked back on a partnership that began more than four decades ago.
The band confirmed on October 1 that Lant had died at 63. No cause of death has been made public. “It is with profound sadness and broken hearts that we share the news that Conrad ‘Cronos’ Lant has passed away,” the band’s statement read.
Lant’s family has also spoken publicly. His son, Nathan, thanked fans for their support and said his father appreciated them. “The legend of Cronos will never die,” he said.
Venom formed in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1978. The classic lineup settled on Lant on vocals and bass, Dunn on guitar and Abaddon on drums. The three musicians Dunn described in his message made up that lineup.
The band’s 1982 album Black Metal gave extreme metal one of its defining labels. Its sound and image shaped later generations of heavy music, and its influence reached acts such as Metallica, Celtic Frost and Mayhem.
