Jeff “Mantas” Dunn and Anthony “Abaddon” Bray , co-founders of Venom and central figures of the first wave of black metal, have announced that they will celebrate the 45th anniversary of their iconic debut album Welcome to Hell (1981), with shows already confirmed at festivals such as Keep It True in Germany.
In an interview with MetalKaoz , Mantas revealed that Conrad “Cronos” Lant , the current leader of the main band known as Venom, was formally invited to participate, but declined [transcription via Blabbermouth ].
“I invited him. He was invited by the lawyers in the [recent] legal proceedings [involving Cronos and Abaddon] . His response was: 'It's not worth my time.' That was his response,” Mantas confessed.
According to Mantas, the refusal was no surprise, as his relationship with Cronos was marked by personal strain. The musician compared a possible reunion to a "toxic relationship," recalling that, even in previous attempts, the band had traveled and stayed separately to avoid conflict.
“What I tell people is this: Okay, everyone wants to see their favorite members together again. We know that. 'Oh yeah, just travel separately. Stay in different hotels.' We've done all that. We've done that. We did that at the first reunion. Okay, think about the most toxic relationship you've ever been in, how it made you feel. At your age now, invite that back into your life,” he said.
Mantas and Abbadon begin legal battle against Cronos
The current tension also extends to legal battles. In 2024, Cronos sued Abaddon and Plastic Head Music Distribution Ltd for selling products that allegedly violated copyrights related to Venom. The case reflected the long-standing dispute over control of the band's legacy, including logos and classic artwork.
Mantas also revisited Venom's early years, recalling that the trio functioned as a unified force, without arguments over authorship or credit sharing. Over time, however, the commercial aspect began to take precedence. Even so, the guitarist emphasized that the essence of Venom was never in the image, but in the music.
“Now, it doesn’t matter what your logo looks like. It doesn’t matter how good your album cover is. It doesn’t matter what your image is, how much leather you’re wearing, or what guitar you’re playing; if someone puts that album on and doesn’t like the music, it’s over. A band isn’t just about logos, t-shirts, and things like that—it’s about the music. Why do you wear a band’s t-shirt? Because you like their music. It’s that simple.”
Today, the Venom name is divided into three side projects: the lineup led by Cronos; the new project by Mantas and Abaddon, which celebrates the classics of the original era; and Venom Inc. , led by Tony “Demolition Man” Dolan , vocalist and bassist from the 1989–1992 phase. The battle over the legacy continues, while fans remain divided between the band's different formations.
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