Jeff “Mantas” Dunn, original guitarist for Venom, paid tribute to the band's bassist and founder, Conrad “Cronos” Lant, who passed away at the age of 63 , a death that was revealed last Thursday, October 1st.
In a social media post, Mantas revealed that he had known the news for two days prior, but kept it secret out of respect for his family's wishes. The musician also thanked fans for their support and said that, despite the troubled relationship between the founding members, he, Cronos, and drummer Abaddonwere responsible for changing the "course and history" of metal as everyone knows it.
“I speak for myself and for Abaddon [Antony Bray], whom I spoke to today, when I say that, despite this band’s turbulent history, it was the three of us who, in the end, started something so special and changed the direction, the movement, and the history of metal as we know it,” he declared [transcription via Blabbermouth].
In the post, Mantas also highlighted that, in moments of mourning, what remains are the positive memories of youth and the desire to do something revolutionary in music. “The thing I remember is the friendship we had in those early days, that 'one for all, all for one' mentality, that rebellious quality and the absolute desire to be something so different, whether it was accepted or not. I still have many old video recordings of the three of us, where we just laughed, sometimes for no other reason than to be silly; our sense of humor was an acquired taste,” he recalled.
Finally, the former Venom member acknowledged the weight of the loss and added: “Thank you all for the countless messages and, as I said, despite the history, the arguments, the insults, the ups and downs and the dysfunctional nature of this band, this hurts a lot. Rest in peace, Conrad Cronos Lant.”.
READ ALSO: Roger Waters and son announce tour featuring Pink Floyd classics
