Conrad Cronos Lant, Venom Frontman and Black Metal Pioneer, Dies at 63
The Newcastle-based musician, known for his distinctive vocals and dark imagery, was widely credited with shaping the black metal genre.
Conrad Lant, the co-founder, frontman, and bass player of the pioneering heavy metal band Venom, has died at the age of 63. Lant, known by his stage name Cronos, led the Newcastle band for nearly 50 years. Venom is widely credited with inventing the black metal genre and has been cited as a major influence by thrash metal bands such as Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax.
In a tribute, Venom stated that Lant's "voice, bass and vision were at the heart of Venom," describing their bandmate as "uncompromising, fearless and unmistakable." His son Nathan expressed gratitude to the band's fans for their long-standing support.
Venom formed in Newcastle in 1978. Their 1982 album, "Black Metal," is considered seminal, giving its name to an entire subgenre and influencing bands on both sides of the Atlantic with its fast style, dark imagery, and lyrical themes. Rock journalist Simon Rushworth told BBC Newcastle that Venom "spawned a whole genre of what I'd call extreme metal," noting that bands like Slayer, Metallica, and Anthrax all cited Venom as an influence. Rushworth also highlighted Lant's role in creating the band's distinctive black metal image.
The band's imagery drew attention from the US government when the track "Possessed" was included on the "Filthy Fifteen" list compiled by the Parents Music Resource Center, a committee that advocated for "parental advisory" warning stickers on music.
Original guitarist Jeff "Mantas" Dunn reflected on their shared history, stating, "Despite the turbulent history of this band, it was at the end of the day the three of us, who started something so special and changed the direction, the movement and the history of metal as we know it." He emphasized the friendship and "one for all, all for one mentality" of their early days.
Rushworth noted that Venom themselves were influenced by bands like Motörhead, Kiss, Black Sabbath, and Alice Cooper, and that Cronos aimed for Venom to be a more extreme and flamboyant hybrid of these influences, a goal many believe he achieved.
Following the release of "Possessed," the original lineup began to fracture. Cronos pursued solo projects before a brief and contentious reunion in the mid-1990s. With various lineup changes, but consistently led by Cronos, Venom continued performing and released their 14th studio album, "Into Oblivion," this year.