Venom
Venom are an English heavy metal band formed in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1978. Coming to prominence towards the end of the new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) era, Venom's first two albums, Welcome to Hell (1981) and Black Metal (1982), are considered influences on black metal, thrash metal and extreme metal in general. Their second album's title inspired the name of the black metal genre. Venom were part of the first wave of the genre, along with Mercyful Fate and Bathory.
Throughout its 48-year career, Venom have continued recording and performing live, with the exception of several hiatuses and line-up changes. Original guitarist Jeffrey "Mantas" Dunn left Venom in 1986. Vocalist/bassist Conrad "Cronos" Lant left two years later to start a solo career, leaving the band with no remaining original members. Drummer Anthony "Abaddon" Bray (who joined in 1979) continued the band with Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan as vocalist and bassist until their hiatus in 1992. The "classic" line-up of Mantas, Cronos, and Abaddon reunited in 1995, recording one album before dismissing the latter in 1999. Abaddon was replaced by Cronos' brother Anthony "Antton" Lant. After the release of their tenth studio album, Resurrection (2000), Venom entered a two-year hiatus. Cronos reformed the band without Mantas in 2004, and remained the only constant member until his death in 2026. Former band members have formed their own versions of Venom at different times, notably Venom Inc., which reunited Mantas, Abaddon, and Dolan.
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