Conrad “Kronos“ Lant, the vocalist and bassist of the British band Venom, has died at the age of 63. The news was announced by the band itself, and the cause of death has not been announced.
“I want to thank all the legions for the support you have given my father over the years. I know he truly appreciated it. He gave his soul, and his music will live on. The legend of Kronos will never die“, said his son Nathan.
The man behind the voice and bass of Venom
Conrad Thomas Lant was born on January 15, 1963 in London. He joined Venom in the late 1970s and became one of the central figures in the band's history, along with guitarist Jeffrey "Mantas" Dunn and drummer Anthony "Abaddon" Bray.
Venom released their debut album Welcome to Hell in 1981, followed by Black Metal in 1982. It was the latter album that gave its name to the musical subgenre that later developed mainly in Scandinavia. Among the band's early key recordings was At War with Satan from 1984.
With their raw sound, aggressive stage behavior, and dark aesthetic, Venom influenced the development of thrash metal and extreme music. The band has been cited as an inspiration by bands such as Metallica, Slayer, Celtic Frost, and a number of Scandinavian black metal acts.
Return after solo period
Kronos left Venom in 1988 and worked on a solo project under his pseudonym. In the 1990s, he returned to the band and remained its permanent vocalist and bassist for the following decades.
With his participation, Venom released the albums Metal Black in 2006, Fallen Angels in 2011, From the Depths in 2015, and Storm the Gates in 2018. Kronos is the last remaining founding member of the band.
In its statement, Venom paid tribute to the musician as a man whose voice, bass and vision were the foundation of the band for more than four decades. “His music will not die. "His voice will not disappear," the message says.
Sources: Blabbermouth, Ethnos, Loud and Proud