Venom is an English heavy metal band from Newcastle upon Tyne. Formed in September 1978, the group originally featured drummer Anthony Bray, rhythm guitarist Conrad Lant, lead guitarist Jeffrey Dunn, lead singer Clive Archer and bassist Alan Winston.

The band currently consists of Lant (on bass/lead vocals since 1980, who was absent between 1988 and 1995), guitarist Stuart "Rage" Dixon (since 2007) and drummer Danny "Dante" Needham (since 2009).

History The original Venom personnel came from three different bands: Guillotine, Oberon and Dwarfstar. The original Guillotine featured Jeff "Mantas" Dunn and Dave Rutherford on guitars, Dean Hewitt on bass, Dave Blackman on vocals, and Chris Mercater on drums who replaced Paul Burke, the original drummer when the band was founded. Blackman and Mercater were later also replaced by drummer Anthony Bray and vocalist Clive Archer. Hewitt was then replaced by Alan Winston on bass, and Rutherford was replaced by Conrad "Cronos" Lant on guitar.

In late 1978, bassist Winston left and Lant switched to bass. Each band member soon adopted a stage name for use in Venom – Bray as "Abaddon", Lant as "Cronos", Dunn as "Mantas" and Archer as "Christus". Archer was credited as "Jesus Christ" on the band's first demo tape Demon, released in 1980. Shortly after the demo's release, the decision was made to dismiss the vocalist and continue Venom as a three-piece, as Cronos had begun taking over the role. The band's lineup remained stable for the release of four studio albums between 1981 and 1985, before Mantas left in 1986.

For 1987's Calm Before the Storm, Abaddon and Cronos brought in guitarists Mike Hickey and Jim Clare. The following year, however, the frontman decided to leave Venom and form his own eponymous band, with both new members joining him in the group's initial lineup. Cronos was replaced by former Atomkraft frontman Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan early the following year, as Mantas returned and Al Barnes was added on rhythm guitar and bass. After the release of Prime Evil, Tear Your Soul Apart and Temples of Ice, Barnes left Venom; he was replaced by Steve "War Maniac" White, who joined alongside keyboardist Dave "VXS" Young for 1992's The Waste Lands. Dolan, Mantas and Abaddon continued performing as a trio, before Cronos returned in time for a headlining show at Holland's Waldrock Festival on 24 June 1995.

Abaddon, the only remaining constant member of Venom, left the group in 1999 and was replaced by Cronos' brother Anthony "Antton" Lant. In February 2002, Venom was put on hiatus after Cronos was injured in a climbing accident. The group returned in 2004, with Hickey (now under the name "Mykvs") returning to replace the departed Mantas. Mykvs was later replaced by Stuart "La Rage" Dixon in early 2007. Antton then left to focus on his other band Def-Con-One in 2009, with Danny "Dante" Needham taking his place a month later. This lineup remained until Cronos' death in 2026.

Members Current ImageNameYears activeInstruments Release contributions Stuart "LaRage" Dixon 2007–present all releases from Hell (2008) onwards Danny "Dante" Needham 2009–present all releases from Fallen Angels (2011) onwards

Former ImageNameYears activeInstruments Release contributions Jeffrey "Mantas" Dunn all Venom releases from Demon demo (1980) to Resurrection (2000), except Calm Before the Storm (1987) Dave Rutherford1978–1979 rhythm guitar rowspan="4" Dave Blackman lead vocals Dean Hewitt bass Chris McPeters drums Conrad "Cronos" Lant all Venom releases from Demon demo (1980) to Calm Before the Storm (1987), and from Venom '96 (1996) onwards Anthony "Abaddon" Bray 1979–1999 all Venom releases from Demon demo (1980) to Cast in Stone (1997) Clive "Jesus Christ" Archer1979–1980 lead vocals Demon demo (1980) Alan Winston bass Mike "Mykvs" Hickey Jim Clare 1986–1988 Calm Before the Storm (1987) Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan 1989–1995 Al Barnes 1989–1991 rhythm guitar Steve "War Maniac" White1991–1992 rhythm guitarThe Waste Lands (1992) Trevor "VSX" Sewell keyboards Anthony "Antton" Lant 1999–2009

Timeline Guillotine/Venom

Album Graecum/Dwarf Star/Oberon

Lineups PeriodMembersReleasesSeptember 1978 – July 1979 Dave Blackman – lead vocals Jeffrey Dunn – lead guitar Dave Rutherford – rhythm guitar Dean Hewitt – bass Chris McPeters – drums rowspan="3" August – November 1979 Clive Archer – lead vocals Jeffrey Dunn – lead guitar Dave Rutherford – rhythm guitar Alan Winston – bass Tony Bray – drumsNovember 1979 – February 1980 Clive Archer – lead vocals Jeffrey Dunn – lead guitar Conrad Lant – rhythm guitar Alan Winston — bass Tony Bray – drumsFebruary – mid-1980 Clive "Jesus Christ" Archer – lead vocals Jeffrey "Mantas" Dunn – guitar, backing vocals Conrad "Cronos" Lant – bass, backing vocals Anthony "Abaddon" Bray – drums, backing vocals Demon demo (1980)Mid-1980–August 1986 Mantas – guitar, backing vocals Cronos – bass, lead vocals Abaddon – drums, backing vocals Welcome to Hell (1981) Black Metal (1982) At War with Satan (1984) Hell at Hammersmith (1985) Possessed (1985) Eine kleine Nachtmusik (1986)September 1986 – November 1988 Mike "Mykvs" Hickey – lead guitar, backing vocals Jim Clare – rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Cronos – bass, lead vocals Abaddon – drums, backing vocals Calm Before the Storm (1987)January 1989 – 1991 Mantas – lead guitar, backing vocals Al Barnes – rhythm guitar, occasional bass Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan – bass, lead vocals Abaddon – drums, backing vocals Prime Evil (1989) ...Tear Your Soul Apart (1990) Temples of Ice (1991)1991 – November 1992 Mantas – lead guitar, backing vocals Steve White – rhythm guitar Demolition Man – bass, lead vocals Trevor "VSX" Sewell – keyboards Abaddon – drums, backing vocals The Waste Lands (1992)December 1992 – 1995 Mantas – guitar, backing vocals Demolition Man – bass, lead vocals Abaddon – drums, backing vocals1995 – 1999 Mantas – guitar, backing vocals Cronos – bass, lead vocals Abaddon – drums, backing vocals Venom '96 (1996) Cast in Stone (1997) The Second Coming (1997)1999 – February 2002 Mantas – guitar, backing vocals Cronos – bass, lead vocals Anthony "Antton" Lant – drums, backing vocals Resurrection (2000)Band on hiatus February 2002 – March 2004March 2004 – January 2007 Mike "Mykvs" Hickey – guitar, backing vocals Cronos – bass, lead vocals Antton – drums, backing vocals Metal Black (2006)January 2007 – April 2009 Stuart "La Rage" Dixon – guitar, backing vocals Cronos – bass, lead vocals Antton – drums, backing vocals Hell (2008)May 2009 – present La Rage – guitar, backing vocals Cronos – bass, lead vocals Danny "Dante" Needham – drums, backing vocals Fallen Angels (2011) From the Very Depths (2015) 100 Miles to Hell (2017) Storm the Gates (2018)

References

External links Venom official website