Conrad “Cronos” Lant has died at the age of 63. Born in 1963, the English musician remained at the heart of one of the bands that changed the sound of heavy metal forever for more than four decades. Venom announced his death today, on 1 October 2026.
For the members of Venom, Cronos was not simply the vocalist and bassist. He was the central figure behind the identity and direction of the band, as well as the combination of aggression, theatricality and disregard for the industry’s rules that would go on to influence generations of musicians.
“For more than four decades, Conrad’s voice, bass and vision were at the heart of Venom. From the first dark rumblings of «Welcome to Hell», through «Black Metal», «At War with Satan», «Possessed» and beyond, he created something that changed heavy music forever.
Venom never followed the rules.
They forged their own path.
And Conrad was there at the centre of it all: uncompromising, fearless and unmistakable.”
Conrad “Cronos” Lant [1963-2026]
© Venom
The Journey of Cronos: From Guillotine to Venom
The story goes back to 1979, when Lant was working at Impulse Studios in Wallsend. There, he met guitarist Jeff Dunn and was invited to a rehearsal of his band, Guillotine. The group was still playing covers by Judas Priest and Motörhead, but Cronos was already looking for something else. He wanted original material, and his insistence helped push the musicians towards the band they would soon become.
The name “Venom” was suggested by a friend of the group and eventually adopted by the members. They also decided early on to use stage names, with Lant choosing “Cronos”. The name came from Greek mythology and also had a personal connection to his Capricorn birth sign and Saturn.
Originally playing rhythm guitar, Cronos switched to bass when the bassist left one week before the first gig of the band. When vocalist Clive Archer subsequently left, Cronos also took over the vocals, becoming the frontman whose voice would become one of the defining elements of the sound of Venom.
His work at Impulse Studios gave him an opportunity to help the band into the recording studio. After considerable effort, the members recorded a three-track demo and began sending copies to record labels and magazines. On 10 October 1980, they recorded six tracks during a four-hour session: “Sons of Satan”, “In League with Satan”, “Angel Dust”, “Live Like an Angel”, “Schizo” and “Venom”.
The recordings eventually led to a deal with Neat Records and the release of “In League with Satan”, followed in 1981 by “Welcome to Hell”. The album was, in essence, a collection of demos, but its stripped-down production became part of its identity. The following year, “Black Metal” would give its name to an entire musical territory and cement the influence of the music created by the members of Venom on generations of metal musicians.
But the members of Venom were not trying to create a genre for history books. They were looking for a sound that did not resemble anyone else. That approach would carry their music far beyond its original setting, influencing thrash metal and, later, the Scandinavian black metal scene.
Conrad “Cronos” Lant
© The archive of Venom
Cronos remained at the centre of that process, combining vocals and bass while helping shape the music and direction of the group. His career with Venom was built around the same principle that had been there from the beginning: the rules of heavy metal were not necessarily worth following simply because someone else had written them.
In 1988, Cronos left Venom to pursue a solo career. The band continued without him, releasing several records before bringing that incarnation to an end around 1993, amid declining sales and poor concert attendances. Cronos returned to the original Venom line-up in 1995, and the reunited band went on to headline the Dynamo Open Air Festival in 1996, performing before an audience of around 90,000 people.
A climbing accident in 2002 brought another interruption to their activity. The injuries left Cronos unable to play bass or sing for several years, prompting him to turn his attention to a different field. During his recovery, he studied games programming, developed skills in 3D software and worked as a multimedia engineer for K-Class Systems and Globalfibre.tv.
After his recovery, Cronos continued working in music, releasing new material with Venom over the following years. The most recent album was “Into Oblivion” [2026].
A Farewell to Cronos
In their tribute, the members of Venom reflected on the independent spirit that came to define the band, recalling how Cronos refused to conform and helped shape an identity that was entirely their own.
They also spoke about Cronos’ relationship with the “Legions”, recognising the loyalty of the fans who followed him and the group through the decades, from buying the records and attending the shows to wearing the shirts, sharing the music and keeping his work alive for new generations.
Their message read:
“It is with profound sadness and broken hearts that we share the news that Conrad «Cronos» Lant has passed away.
For more than four decades, Conrad’s voice, bass and vision were at the heart of Venom.
From the first dark rumblings of «Welcome to Hell», through «Black Metal», «At War with Satan», «Possessed» and beyond, he created something that changed heavy music forever.
Venom never followed the rules.
They forged their own path.
And Conrad was there at the centre of it all: uncompromising, fearless and unmistakable.
The Legions have always been an important part of Venom. To everyone who stood with the band through the years, bought the records, came to the shows, wore the shirts, shared the music and kept the flame burning: Cronos was always grateful for your loyalty and support.”.
His son, Nathan, also left a message:
“I want to thank all of the Legions for all of the support you have given my dad over the years. I know he really appreciated you all.
He has laid down his soul, and his music will live on.
The legend of Cronos will never die.”.
The music remains. So does the legacy of the man who helped give Venom a voice.
