Conrad “Cronos” Lant, the longtime singer and bassist of British heavy metal band Venom, has died at 63. The band announced his death on October 1, paying tribute to the musician whose voice, bass playing, and creative direction helped shape its identity for more than four decades. No cause of death was disclosed.
In its memorial statement, Venom highlighted Lant’s work across albums including Welcome to Hell, Black Metal, At War With Satan, and Possessed. His son Nathan also thanked fans for supporting his father throughout his career.
Lant joined Venom in the late 1970s and became one of the central figures in the development of extreme metal. The band’s 1982 album Black Metal gave its name to the genre that later emerged under that label, while Venom’s raw sound influenced generations of thrash, death metal, and black metal musicians.
Despite multiple lineup changes over the years, Lant remained closely identified with Venom and continued recording and performing with the group. His career leaves a lasting mark on the history of heavy music.