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VENOM Is ‘A Team Effort. It’s Not Just The CRONOS Band’
VENOM guitarist Rage (Stuart Dixon) and drummer Danté (Danny Needham) have pushed back against the perception that VENOM is essentially a solo vehicle for bassist/vocalist Conrad "Cronos" Lant, insisting the band writes and records collaboratively. Speaking to Rock Hard Greece, the pair described a genuine group songwriting process, addressing a long-standing fan narrative that could otherwise overshadow the current lineup's creative contribution to the band's output.
Danté explained that songs emerge from group jams and shared ideas rather than directives from a single member, with band members later identifying "golden nuggets" from recorded sessions to build tracks around, a method he said has shaped material across the band's past 17 years. Rage added that he and Danté, both with roughly two decades in the band, would have left long ago if they had no creative input, and defended VENOM against historic criticism of their musicianship. The interview coincided with discussion of "Into Oblivion", VENOM's sixteenth studio album, released in May via Noise/BMG and their first new material since 2018's "Storm The Gates".
In short
- VENOM's Rage and Danté deny the band is just Cronos's solo project
- They describe songwriting as a collaborative, jam-based group process
- Comments came while discussing new album "Into Oblivion", released in May 2026
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Band members describe a collaborative creative process involving group jams and shared development of ideas into finished songs, a method they credit across 17 years of the band's recent output. Rage and Danté have both committed approximately two decades to VENOM and emphasise they possess meaningful creative influence; logically, members would not remain in the band for such extended periods without genuine artistic input and satisfaction with their creative roles.
The case against
As VENOM's founder and sole constant member across its history, Cronos occupies a structurally dominant position that naturally concentrates creative authority regardless of collaborative methods employed. The persistent perception of VENOM as primarily his vehicle reflects observable patterns in rock bands with dominant creative figures; collaborative processes and "having input" do not necessarily entail equal creative influence or decision-making power, particularly when one member has founded and led the project across four decades.
Explained simply
VENOM is a heavy metal band formed in the 1980s that has become influential in the genre. Over decades, the group's identity has become closely associated with bassist and vocalist Conrad "Cronos" Lant, who has remained the band's creative figurehead. This association has led to a widespread perception among fans that VENOM functions primarily as Cronos's vehicle, with other members in supporting roles.
The band's current lineup includes guitarist Rage and drummer Danté, who have both been with VENOM for roughly two decades. Questions about the creative contributions of these longstanding members have persisted, particularly given the band's release pattern and Cronos's prominent public profile. The band recently returned with new material after a significant gap since their last album in 2018.
Recent comments from band members address this historical narrative about the band's creative structure. By clarifying how songwriting actually works within the group, they are responding to a perception that has potentially overshadowed discussion of their own contributions to VENOM's sound and output.
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