Japanese rock promoter UPP-tone Music has announced a rare and historic reunion of former Venom members guitarist Jeff "Mantas" Dunn and drummer Antony "Abaddon" Bray. The pair will perform Venom classics on November 30 at the legendary Shinjuku Antiknock venue in Tokyo, Japan.
The show will feature an all-star backing lineup drawn from Japan’s extreme metal elite including Masaki "Gezol" Tachi (Sabbat) on bass and vocals, Mirai Kawashima (Sigh) on vocals, Shinji "Samm" Tachi (Metalucifer) on drums, and Noboru "Jero" Sakuma (Abigail) on guitar. Support for the concert will come from Survive and Hell Freezes Over.
Nearly a decade ago, Dunn and Bray reunited with bassist and vocalist Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan to form Venom Inc., a band focused on keeping the classic Venom legacy alive. That lineup released its debut album, Avé, in 2017 and toured extensively.
In early 2018, Abaddon temporarily stepped away from Venom Inc. to be with his newborn daughter, missing the band’s European tour. He was replaced for those dates by Jeramie Kling from The Absence. By September 2018, the band confirmed that Abaddon would not be returning, effectively ending his tenure. Dolan later explained that the split stemmed from ongoing struggles.
In December 2023, Dunn announced his departure from Venom Inc. eight months after suffering his second heart attack. He cited health concerns and personal reasons, stating: “My health and wellbeing are of paramount importance to myself and my family… There are also more personal issues which have influenced my decision.”
The classic Venom trio of Dunn, Bray, and Conrad "Cronos" Lant released four landmark albums — Welcome to Hell (1981), Black Metal (1982), At War With Satan (1984), and Possessed (1985) — plus the 1986 live LP Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. Bray left Venom in 1992, returned in 1995, and then left for good in 1999; Dunn left in 1985, rejoined in 1989, and then left for good in 2002.
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