In a recent interview with Soundterror, VENOM INC. frontman Tony “Demolition Man” Dolan made it clear that he has no interest in reuniting with former bandmates Jeff “Mantas” Dunn and Antony “Abaddon” Bray, citing years of personal and professional conflict.
Dolan opened up about the events that led to Mantas’s departure from the band, revealing that the guitarist’s health issues played a central role. “Mantas, he’d had a heart attack about four or five years ago and died. They brought him back to life… But then he took a second heart attack,” Dolan explained. “He didn’t wanna play any more live shows. So I was, like, ‘Oh, s**t. Well, what do I do?’”
With shows and obligations still on the table, Dolan made the decision to carry on with guitarist Curran Murphy (ANNIHILATOR, NEVERMORE), who initially joined as a temporary fill-in with the hope that Mantas would eventually return. That return never came. “He decided not to,” Dolan stated plainly.
Tensions escalated earlier this year when Mantas publicly declared he was “f**king done with” VENOM INC. and said he would “never speak” to Dolan again. Asked if any contact had occurred since then, Dolan said, “Not after [that] statement. No.” He further elaborated that communication had broken down well before the public fallout, despite his efforts to keep Mantas involved in some capacity.
“I sent him a whole list of American dates… I said, ‘You could come and play New York and then go home.’ But he didn’t wanna travel, so he wouldn’t respond. And then all of a sudden, he was releasing videos and music… And I’m in the press telling everybody I’m waiting for him to come back and all the time he’s recording new music. And then he blames me.” Dolan recounted.
Despite the bitterness, Dolan made it clear that he still has a deep personal respect for Mantas: “He’s not dead. And he’s my brother and I love him, regardless of what he says about me or anything else. I couldn’t love him for four years and then not like him in a week. So he’s still my brother. When he [nearly] died, I was the first one there. I looked after him and his wife, and I was driving her to the hospital twice a day. And I bought him coffee machines and I was supporting them.”
But any hopes of reconciliation or a reunion with either Mantas or Abaddon were firmly put to rest. “Not now. He said too many bad things about me that are untrue, and it’s not fair,” Dolan said. “I brought Abaddon back after everything he did because I didn’t care… But I was wrong. And Mantas said to me, ‘I told you.’ So they all blame me for their own demise.”
“I’m much happier not being oppressed by them,” Dolan added. “I don’t have to deal with any of the bad politics or any of their bulls**t. I can just be free and just play music, and that’s all I wanna do.”
As for any kind of original VENOM reunion with Cronos, Dolan was equally dismissive. “That’s never gonna happen either, because they did the same thing to him. They said so many bad things about him and did so many bad things towards him. And now because they haven’t got VENOM, they wanna [say], ‘Let’s forget about all that.’ Well, he doesn’t need to, does he? He’s still VENOM. He still plays his shows. He’s still making albums. He’s signed to Spinefarm. He doesn’t need them. He has a band. So I don’t know, but I can’t see that happening. But certainly for myself, no. I’m much happier not being oppressed by them. I don’t have to deal with any of the bad politics or any of their bulls**t. I don’t have to. I can just be free and just play music, and that’s all I wanna do.”
VENOM INC. was formed in 2015 by Mantas, Dolan, and Abaddon, all former members of the original VENOM. The current lineup continues without Mantas, with Mike Hickey (VENOM, CARCASS, CATHEDRAL) stepping in for live duties during recent tours.
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