VENOM INC (Newcastle/England) | English Version

Venom Inc. was created in 2015 by two former members of Venom: Jeffrey Dunn "Mantas" (guitars) and Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan (bass and vocals) who at the time were playing together in M:Pire of Evil. In the early years it also featured another former Venom member, Anthony Bray "Abbadon" (drums) thus re-editing the lineup from the time of the album "Prime Evil" (1989). Abbadon left Venom Inc a few years later being replaced by Jeramie "War Machine" Kling who is still in the band.

Venom Inc. has been writing its name in history releasing records and travelling the world being very well received by Heavy Metal fans for its charisma and competence!!! What started as a great Tribute to Venom, the legend, continues with full force and soon the second studio album "There's Only Black" will be released.

​​​​​​​So, about this and many other subjects we talked to Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan:

TGZ - Hail MetalEvilBrother Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan!!! First, I want to thank you very much for your attention in answering this interview and to say that we are extremely honored to have Venom Inc. on the pages of ThunderGod Zine. To start our chat, please talk about how Venom Inc is doing and how is the band’s routine going during this pandemic period?

Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan: Thank you so much for the honour to talk to you. Venom Inc is doing great. We are now back on the road playing shows, the first 2 single from the album went out in the last months...'How Many Can Die' reaching 60,000 hits and 'Don't Feed Me Your Lies' reaching 202,000 hits… so it is an amazing start for the coming album. Our Spotify for the first album as Venom Inc 'AVÉ' has hot 1.2 Million streams to date so things are very good.

The pandemic was bad for everyone but especially the bands… no touring so what was left to do? Be inventive, so like others we did online projects, Mantas do Venom songs with Diva Stanica (Nervosa), Nergal (Behemoth) etc and started his patron page recording new rock style songs and offering old Venom stories and photos etc… Mr. Kling did many projects including the successful 'Inhuman Condition' band (with Terry Butler - Obituary and Taylor Norbert - Deicide) and I myself has a hip operation then did a charity album 'Sabbatonero', featuring guests like Marty Friedman, Rasmus Bom Anderson, Ken Andrews, Snowy Shaw, Steve Sylvester etc etc… and it raise a load of money for front line workers in Italy, as well as a 'Metal Against Coronavirus' project with Prika Amaral (Nervosa) and a Metallica song for 'Metal Injection' and lots of other things. We also found the time to write and record our new Venom Inc album, 'There's Only Black' without the time pressure of shows etc...

TGZ - Venom Inc emerged as a great Tribute dedicated to Venom fans, which immediately won the admiration and support of the band's audience worldwide, but even though it wasn’t the initial plan, Venom Inc created its own way, released an album with new songs "Avé" (2017) and has been writing its own story in the Heavy Metal scene. What was the moment in which you decided to build this story (composing your own material) and what was the biggest motivation for that? Did you think, let’s show the Venom that fans really want to hear? Tell us a little about that decision:

TD: Well yes that's correct, we were invited to play as show in Germany, a festival called 'Keep It True' and do only 5 Venom classics for the 2000 strong audience as a surprise and have Abaddon join us for it but the response was so huge once it weren't online we found ourselves in China, Japan, Australia and the USA, Europe, South America, Canada… it was non-stop… Everywhere people wanted us to come play and do Venom classics...

Then our manager Jon Zazula (RIP) of the infamous Megaforce label (who launched Metallica and Anthrax) discussed with me doing demos for our own album. We had the team of Jon and Chuck Billy (Testament) managing and they thought we should do that. I was reticent at first as I was enjoying just playing live for fans songs they ask to hear. It was solely them who were driving the thing and I knew doping an album would mean finding a label, dealing with publishing and money arguments and I really wasn't interested in any more politics and infighting but Jon persisted in pushing and eventually I agreed… We did a 3 song demo, some songs Mantas had already recorded part demos of and I laid down vocals and we sent to only one label, Nuclear Blast. I said if they say no we stop and go back to just playing live but they loved the demos and asked to sign us for 3 albums and the rest (as they say) is history. Venom Inc was truly born.

TGZ - Speaking of albums, the successor of "Avé" is already scheduled to be released, on September 23, this year, when we will get to know all 12 tracks from "There's Only Black". What should we VenomInc fans expect?

TD: That's right… very exciting. We have the first 2 singles out now… actually A & B sides...and another 2 coming pre-release date. The reactions have been incredible and we are blown away… their thoughts are the tip of the iceberg and I think fans can expect a true follow up to AVÉ only better… Fresh, massive, frantic, still with an old school vibe but moving forward.... I mean who wants to stay down a blind alley repeating the same kind of this over and over… no one!!! Trying to be the band or person you were in 1984??? Hahahah too funny… so as we all do we grew like everyone does and this new album is true to that growth..

TGZ - As we already know the art that will illustrate the cover of the new album "There's Only Black", we can see a change in the visual aesthetics of the band, as in the logo, for example, or at least a change in the graphic concept. Is there a special reason for this?

TD: Yes, the logo did not fit the theme… I wanted the whole concept to work not just a cool amazing piece of art then the logo pasted on in Photoshop… It ALL had to mean something… the font I chose was used on several remarkable notary grave stones and the concept of 'beyond all we know' seems to fit together once I used that… so it is complete… Yes we have the rights to use our logo, we own it, and yes it is inside the album and yes we will continue to use it. However for the cover the font has reason...

TGZ - A preview of this new play is already among us, I'm talking about the song that opens the album: "How Many Can Die" which by the way was presented to us through a lyric video produced by our brother / friend Alcides Burn!!! How did this partnership go? I heard that the video needed to go through some adjustments because of youtube restrictions. Will the "uncut" version come out as a bonus on the album?

TD: Ah, well yes we had to edit as there is a huge conflict in Europe and the channel and IG and FB thought some images were too graphic but that was ok...Yes the UNCUT version will be out on a special edition following the album… As far as Al goes, we have worked together before and Prika (Nervosa who is my dear friend) also loves Al and suggested him for the video… He's a genius and GREAT artist and we work together so well and so easily so it's always great fun and GREAT GREAT JOY.

TGZ - Venom Inc, as I said before, has fans all over the world, due to its well-known charisma and of course, also due to the band’s members unique talents. Here in Brazil it is no different but unfortunately a tour that was scheduled to take place was cancelled due to a controversy with the local producer, a controversy that was duly clarified by you. Do you want to talk a little about what happened? And when will we see Venom Inc again around here? Do you intend to hit the road after the release of the new album and include Brazil in the agenda?

TD: I always want to be in Brazil hahahaha, everyone who knows me knows that. I love it so very much. Yes we have a tour planning for SA especially Brazil and will be there once the album is out...That last event was very sad, to be blamed for nothing was very disappointing, we had vaccination and all was in order then 11 days out no flights and then were told they were too expensive, which I understood and wanted to work around but then we were attached as if WE had created problems which made me quite upset. I'd been ironing us to Brazil for many many years and no issues so this was not cool… But we managed to clear things up and so moving forward we will be there with our friends, fans and new fans very soon… I promise you that!!!

TGZ - M:Pire of Evil almost played in the third edition of the Evisceration Metal Festival (2014), a traditional Heavy Metal festival that took place here in Bahia, Brazil. This edition by the way would take place here in the interior of the state, very close to the city that I live, do you remember this?

TD: Oh yes I remember, then there was a strange occurrence and we were cancelled for the show or the show was I don't recall… so never got to Brazil that time… I so wanted to come for that as I have not been to the true interior yet after all these years. It was disappointing to not come, it always is for me but life happens, shit happens and we move so let's hope I will get us further inside there at some point.

TGZ - Tony, thank you very much for your attention, I hope very soon to be able to share one or a few beers with you here!!! I wish you a great success in Venom Inc's plans! Feel free to make your final remarks:

TD: Thank you so very much and look forward to a LARGE Jack Daniel's and Coke with Ice in honour of Lemmy and due to the fact I don't drink beer....But look forward to great Brazilian food, great Brazilian alcohol and great Brazilian friends and fans.

I'd just like to say 'Muito Obrigado' for all the support for ALL of the VENOM personal past and present over so many years… It's an honour to come always and the best days are yet to come… ALL HAIL BRAZIL… AVÉ

Follow Venom Inc:

venom-inc.co.uk | facebook.com/VenomIncOfficial | instagram.com/venom_inc | twitter.com/venom_inc | deezer.com/VenomInc | open.spotify.com/VenomInc