Mantas

Following his bitter exit from Venom, guitarist Jeff Dunn—performing under the Mantas moniker—launched a new group bearing the same name. Its sleek, keyboard-heavy hard-rock approach stood worlds apart from the raw black-metal blueprint Venom had helped establish. Commercial fortunes failed to improve, however, as the 1988 full-length Winds of Change, laid down four years prior, appeared on the under-supported Neat Records imprint. The 1989 Deceiver EP, marginally heavier in tone, fared no better; both releases were ignored by longtime followers and potential newcomers, underscoring the risks of altering a familiar sound. Completing the lineup were vocalist Pete Harrison, additional guitarist Al Barnes, keyboardist Keith Nichol, and a drum machine. The project dissolved before the decade’s end, though a short-lived later configuration that included ex-Atomkraft and Venom bassist/vocalist Tony Dolan entered the studio to cut the 2004 album Zero Tolerance.