Former VENOM Drummer ANTHONY 'ABADDON' BRAY Says He Is 'Doing All Right' In His Battle With Lymphoma

Former VENOM and VENOM INC. drummer Abaddon (real name: Anthony Bray) says that he is "doing all right" in his battle with lymphoma.

The 62-year-old musician, who revived his ABADDON project in 2018, discussed his health in a new video in which he answers fan-submitted questions.

Regarding where he stands in his fight against the blood cancer, Bray said: "The treatments and whatever I've gone through have all been pretty well successful so far. I've got a final scan — well, I hope it's a final scan — coming up soon, and we'll find out if we have to take it any further or if that's it.

"The type of cancer it is, it's likely to come back because it's blood related. But I know what I'm facing now," he explained. "So bollocks to it, basically."

"There are a lot of people in a lot worse positions, so I'm doing all right. I've gotta get back to where I build the strength back with a bit of exercising. But I'm very happy with it," he said. "I couldn't have better support and help from everybody, to be fair, as well as, obviously, the doctors and nurses and whatnot, but everybody who's been online and sent me messages and this sort of thing. It couldn't be better."

Bray previously said that his cancer journey began after he noticed a mass growing on the side of his neck in July 2022.

"I thought it was maybe an insect bite as I live near the sea and it was a hot month here," he shared in a Facebook post. "The mass grew bigger and, urged by my wife Rachel, I went to see my [general practicioner] who reassured me that it was most likely not cancer because cancerous lumps don't come up over night usually, rather they take a longer time to grow."

Although Bray's doctor was initially not too concerned, he still referred the drummer to see a specialist.

"He did some tests then sent me straight away for a biopsy, I had three samples taken and then went back to see my specialist who said that sadly it was lymphoma a cancer of the blood," Bray wrote. "He sent me immediately for a CT scan and an MRI scan which showed that I also had cancer in my bowel and lower intestinal tract."

Abaddon was part of VENOM's classic lineup from 1978 to 1992. He then returned to the band in 1995 and stayed with them for four years before joining VENOM INC. alongside fellow former VENOM members Jeff "Mantas" Dunn and Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan. VENOM INC. released its debut album, "Avé", in August 2017. A year later, VENOM INC. revealed that it was recruiting Jeramie Kling of the Tampa-based melodic death metal band THE ABSENCE to fill in for Bray on a European tour while Abaddon stayed home to spend time with his newborn daughter. VENOM INC. has since completed several tours with Kling and released a second album, "There's Only Black", without making any announcements about Bray's possible return to the group.

Dunn, Bray and Dolan released three albums as VENOM between 1989 and 1992 — "Prime Evil" (1989),"Temples Of Ice" (1991) and "The Waste Lands" (1992).

VENOM INC. is not to be confused with the Conrad "Cronos" Lant-fronted version of VENOM, which is continuing to tour and make albums under the VENOM moniker. Joining Cronos in that group are Rage (a.k.a. Stuart Dixon) on guitar and Danté (a.k.a. Danny Needham) on drums.

ABADDON released its latest EP, "All That Remains", in May 2022.