Christian Olde-Wolbers of Vio-Lence (Powerflo, ex-Fear Factory) needs emergency surgery to fix a metal rod that broke in his leg. According to a GoFundMe he launched to help with the medical costs. Christian has been in pain and on crutches since he returned from Vio-Lence’s South American tour a few weeks ago. Like most metal musicians, he is uninsured and doesn’t want to miss the band’s next tour, celebrating 35-plus years of the Eternal Nightmare album (Combat Records) kicking off in the USA before heading over to Europe. The band has suffered some personnel changes lately, including the departures of Bobby Gufstason, Perry Strickland, and more recently the permanent departure of Phil Demmel and Ira Black.Continue reading
Tag Archives: Vio-lence
Watch The Celebration of Late Metallica Bassist Cliff Burton for “Cliff Burton Day 2024”
This weekend marked the 7th annual Cliff Burton Day, celebrating the late Metallica legend and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, as officially declared by Cliff’s hometown of Castro Valley and the greater Alameda County. Cliff would have turned 62 on February 10th, 2024. Continuing with tradition, host Nicholas Gomez spoke with Cliff’s family and friends, about their memories of Cliff. Watch the tribute here. Continue reading
Celebrate Late Metallica Bassist Cliff Burton for “Cliff Burton Day 2024” – On What Would Be His 62nd Birthday
Today is the 7th annual Cliff Burton Day, celebrating the late Metallica legend and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, as officially declared by Cliff’s hometown of Castro Valley and the greater Alameda County. Cliff would have turned 62 today, February 10th, 2024. Continuing with tradition, host Nicholas Gomez will speak with Cliff’s family and friends, about their memories of Cliff. Check back to the site later for the full video and more Cliff day tributes. Continue reading
Phil Demmel Announces His Official Departure From Vio-Lence, Says its Unrelated to Joining Kerry King’s Band
After almost 39 years in the band Vio-Lence Co-founder and guitarist Phil Demmel is permanently leaving the band after one final show on February 11th. In a post to social media and transcribed by Metal Injection, Demmel, explains that this recent development has nothing to do with him joining Kerry King’s new band, and more about the direction he has been heading in for a while, as he and vocalist Sean Killian are “not on the same page, and never have been!” Perry Strickland left the band in 2023. As Injection also reported, Demmel played with every incarnation of Vio-Lence across their career between 1985 and 2024, but he also stepped back from the band in 2023 as the band began touring without him and Demmel only playing occasional festivals like Milwaukee Metal Fest and a hometown show in Oakland. At that Oakland show last summer, Phil gave several lengthy thank yous and tributes to current and former members, that felt to those in attendance, like a goodbye moment from him. Demmel has also filled in for Lamb of God on tour in recent years and Slayer in 2018. Vio-lence has confirmed spring tour dates booked for the USA. Continue reading
Exhorder Drop “Year Of The Goat” Single and Video with New Album Announced
New Orleans thrash and groove trailblazers, Exhorder, have revealed plans for their 4th full-length record, Defectum Omnium. Following up 2019’s Mourn The Southern Skies, and featuring cover art by Travis Smith (Katatonia, Opeth), it’s due out March 08th on Nuclear Blast Records. The band have also shared the album’s first single and video, “Year Of The Goat.” Check it out below, and read more from Exhorder.
Vio-Lence Books April Headlining “Eternal Nightmare” Tour Dates with Exhorder, Deceased, and Mortal Wound
Bay Area thrash icons Vio-Lence will return to the stage this April for a special eight-date headlining tour featuring the band performing their classic 1988-released debut full-length Eternal Nightmare in its entirety! The tour runs from April 5th in Cambridge, Massachusetts through April 13th in Chicago, Illinois. Support will be provided by Exhorder, Deceased, and Mortal Wound. This show is not to be missed, as we saw when Vio-Lence performed Eternal Nightmare in Oakland this year. Tickets are on sale now. See all confirmed dates below.Continue reading
CONCERT REVIEW: Vio-Lence – Skeletal Remains – Fueled By Fire – Phantom Witch Live and Outside at Line 51 Brewing
It was the second of two days in a row in Oakland for the Live and Outside concert series produced by the Oakland Underworld Metro Opera House at Line 51 Brewing. I had barely recovered from seeing YOB the night before when it was time to head back over to Line 51 Brewing, but this time for some Thrash and Death Metal greatness. Although I ended up getting there early, there were many more people here today than for yesterday’s smaller, but also intense show.
FESTIVAL REVIEW: Milwaukee Metal Fest 2023 Live at The Rave – Eagles Club
The Rave/Eagles Club is an acclaimed live entertainment complex located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and is a one-of-a-kind spot to catch a heavy metal show. The multi-stage and multi-floor building has a fascinating history and many music groups consider playing there a “rite of passage” as performers. The Milwaukee Metal Fest was launched in 1987 by music enthusiast and promoter Jack Koshick, which became one of the most renowned festivals for the heavy genres in the 1990s and early 2000s. All the greats from Slayer to Meshuggah to the Misfits were all part of the impressive lineups throughout the years until it shut down in 2004. After being absent for nearly twenty years, the fest has been brought back to life by Hatebreed‘s Jamey Jasta. He bought the rights in 2022 and put together a fest to take place on Memorial Day weekend at The Rave with some of the scene’s biggest bands. Continue reading
Rock For Ronnie Concert In The Park Benefiting Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund All-Star Talent Announced
The Rock For Ronnie Concert in the Park will take place on Sunday afternoon, May 7, 2023 at Los Encinos Historic Park in Encino, benefiting the. Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund (https://www.diocancerfund.org). The Rock For Ronnie event, slated to be an afternoon of live rock music, silent and live auctions, food trucks and fun geared to the entire family, is the cancer charity’s first post-Covid event back in the park. The event just named a who’s who of Rock and Heavy Metal luminaries for the finale/all-star jam.
Vio-Lence Performs in Los Angeles, Phil Demmel Considers Stepping Back from The Band Following Latest Lineup Changes
Vio-Lence performed at the World Famous Whiskey-A-Go-Go this past weekend, their first show with drummer Adrian Aguilar (Exmortus). This comes less than three weeks after co-founder Perry Strickland quit the band. The band recently announced that guitarist Phil Demmel will be unable to make the group’s shows in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand in early March and will be temporarily replaced by Miles Dimitri Baker (Voidbringer, Interloper, Ex-Rings Of Saturn). In a new post to Instagram, Phil Demmel gave a “state of the Vio-lence address”, including telling vocalist Sean Killian he wanted to “shut down the band” following the recent departures, and that he may have limited to no involvement touring with the group in the future. Strickland is the second member to depart the band recently following Bobby Gufstason (ex-Overkill) a few months ago. Continue reading