VIO-LENCE To Release New 'Punk Cover' Before Putting Out More Original Material: 'I Don't Wanna Rush Writing', Says SEAN KILLIAN

In a new interview with Shawn Ratches of Laughingmonkeymusic, VIO-LENCE singer Sean Killian spoke about the band's plans for new music. For the reactivated San Francisco Bay Area thrashers' recent U.S. tour as the support act for DEATH ANGEL, Killian was joined on stage by Ira Black (LIZZY BORDEN, VICIOUS RUMORS, METAL CHURCH) on guitar, Jeff Salgado (PSYCHOSOMATIC) on bass, Nick Souza (HATRIOT) on drums and Toby Swope on guitar.

"It's refreshing to finally have a solid lineup of guys," Sean said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And it took a while, but we're there now. I'm writing with Ira Black, and I'm also writing with [POSSESSED guitarist] Claudeous Creamer. 'Cause [Claudeous is] gonna be going with us down [to South America in early February for a tour with FORBIDDEN and VENOM INC.]. Anytime he's not with POSSESSED and we're out, he's with us. And then I love doing punk covers, so we'll probably get a punk cover out first. Because that was my whole motivation back in the day, listening to GBH and FEAR. And I think that's where some of my attitude comes from, from watching [FEAR frontman] Lee Ving as a young man telling the crowd to fuck off. And the aggressive vocals from GBH. So that's what all kind of drove me. So I love doing punk songs. So we will definitely have a punk song come out first with a video."

Killian continued: "I don't wanna rush writing, because I don't wanna just put something out to put something out. So we might finish writing by August. We have some other stuff coming up too. We've got a big announcement next Wednesday that I'm looking forward to. And then we're putting our summer together and some of our August, September, November stuff together now. And so we've got a lot of big announcements coming up.

"We had to make a change, and so it'll be announced next Wednesday, which I'm really happy about, and it's motivated me more too," Killian explained. "And then we're going to Russia in August. We're gonna play Moscow and St. Petersburg, and we're trying to add some dates to that.

"Decibel Touring is my booking agent out [in Europe], Enzo [Marangelli]. He's always, 'So, what do you wanna do next?' And it's, like, 'Well, I'd love to go to Russia and some of those Baltic countries.' And so that's what we're working on now for, I wanna say it's the middle of August… So I'm looking forward to that, for sure. And then, like I said, for writing, I don't wanna rush it. So, we'll throw that punk song out, and then we're taking our time making sure that what we're doing is well structured and maybe expand our sound a little bit, 'cause I'm writing with new guys now. And then with Claudeous, he's got a whole different take on music, which is great. So, our sound, it'll change a little bit because of the people writing the music, but I don't change. I have this adage, it's, like, well, whatever song it is, if I sing it, it's gonna like VIO-LENCE. [Laughs]"

Earlier this month, founding VIO-LENCE guitarist Phil Demmel denied demanding of Killian that VIO-LENCE be disbanded following Phil's exit from the group nearly two years ago. Phil's final concert with the San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans took place in February 2024 at Carioca Club in São Paulo, Brazil.

Phil's online post was made in direct response to an interview Killian gave to Robb Chavez of Robbs MetalWorks where the VIO-LENCE singer spoke about Demmel's departure. Asked if he was "adamant" about wanting to keep VIO-LENCE going after Phil's exit, Sean said: "[Phil] wanted me to shelve the band. And then we sold out the Whisky [A Go Go in February 2023] in L.A., and he brought it up in the green room after we played. And I was, like, 'No, I'm not shelving anything.' 'Cause we never really toured back in the day, so there's so many places around the world that haven't seen VIO-LENCE or heard it live. For him, it's a garage thing that — I don't know… He's kind of a selfish guy. And if you've seen some of his interviews. he even brings it up himself."

In August 2020, VIO-LENCE released a cover version of the DEAD KENNEDYS classic "California Über Alles" as a digital single. The band also filmed a music video for the song with director Scott Kirkeeng.

VIO-LENCE released three studio albums between 1988 and 1993. The group reformed soon after Demmel acrimoniously left MACHINE HEAD more than seven years ago.

Formed in 1985, VIO-LENCE helped define and refine what came to be known as the Bay Area sound, dropping three seminal albums before splitting in 1993. Leaving behind a heady legacy, they reformed briefly a couple of times in the intervening years before becoming a full-time going concern once more in 2019. After playing a string of successful shows, the quintet started to think about new music and delivered "Let The World Burn", showcasing their first new material in 29 years.

Filling out the band's ranks on "Let The World Burn" alongside Killian and Demmel were drummer Perry Strickland, former FEAR FACTORY bassist Christian Olde Wolbers and former OVERKILL guitarist Bobby Gustafson.

Killian is the only VIO-LENCE member from the "Let The World Burn" recording lineup who is still touring with the band.

VIO-LENCE played the February 2024 São Paulo concert as a four-piece after an alleged altercation between Black and Olde Wolbers resulted in Ira being sent home from the tour a few days early.

Released in March 2022, "Let The World Burn" was VIO-LENCE's first original release since 1993's "Nothing To Gain".

Demmel was in MACHINE HEAD for nearly 16 years, during which time he played on five of the group's studio albums: "Through The Ashes Of Empires" (2003),"The Blackening" (2007),"Unto The Locust" (2011),"Bloodstone & Diamonds" (2014) and "Catharsis" (2018).

Although MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn was part of VIO-LENCE's classic incarnation and played on the band's debut album, "Eternal Nightmare", he wasn't approached about taking part in of VIO-LENCE's 2018 reunion.