CHRISTIAN OLDE WOLBERS quits VIO-LENCE: “It's not easy throwing in the towel”
25-02-2025
Former FEAR FACTORY bassist Christian Olde Wolbers has announced his departure from San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans VIO-LENCE.
On Monday, February 24, Olde Wolbers shared a photo of him with VIO-LENCE singer Sean Killian, ex-VIO-LENCE guitarist Phil Demmel and former VIO-LENCE drummer Perry Strickland, and he included the following message: “I wanna thank these 3 dudes right here for 6 years of @vio_lence_band. All bad ass dudes right here who created some real Thrash metal magic in the Bay Area in the 80’s/90’s.
“I wasn’t going to post anything or make a big stink announcement but when I saw this picture today I felt I had to. This pic just sums it all up. I love these dudes!
“VIO-LENCE was my favorite thrash metal band when I was 17-18 years old and obviously there was a higher spirit already knowing I would end up making a journey in this band a few decades later. Crazy how that all that works out. Completely mind blowing to be honest. Be careful what you wish for.
“But unfortunately my journey with the band has to come to an end as I am going to pursue my own new solo band and producing career.
“It’s not easy throwing in the towel. I’m not a quitter, the last time I quit a band was in 92 when I quit ASPHYXIA in Belgium and moved to the USA a few months later to pursue a bigger career.
“CYPRESS HILL has been busy as well with the Symphony Experience and I wanna concentrate on writing albums that I have been dreaming of making for a long time.
“I have a creative space (studio) so i am already in the lab busy making new music. Get ready”.
VIO-LENCE released three studio albums between 1988 and 1993. The group reformed soon after Demmel acrimoniously left MACHINE HEAD more than six years ago.
VIO-LENCE released a new EP, “Let The World Burn”, in March 2022 via Metal Blade Records.
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 Strickland, 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. Joining him at some of the band’s recent concerts were drummer Nick Souza and guitarists Mario Salcedo and Pat O’Brien (EXHORDER, ex-CANNIBAL CORPSE).
“Let The World Burn” was recorded with Juan Urteaga at Trident Studios (TESTAMENT, MACHINE HEAD, EXODUS),with mixing handled by Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, MESHUGGAH) and Grammy Award-winning engineer Ted Jensen (ALICE IN CHAINS, DEFTONES, PANTERA).
Demmel left MACHINE HEAD at the end of the band’s fall 2018 North American tour. He 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).
Demmel‘s final concert with VIO-LENCE took place on February 11, 2024 at Carioca Club in São Paulo, Brazil. The gig also marked the last show of VIO-LENCE‘s Latin American tour with EXHORDER.
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 the band’s reunion.
“Let The World Burn” track listing
01. Flesh From Bone
02. Screaming Always
03. Upon Their Cross
04. Gato Negro
05. Let the World Burn
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