[1][2][3][4][5] They are also considered to be a member of the "Big Six of Bay Area Thrash Metal," alongside Exodus, Testament, Death Angel, Lȧȧz Rockit and Forbidden.

After breaking up in 1994 and reforming for occasional live performances from 2001 to 2003, the band reunited once again in January 2019,[8] and released the EP Let the World Burn, their first collection of new material in nearly three decades, in March 2022.

[9] The current lineup of Vio-lence includes Killian, bassist Christian Olde Wolbers and drummer Nick Souza along with live members Mario Salcedo and Miles Dimitri Baker.

After recording two demos in 1986, they parted ways with Birr, Fua and Billy, who were replaced by Sean Killian, Robb Flynn (formerly of Forbidden Evil) and Deen Dell respectively.

[10][11][12] From February to April 1988, Vio-lence recorded their debut album, Eternal Nightmare, at two studios: The Music Grinder in Los Angeles and Alpha & Omega in San Francisco.

Vio-lence toured in support of the album for about a year, with bands such as Overkill, Exodus, Forbidden, Flotsam and Jetsam, Prong, Defiance and Rigor Mortis.

[12] In 1991, after being dropped from Atlantic/Megaforce, Vio-lence released an EP Torture Tactics, which included three studio songs (recorded in 1989 during the sessions of Oppressing the Masses) and one "live" track from 1988.

[10] After an attempt to make a fourth album, and performing what would be their final show for eight years on December 18, 1993, with a new lineup in San Francisco, Vio-lence split up.

[10][11][12] Phil Demmel, Deen Dell, Ray Vegas and Mark Hernandez formed a groove/thrash metal band called Torque which disbanded after releasing a studio album and playing several live shows.

[15] Initially planning only a few shows as part of the tribute to Testament frontman Chuck Billy during the Thrash of the Titans benefit in 2001, the band decided to reunite with early guitarist Ray Vegas replacing Robb Flynn.

[16] The benefit took place at The Midway in San Francisco, California on January 20, 2018, and included performances by the members of Vio-Lence and their Bay Area thrash metal peers Testament, Exodus, Death Angel, Forbidden and Mordred.

[25] In addition to their first live appearance in Los Angeles in over a decade on May 31, 2019, at The Regent with Sacred Reich, Excel and Sworn Enemy,[26] they played their first shows in New York in nearly 30 years at the Brooklyn Bazaar on November 8–9.

"[30] In an interview with Exodus frontman Steve "Zetro" Souza on his "Toxic Vault" video channel, Killian stated, "Phil and I have talked a couple of times.

[37] Prior to its release, the band was scheduled to be headlining the 2021 installment of the Headbangers Ball Tour in Europe, with support from Voivod, Exciter and Artillery,[38] but it was postponed to the next year due to circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic.