PHIL DEMMEL Denies Demanding VIO-LENCE Breakup After His Exit, Despite SEAN KILLIAN's Comments

Former Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel has publicly responded to claims that he attempted to force the disbandment of the Bay Area thrash metal pioneers following his departure from the band, firmly denying that he ever made such a demand.

Demmel, a founding member of Vio-Lence, played his final concert with the band in February 2024 at the Carioca Club in São Paulo, Brazil, closing out a reunion era that had brought renewed attention to the influential thrash outfit. Nearly two years later, tensions surrounding his exit resurfaced after recent comments from vocalist Sean Killian.

On Sunday, Demmel addressed the situation directly in a social media post (via Blabbermouth), pushing back on the narrative that he attempted to shut the band down. "I asked Sean to end the band with me, then perform the material as a solo act," Demmel wrote. "When he told me he didn't want to, I didn't ask again. It was a request, not a demand."

According to Demmel, his suggestion stemmed from discomfort with the band's frequent lineup changes, which he felt no longer aligned with what he wanted to be involved in creatively or personally.

Demmel also rejected claims that he exerted control over Vio-Lence during his final years in the group. He explained that Killian handled most of the band's logistics, including booking and scheduling. "For my last few years of my time in Vio, Sean was doing the scheduling/booking," Demmel said. "I wasn't making any band decisions."

Instead, Demmel said his role had become increasingly limited, allowing him to selectively participate in shows until he ultimately decided to step away. "He'd ask me if I was available to play, and I was able to cherry-pick the gigs I wanted or could do until it was time for me to stop," he added.

Demmel emphasized that decisions were made collaboratively and that he was not issuing unilateral directives. "I was in no way 'controlling' the band or making unilateral band decisions," he said, noting that the only exception he could recall was bringing in Christian Olde Wolbers to fill in on bass.

Demmel's statement follows a recent interview in which Sean Killian, speaking with Robb Chavez of Robbs MetalWorks, claimed that Demmel wanted Vio-Lence shelved entirely after his exit. "[Phil] wanted me to shelve the band," Killian said, recalling a conversation that allegedly took place after a sold-out Whisky A Go Go show in Los Angeles in February 2023. "And I was like, 'No, I'm not shelving anything.'"

Killian argued that Vio-Lence still had unfinished business, particularly given that the band rarely toured during its original run in the late 1980s and early 1990s. "There's so many places around the world that haven't seen Vio-Lence," Killian said.

The vocalist also revisited tensions dating back to the band's failed 2001 reunion, suggesting that Demmel's opportunities with Machine Head ultimately derailed momentum. Killian claimed relations deteriorated further around Mystic Festival 2024 in Poland, after Demmel gave interviews critical of Vio-Lence.

Demmel has previously stated that his departure was rooted in the band no longer feeling like "home," citing lineup instability and a changing dynamic. Since leaving Vio-Lence, he has remained highly active, performing with Kerry King's solo band, Category 7, and working as a sought-after touring guitarist.

Despite the public back-and-forth, Demmel closed his recent statement on a conciliatory note. "Vio-Lence is forging ahead as am I," he wrote. "Can everyone else?"