Emerging in 1985, Oakland metallers Vio-Lence helped refine the Bay Area thrash sound, leading the second wave alongside contemporaries Testament, L??z Rockit, Heathen, Death Angel, and Forbidden. The band issued three studio albums, including 1988's seminal Eternal Nightmare, before ceasing operations in 1993. They officially re-formed in 2019, and after playing a string of successful shows, released the 2022 EP Let the World Burn.

Founded in the East Bay town of Dublin, Vio-Lence was formed by guitarist Phil Demmel and drummer Perry Strickland while in high school. Joined by vocalist Sean Killian, bassist Dean Dell, and guitarist Robb Flynn a couple of years later, the band began to take shape. Heavily influenced by thrash pioneers Exodus, Vio-Lence often chose raw aggression over the more technical style of peers like Death Angel and Forbidden, resulting in a savage and uncompromising sonic attack. After inking a deal with MCA Records' sister label Mechanic, the group issued their 1988 debut, Eternal Nightmare. The LP was well-received by the metal underground and even managed to crack the Billboard 200, resulting in Vio-Lence making the lateral move to legendary thrash label and Atlantic imprint Megaforce ahead of album number two. Oppressing the Masses arrived in 1990 after multiple delays, due in large part to Atlantic's objection over the lyrics to the song "Torture Tactics," which was eventually removed. The label dropped the band the following year, leading to the release of the four-song EP Torture Tactics, which included the controversial cut along with a pair of demos and a live track. Guitarist Robb Flynn left the fold in 1992 and formed Machine Head, but he appeared on the group's third LP, 1993's Nothing to Gain, which was tracked in 1990. The group disbanded shortly after the album's release, with Phil Demmel, Dean Dell, Ray Vegas, and Mark Hernandez splintering into the groove/thrash metal unit Torgue and Flynn finding success fronting Machine Head.

Vio-Lence re-formed for a handful of live performances in the 2000s, with early guitarist Ray Vegas replacing Robb Flynn (Demmel joined Machine Head in 2003), but never made it into the studio. They reunited again in 2017 for a benefit show for Sean Killian, who was suffering from liver disease at the time. After his recovery and Demmel's departure from Machine Head, the band made it official and began working on new music. The resulting 2022 EP, Let the World Burn, featured a lineup consisting of co-founders Killian, Demmel, and Strickland, with Bobby Gustafson on guitar and Christian Olde Wolbers on bass. ~ James Christopher Monger, Rovi