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Former Vio-Lence<\/a><\/strong> guitarist Phil Demmel<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n Demmel<\/strong>, a founding member of Vio-Lence<\/strong>, played his final concert with the band in February 2024 at the Carioca Club in S\u00e3o 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<\/strong>.<\/p>\n On Sunday, Demmel<\/strong> addressed the situation directly in a social media post (via Blabbermouth<\/a><\/em>), pushing back on the narrative that he attempted to shut the band down. “I asked Sean<\/strong> to end the band with me, then perform the material as a solo act,” Demmel<\/strong> wrote. “When he told me he didn’t want to, I didn’t ask again. It was a request, not a demand.”<\/p>\n According to Demmel<\/strong>, 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.<\/p>\n Demmel<\/strong> also rejected claims that he exerted control over Vio-Lence<\/strong> during his final years in the group. He explained that Killian<\/strong> handled most of the band’s logistics, including booking and scheduling. “For my last few years of my time in Vio<\/strong>, Sean<\/strong> was doing the scheduling\/booking,” Demmel<\/strong> said. “I wasn’t making any band decisions.”<\/p>\n Instead, Demmel<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n Demmel<\/strong> 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<\/strong> to fill in on bass.<\/p>\n