CHICAGO, IL: Thursday, June 19, 2025 — Pre-orders for The Violent Hour, the upcoming debut EP from Carla Harvey and Charlie Benante, will be available tonight beginning at 9:00PM ET at https://orcd.co/theviolenthour. The project was spearheaded by lyricist/vocalist Harvey, who wrote all songs’ lyrics, and musician/songwriter Benante, who produced the EP, composed the music, and played all instruments. The EP also features John 5 (Marilyn Manson, Motley Crue) playing lead on the track “Sick Ones,” guitarist Zakk Wylde on “Hell or Hollywood,” and, with the exception of Crobot vocalist Brandon Yeagley singing on the track “Portland, Oregon,” Carla Harvey delivered all vocals.
“Writing this EP was a liberating experience,” said Carla. “When I started, I felt lost…but by the time I sang the last note, I had found myself again. From the beginning, I wanted the music to come out organically: no agenda, just whatever needed to be released. I’ve been immersed in a world of guttural screaming for so long, but when I sat down to write my own material, what came out felt lighter—like I was reconnecting with parts of myself I hadn’t explored in years. It reminded me of why I fell in love with music in the first place. Writing became fun again. This EP reflects all sides of me: it’s made by the 16-year-old who loved everything from Lynyrd Skynyrd to thrash metal, the grit and riot girls of the ’90s, and the danger of Guns N’ Roses. It’s raw and it’s real. Working with Charlie on these songs was a dream. He is so talented and he really inspired me to be better; I couldn’t have made this album without him.
Said Benante, who also conceived the EP’s cover art, “Carla was my Muse in all of this, I was inspired and motivated by her to write the songs that fit her voice. Once we got started, it was that lightening-in-a-bottle-feeling. I think that this EP, when people hear it – I don’t care if you’re 13, 33, or 63 – I think you’re going to feel the power of it. And I think that once the songs and the choruses hit you, it’s going to be unstoppable, it’s going to be infectious, and this just might become your favorite new band.”
Carla Harvey and Charlie Benante, in the studio.
The Violent Hour was born from a moment of truth. After 15 years commanding some of heavy metal’s biggest stages, former Butcher Babies vocalist Carla Harvey found herself at a crossroads: walk away from it all, or dig deep and create the album she’d always dreamed of. She chose the latter. Teaming up with partner and legendary drummer and multi-instrumentalist Charlie Benante (Anthrax, Pantera), the two hunkered down to write – and what followed was electric. The songs poured out fast, raw, and real. With that spark, the Violent Hour came to life. Blending the grid of old-school rock’n’roll, the soul of indie and alternative, and just the right dose of heavy metal, The Violent Hour isn’t chasing trends – they’re carving out their own lane. Songwriting comes first, emotion is everything, and every track is a piece of Carla’s story, unapologetically honest and sonically bold.
Long before Carla made her way from Detroit to Los Angeles, she dreamt of going to The Rainbow Bar & Grill, and, consequently, the video shoot for the track “Hell or Hollywood” was a real “full-circle moment” for her.
The shoot for the music video for the track “Hell or Hollywood” was a real “full-circle moment” for Harvey, who grew up reading about the Rainbow in rock magazines. Said Harvey, “A girl from the midwest walks into the Rainbow and has the night of her life…” but is it too good to be true? Is this “Hell” or “Hollywood?”
The Violent Hour EP is now available for pre-order HERE on vinyl, CD, cassette, and as a digital download.
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