Vio-lence "Eternal Nightmare (Germany, MCA Records, 255 694-2)"

Vio-lence is an American thrash metal band formed in 1985 in the San Francisco Bay Area. Throughout its career, they have released demo tapes, three EPs and three studio albums. Vio-lence is best-known for their association with the 1980s Bay Area thrash metal scene, and often credited as one of the leading lights of the second wave of the genre. 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.

Vio-lence's most stable lineup was Phil Demmel and Robb Flynn on guitars, Deen Dell on bass, Perry Strickland on drums and Sean Killian on vocals; this lineup recorded all three of their studio albums–Eternal Nightmare (1988), Oppressing the Masses (1990) and Nothing to Gain (1993). After breaking up in 1994 and reforming for occasional live performances from 2001 to 2003, the band reunited once again in January 2019, and released the EP Let the World Burn, their first collection of new material in nearly three decades, in March 2022. 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.

Eternal Nightmare is the debut album by the San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal band Vio-lence. It was released on June 27, 1988 through MCA Records' Mechanic sublabel. A limited 10" promo single was released, with two tracks "Eternal Nightmare" and "Phobophobia"; the release was quite unique, as it came in a "vomit pack", a sealed plastic cover containing fake vomit. Shortly after, thrash metal innovators Slayer released a single in a similar format but with fake blood, and rock band The Revolting Cocks released a single with fake semen.

The 2005 re-release of the album includes a bonus CD of the Thrash of the Titans concert (benefit for Testament singer Chuck Billy), recorded August 11, 2001. As of 2023, other than the EPs Torture Tactics and Let the World Burn, this is the only Vio-lence studio album to have been made available on digital streaming services.

Track listing

All songs written by Sean Killian, Phil Demmel and Robb Flynn.

1. "Eternal Nightmare" 6:10
2. "Serial Killer" 2:58
3. "Phobophobia" 6:31
4. "Calling in the Coroner" 3:55
5. "T.D.S. (Take It as You Will)" 5:04
6. "Bodies on Bodies" 5:47
7. "Kill on Command" 4:56

Time:  35:23

Trivia:

- The album peaked at #154 on the US Billboard 200.

Recording information:

- Recorded at Music Grinder, Los Angeles, CA

- Mixed at Alpha & Omega, San Francisco, CA.