Former BUTCHER BABIES vocalist Carla Harvey has opened up about her departure from the band, shedding more light on how the split unfolded after more than 15 years together. Speaking in a new interview with Matt Wake of AL.com, Harvey reflected on the difficult period that followed her absence from touring in late 2023 and how events ultimately led to her exit.
According to Harvey, the turning point came after she was sidelined by a serious eye injury that prevented her from joining a fall 2023 tour. The band went on the road without her, and the situation quickly shifted from temporary to permanent. “I couldn’t do a tour [in the fall of 2023] because I had a serious eye injury and they went and did a tour without me,” she said. “Then it was, like, ‘Well, we’ll just do the band by ourselves.’ When you have put your heart and soul into something for so long and you do get kind of squeezed out of it, there’s a moment when you’re, like, ‘I can either lay down and not do anything else, or I’m not gonna let someone else tell me when I’m f**king done doing what I do.’”
Rather than stepping away from music, Harvey chose to channel that moment into something new. She credited her husband, ANTHRAX and PANTERA drummer Charlie Benante, with helping her regain momentum and confidence, ultimately leading to the formation of a new project, THE VIOLENT HOUR. “He was, like, ‘No, get out of bed. F**k that. We’re gonna write an album,’” she explained. “Charlie‘s excitement about it was really instrumental in my excitement. He would be playing guitar riffs in the morning with our morning coffee.”
BUTCHER BABIES officially announced their split with Harvey in July 2024, releasing a statement praising her contributions and acknowledging the end of an era. “Carla has been an integral part of our journey, bringing her unique talent, passion, and energy to the band. We are grateful for the incredible memories we’ve made together and the impact she has had on our music and our fans. We will miss her greatly and we wish her all the best in her future endeavors.
“We deeply appreciate your support over the past 15 years,” BUTCHER BABIES added. “We feel incredibly fortunate to keep making and playing music as our career, and we are excited for this new era of BUTCHER BABIES!”
Harvey shared her own message around the same time, confirming she would not be returning to the band and expressing pride in what she helped build. “Over the last 6 months You may have noticed my absence from BUTCHER BABIES posts. After 15 years of dedication, I wanted to let you know that I will not be rejoining the band for any future endeavors.
THE VIOLENT HOUR released its self-titled debut EP in July through Megaforce Records. Carla penned all of the lyrics and delivered the vocals on The Violent Hour, while Benante composed the music and performed every instrument on the EP. The song “Sick Ones” includes a guest guitar solo by MÖTLEY CRÜE’s John 5, and PANTERA guitarist and BLACK LABEL SOCIETY frontman Zakk Wylde appears as a special guest on “Hell Or Hollywood.”
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