Carla Harvey, the multifaceted artist known as a founding vocalist of Butcher Babies, comic book author, novelist, and holder of degrees in mortuary science, has released her debut single “Sick Ones” with her brand new musical venture, The Violent Hour, accompanied by an official music video, released via Megaforce Records.
The track marks a significant collaboration, co-written by Harvey and her fiancé, Charlie Benante, the celebrated drummer for Anthrax and Pantera. Adding extra firepower, Mötley Crüe guitarist John 5 contributes a guest solo.
Harvey describes “Sick Ones” as a potent anthem centered on reclaiming personal power by removing negative influences.
“‘Sick Ones’ is a rock ‘n’ roll anthem about cutting the toxic people out of your life,” Harvey stated. “It’s a call of freedom, a fist-to-the-face to anyone who has tried to hold you down, hold you back or dim your light. It was written at a vulnerable time in my life when I was forced to end relationships I thought would last forever.”
She revealed the song’s title originated from a personal mantra found in an old journal:
“When choosing a theme for this song, I thought about a phrase I had scrawled across a journal from 1999: ‘Cut The Sick Ones Loose.’ Those words became my mantra over the last couple years and felt perfect to chant over Charlie‘s guitar riffs. ‘Sick Ones’ also features an absolutely shredding guitar solo by John 5 that brings this thrasher to a whole different level.”
Charlie Benante shared his perspective on the track and the overall project:
“‘Sick Ones’ has a modernized NWOBHM (New wave of British heavy metal) vibe to it,” said Benante. “The riff is very catchy and stays with you like a good riff should. ‘Sick Ones’ is just the tip of the iceberg for this project. Many of the songs we crafted for The Violent Hour are unlike anything Carla has ever done as a vocalist, reflecting different moods and a new beginning. The music flowed out of me because I had this motivation, this drive…it was unstoppable.”
The accompanying music video, directed by Vicente Cordero of Industrialism Films based on a script by Harvey, sees her portraying five distinct personalities. Harvey explained that the video deliberately flips the song’s narrative.
“While ‘Sick Ones’ is about cutting toxic people out of your life… I wanted to flip that narrative for the video,” she elaborated. “I’ve always been interested in the idea that sometimes the most dangerous person to confront is yourself. The video explores what it means to face those darker versions of who we’ve been and whether we can truly leave them behind… or, as the ending suggests, learn to coexist peacefully.”
This new project marks a fresh chapter for Harvey following her departure from Butcher Babies, the band she co-founded in 2010, which was announced amicably in July 2024. Never one to be confined to a single path, Harvey balances her music career with work as an author, artist, and her expertise in mortuary science and thanatology, currently serving as a grief specialist for Parting Stone.
The release of “Sick Ones” signals an exciting new musical direction for Carla Harvey with The Violent Hour, showcasing her continued evolution as an artist.
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