The term "powerviolence" has been co-opted, overused, dried up and bleached clean to the point that it doesn't mean quite what it used to. The original crop of these bands, from Neanderthal to Man Is the Bastard to Crossed Out and on and on, are some of the most vicious, anti-social recordings put to tape — going from extreme speeds of blasting to slow dirge-y riffs.

It's the musical equivalent of someone sitting on your chest and beating your face repeatedly to a bloody pulp, resting to admire their handiwork momentarily and then returning to the job. See any of the aforementioned, as well as bands like Despise You, Iron Lung and others for more examples of this special style of brutality.

Regional Justice Center photograph by Reid Haithcock

The heyday of powerviolence took place in the 90s, and as discussed current bands that practice its style (or some variant thereof) are for the most part just aping the forefathers. Yet a pair of recent acts have been able to put an interesting spin on the genre that heretofore hasn't existed. Enter MA's Wound Man and LA's Regional Justice Center, both of which originally started as one-man projects, with each blossoming into full bands. Both RJC and WM are actively touring, and RJC released their LP in June '18 and WM released their 7-inches just two months before that. The bands have gotten together to release an effort together – a split 7-inch that appears on Atomic Action! and is up for preorder now. Stream a new track from each band for the first time below.

Order yours via Atomic Action! and while you're there, pick up a little something by Alone in a Crowd, or send some money Howie's way.

RJC tour dates:

04/03 - Brooklyn, NY @ Gold Sounds w/ Candy, Ekulu, Abuse Of Power

04/04 - Philadelphia, PA @ Super Wimpy HQ

04/05 - Richmond, VA @ United Blood

04/06 - Easthampton, MA @ Flywheel w/ Torso, Corrode

04/07 - Providence, RI @ News Cafe w/ Brother, Pummel

04/08 - New Haven, CT @ Crunch House w/ Torso, Low Vision

04/09 - Montreal, QC @ Brasserie Boubien w/ Vile Intent, Gazm

04/10 - Toronto, OT @ Baby G w/ Show Me The Body, Gazm

04/11 - New Brunswick, NJ @ E-Bloc w/ Struck Nerve, Shackled

04/12 - Washington, DC @ Damaged City

Wound Man tour dates:

04/02 - Boston, MA @ Middle East w/ Candy

04/26 - Providence, RI @ AS220 w/ Spine

05/10 - Brooklyn, NY @ What We Like Fest

05/28 - Providence, RI @ AS220 w/ Dropdead

05/29 - Wallingford, CT @ WAMLEG w/ Endorphins Lost, Hummingbird of Death

06/01 - Montreal, QC @ Earslaughter Fest