Long before his pandemic-era side project Militarie Gun became a big band, Ian Shelton started the West Coast powerviolence outfit Regional Justice Center for a very specific reason. Ian’s younger brother Max was sent to prison for assault, and the RJC project, named after the facility where Max was incarcerated, was about the causes and effects of that kind of incarceration. Sometimes, Max added lyrics of his own. Now, Max is out of prison, and he’s the new singer of Regional Justice Center.

In a few weeks, Regional Justice Center will release their third and possibly final album Freedom, Sweet Freedom. The band’s lineup features Max Shelton on vocals and Ian on drums. Twitching Tongues/God’s Hate member Taylor Young, now probably the most important producer in heavy music, recorded the LP, and he also joins the band on guitar. We’ve already posted the early tracks “Freedom” and “Take A Step Away,” and now RJC also drop a new track called “Moral Death Sentence.”

Like a lot of Regional Justice Center tracks, “Moral Death Sentence” is short, complex, and ferocious. It’s got Max in full rage mode, describing a situation that most of us hope to never face: “Jury of your peers! Smiling and laughing! Vacant brains! Hateful and gazing!” And then: “What’s the statute of limitations on a mistake?” Listen below.

Freedom, Sweet Freedom is out 9/20 on Closed Casket Activities.