Regional Justice Center — the powerviolence outfit founded by Militarie Gun vocalist Ian Shelton — have announced their first album since 2021. With a new expanded lineup, the band will share Freedom, Sweet Freedom on September 20 via Closed Casket Activities.
Following 2021's Crime and Punishment, the 12-song Freedom, Sweet Freedom now finds Ian Shelton lining up alongside his younger sibling, Max Shelton, and Taylor Young (Twitching Tongues, God's Hate). Young produced both the aforementioned Crime and Punishment and Militarie Gun's 2023 debut, Life Under the Gun.
Ian Shelton started Regional Justice Center following Max's incarceration in 2016. After his voice recordings from jail were heard on past releases, he now writes and performs on Freedom, Sweet Freedom. You can hear Max sing "Take a Step Away" below, which arrives alongside the Ian-led opener "Freedom."
"Eight years ago to the day, I woke up in county jail," explained Max Shelton. "I was confused, I had zero recollection of what events took place to land me there, and I didn't know how long I'd be gone or when I'd be able to see and hug my family again. To be able to reclaim these dates and put something positive and hopeful in place of the trauma and anxiety that had always been wrapped around it all — that is the most beautiful full-circle moment to me. Even a lotus can grow in mud. Freedom, sweet freedom."
Ian Shelton added: "When Max went away, I started RJC as a way of unpacking everything that was happening, so he's been a defining part of the band from the start — but the plan was always for him to be even more involved when he got out. I never knew exactly what that would mean until we started making this album and it became clear: he's the singer of the band. RJC has always been about Max's story and I'm happy for him to finally be able to tell it with his own voice."
Pre-order Freedom, Sweet Freedom.
Freedom, Sweet Freedom:
1. Freedom
2. Diplomatic Solution
3. Moral Death Sentence
4. Weight
5. Rewired
6. Comfort of Addiction
7. Take a Step Away
8. Pariah
9. Prying Eyes
10. Curse
11. Unnerving
12. Sweet Freedom