If you’re after nonstop action — thick, muscular riffs crashing into bark-raw vocals over drums that never let up — Bound2Violence just put out the kind of debut that earns its noise. The So Cal Inland Empire hardcore outfit released their self-titled EP on February 6th, and it lands like four tracks of pent-up frustration finally given somewhere to go.
The band’s vocalist Bentley doesn’t overthink the pitch: they’re a hardcore band from the IE, and this is what that sounds like right now. But peel back a layer and there’s more going on — politically charged lyrics about state violence, police brutality, mass deportations, personal betrayal, and the kind of anger that needs a stage to make sense. “I tend to write on historic things such as the SS, police brutality, mass deportations and injustices of government as well as people who have fucked us over,” Bentley says.
“Our lyrics are political and also about getting back at the ones who hurt me and my team. That’s probably generic hardcore stuff but it helps get the anger out of my system writing it and screaming it in the person’s face when they show up to our shows.”
The EP was written in two halves — Bentley penned two of the four originals, lead guitarist Birdo wrote the other two. The lineup shifted during the process. A different bass player and drummer were involved early on, but life got in the way. Kevin from Anominate and Ishiki live-tracked drums, Birdo handled most of the string work, and Bentley played bass on “Out Of Frame,” “Resistance,” and “Bound To Violence.” Gang vocals on “Bound To Violence” came from guitarist Mike, plus their friend Ian Holder. It was a patchwork recording built out of whoever was in the room and willing.
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Now, with Doug locked in on drums and River on bass, the writing process has shifted entirely. Three new full-length songs are already done, more are in progress, and the band plans to release new stuff before the year’s out. “It’s a team-based writing process now where we all have input and it brought fresh air into our lungs as a band,” Bentley says. Where the EP captured a specific moment — two guys writing separately, pulling in friends to fill gaps — what comes next is the full unit firing together.
One thing Bentley’s particular about: timing. He wasn’t going to put this out until the band could destroy it live without thinking. “If we can’t nail it live, don’t release it. And if we can improve on it by playing it a million times, then wait to release it.” He points to “Out Of Frame” as proof — the song sounds noticeably better at shows now than on the recording, and apparently it was a completely different beast back in February 2025. That kind of patience is rare for a debut, but it tracks with how the IE scene operates: show-first, always.
And the scene itself? Bentley paints it as thriving and chaotic in equal measure. Established acts like Big Ass Truck (about to head out on a European tour), Smoked909, Barrio Slam, Load Tha Nine, Darasuum, Baori, Exutoire, Knuckle Sandwich, and Harsh Reality hold it down regularly.
Newer bands — Killspree, Amor De Dios, Stealthx, Mad World, Pulling Teeth, Refusalx — are finding footing fast. “It seems like once a week a new upcoming band starts to break out and it’s amazing,” he says. Beyond the IE, Bound2 Violence have been linking up with IDIOTEQ-featured Hatespeech, Centerpoint, Kindergarten Fight Club (“seriously their name but they’re so sick”), Senior Year, Xznzo, Foreshadow, Grounds For Assault, Bayonette, Hyper Vigilant, Execute, Sleep Apnea, and Gamble on out-of-town runs.
There’s a misconception that follows them around, though. People hear the name and assume beatdown. Bentley’s not mad about it — “those bands are so fun to play shows with” — but he wants to set the record straight. Him and Birdo play hockey together, and a mutual friend once described their sound as “hockey fight hardcore.” “That’s honest to god the coolest thing we have ever been labeled,” he laughs.
That hockey-and-wrestling energy isn’t just aesthetic. The whole band shares a love for fights, pro wrestling, and heavy music, and it feeds directly into how they write together. The collaboration is tight, and the camaraderie is real. Bentley gets visibly emotional talking about seeing strangers wearing their merch at unrelated shows. “I legit want to tear up. Like what do you mean you spent your hard earned money on my silly band’s merch? It’s such a wonderful thing to see and it really makes everything worth it.”
At shows, the tension is the point. Kids moshing hard, singalongs to songs that haven’t even been officially released yet — that’s the payoff. Bentley sees the release of energy as the whole reason the band exists: build pressure, then let it blow at the show.
As for the Inland Empire itself, he thinks outsiders consistently miss what makes it tick. Viral clips from Baseline, Raincross District, and the Slab (RIP) make it look like pure chaos, and people talk tough from behind screens. But the reality is simpler and more communal than the footage suggests. “We’re beating up our friends,” Bentley says plainly. “Our scene out here is bonkers and very fanatical. If you don’t belong, don’t be long.”
