Head Wound City features Justin Pearson and Gabe Serbian of the Locust, backed by members that have included Nick Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Jordan Blilie and Cody Votolato (Blood Brothers, Into Violence). Their sound is a blend of hardcore punk, mathcore, noise rock, grindcore, thrash metal, art rock, and psychedelic rock. They recorded an EP in 2005 but was otherwise rarely seen or heard from.

In 2015, Pearson's Three One G label began hyping a Head Would City tour, in conjunction with the label's re-release of the 2005 EP. Around the same time, a new album was recorded with Blood Brothers producer Ross Robinson (At the Drive-in, etc.).

A New Wave of Violence was released in 2016.