Death Before Dishonor - Better Ways To Die
Rating
RIYL
MadballAgnostic Front
Terror
Blood For Blood
Release Date
07/28/2009
Label
Bridge NineTracklist
1. Peace And Quiet2. Remember
3. Coffin Nail
4. Fuck This Year
5. Boys In Blue
6. Better Ways To Die
7. So Far From Home
8. Black Cloud
9. No More Lies
10. Bloodlust
11. Our Glory Days
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The hardcore scene nowadays has become overly saturated with tough guys and wannabes. Everyone and their mom thinks they can just get up there and play some shit-filled breakdown, bark over the top of it and all is cool as long as they have their mesh shorts and flat-brim on. Boston’s Death Before Dishonor have been heavy-hitters in this redundant scene for quite some time now and are back with a new album that will push all those wannabe tough guys to the side and show them who the big men on campus really are.
Better Ways To Die is a step forward for the guys. They are progressing not only their sound but also the genre’s sound. How is that so? By taking a step back… to their roots; by taking the hardcore sound of today back to the days of when bands held true to their punk roots while still keeping everything balls-out-heavy. Opening the album with a thrash solo on the track “Peace and Quiet” is a sure way to grab your attention and ponder to yourself whose album it was that you were listening to in the first place. It’s somewhat reminiscent of early Agnostic Front. However, it’s vocalist Bryan Harris that snaps your neck back into DBD reality and gets in your face to let you know who is gracing your ears. Harris’ vocals are on point throughout the entire album. Not once does he slip up. He chews up and spits out every ounce of energy on this less than thirty minute long full-length.
Don’t think it is Harris alone carrying the weight of this band. The rest of the band keeps this album fast, heavy and aggressive making it one of the tightest hardcore albums to date - no excessive bullshit, just straight in your face hardcore. The title track “Better Ways to Die” is a perfect example of these guys taking it back to the roots of the scene while keeping it all heavy. The first minute and a half of the track is relentlessly fast, then leads right into the classic tom-stomp drum break. The very next track, “So Far From Home” seems to be an “ode to hardcore,” professing the love for the music despite the lack of money and constant life on the road. Every track on this album is a gem, however, the one that will grab your attention the most is the closer “Our Glory Days”. “Our Glory Days” features a guest appearance from Mark “Unseen” Civitarese, vocalist for street-punk legends The Unseen. Having Mark’s high and raspy voice duel over Bryan’s low and dirty vocals seems to be a perfect fit for the track. To close out the track, DBD pull out a breakdown sure to get your head and the crowd moving, all while sticking with the old school type of sound.
Say what you want about the scene and the people in it, but Death Before Dishonor is here to let you know that it’s no laughing matter. With constant touring and albums that continue to get better with each release, DBD will be in the hardcore history books right next to their idols that got them playing hardcore to begin with. As far as “heavy” music in 2009 goes, it seems as though a ton of crap has been released. The only hope for what seems to be a mocked and dying scene is a band that has nothing but integrity and heart, and Death Before Dishonor has an abundance of both. I suggest you get off your ass and buy a copy of this CD. Better yet, get to one of their shows and buy a copy there because they put on one hell of a live performance.
--Bill Lohr
Comments
Wollongong, New South Wales
Bridge 9 are on top of their shit. i think the only release from them in the past couple years that wasnt at least worthwhile, if not amazing, was Energy's.
Hillsborough, NC
Didn't really enjoy this. :\
Lehigh Valley, PA
Really Cody? I thought it was way better than their other stuff.
Hillsborough, NC
Ah, well, this was my first listen to the band. I just wasn't really into the lyrics that much, and some of the guitar seemed out of place. That's only after a half-assed listen or two, though. I'm going to see them with Reign Supreme next month though, and I'm looking forward to it.