Death Before Dishonor – Better Ways To Die

Boston’s favourite street-punk meets hardcore outfit Death Before Dishonor is back with their second full length Bridge Nine Records release, Better Ways To Die.  The album spans a short twenty-four minutes, but comes packed with eleven quick and unhinged tunes reminiscent of a raw 80’s hardcore style.  While they have all been overseen by reputable street punk producer Jim Seigel (Dropkick Murphys, The Unseen), Death Before Dishonor retain their signature blend of metal, hardcore, and working-class punk, making Another Way To Die a reasonable – albeit slightly predictable – addition to the band’s developing library.

Lead vocalist Bryan fits right in with the Boston hardcore scene, sounding a little like what one might expect a less worn Dicky Barret would sound like amidst a hardcore backdrop.  In other words, Bryan belts a coarse lyric, but also maintains phonetics and a faint degree of melody.  It’s an appealing combination that should find an audience within both street-punk circles and hardcore scenes.

The album opens with “Peace and Quiet,” a short but revealing piece that crams everything Death Before Dishonor is about into just over a minute.  The track starts with a miniscule metal solo, demonstrating the band’s precision and finesse, and inviting easy comparisons with Slayer.  Other tracks, like “Remember,” also feature these moments, and generally they serve as a welcome reminder that hardcore doesn’t have to be the audio equivalent to a substance-less action movie.  Returning to “Peace and Quiet,” after the solo the band features an unforgiving machinegun-like pace, and relentless drums that would make most punk outfits blush.  For that matter, the band is at it’s best on tracks like “Fuck This Year” and “Better Ways To Die” where it lets go of any restraint and anything goes.  The opening track concludes on sludgy note, revving down the tempo and settling into a mid-tempo breakdown.  Generally though, Death Before Dishonor is hit or miss with its breakdowns, with those found in tracks like “Boys in Blue” feeling arduous and unnecessary – due to a rather generic execution – and those in tracks like “So Far From Home” serving as a welcome change of pace thanks to some energizing gang vocals.

Overall, Better Ways To Die cements Death Before Dishonor as a solid hardcore punk group with a diverse appeal.  Metal enthusiasts should find comfort in the sporadically surfacing solos sprinkled around the album, while street-punkers should embrace the album’s frequent bursts of speed, and hardcore fans will find enjoyment in gruff execution.  There’s something here for everyone, making Better Ways To Diean easy recommendation.