I always find reviewing hardcore bands difficult because it's a genre of music that, apart from the classics, I don't really follow. The bands that crossover into the more pop-punk territory, such as Set Your Goals, I love, but there are bands that while I appreciate just how good they are, they're not bands I would usually sit down and listen to. Death Before Dishonor come from the Bridge 9 stable of hardcore bands and are pretty damn good. There's an energy on 'Count Me In' which needs to be admired and it's a record full of riffs; big fucking guitar riffs.
The backing vocals on tracks like 'Nowhere To Turn' are fantastic; I love gang vocals in hardcore and DBD do it well. The breakdowns sound huge in places - the production is spot on - which adds to the overall quality of tracks like 'Break Through It All'. I guess if you wanted a cheap comparison then there is certainly a passing resemblence to the likes of Hatebreed and Sick Of It All, but there's enough in DBD's own locker to make me listen to this and enjoy it - even if it's not something I'll go back to in the long-run.
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