AlbumsNovember 29, 201117,086 views

Death Before Dishonor Count Me In


Count Me In
01. Intro 02. Count Me In 03. Nowhere 04. Break Through It All 05. Curl Up And Die 06. Behind Your Eyes 07. Fuck It All 08. See It Through 09. Nothing But Agony 10. Infected 11. Take Me Away 12. Still Standing 13. Boston Belongs To Me (Cock Sparrer)
2007 Bridge Nine Records
Our score 7

by Cory
5/22/2007

It's been about two years since Death Before Dishonor released their breakout Bridge 9 EP, Friends Family Forever, and while not a whole lot seems to have changed about these guys, Count Me In is a more enjoyable listen than its predecessor. The band's not-so-unique brand of tough-guy hardcore has wisely been upgraded to include quite a bit more songwriting variety and a thoroughly beefed-up sound. Since 2005, the band has gone from doing something stupid fairly well to doing something slightly less stupid exceptionally well and that surprisingly makes quite a difference. Count Me In is a successful genre piece and outdoes anything current tough-guy champs Madball have ever released. Death Before Dishonor's two great strengths on this album are two things that hardcore acts rarely utilize, especially at the same time. The first is variety; perhaps not in a stylistic sense from one song to the next, but within each song there are different elements and there's no one thing they beat into the ground the way a band like Hatebreed does with ripped-off Slayer riffs. There are a couple of real surprises hidden in what could be a fairly standard record, including some great tempo shifts, a few passages of inspired drumming and a couple of unforgettable guitar parts. The best of all three are found on album highlight "Break Through It All." The other strength of this record is the recording, courtesy of Jim Siegel at the Outpost. Arguably one of the most consistently impressive engineers working in hardcore, Siegel's work here helps these songs shine. I've always been partial to a great bass sound and Count Me In has one of the best I've heard recently. Unfortunately for the band, the disc's packaging wasn't so carefully thought out, making the spine damn near impossible to read from more than a few inches away. That gripe aside, this record consists of eleven original tracks of solid hardcore and a notable but slightly corny take on Cock Sparrer's "England Belongs To Me" (with the titular location being obviously changed to the band's hometown of Boston) that should satisfy anyone familiar with that city's rich hardcore tradition. Bottom Line: Death Before Dishonor's previous output hasn't really done a whole lot for me, but this album is definitely worth any hardcore fan's time. It's a well-written slab of beatdown hardcore with a bit more to it than most of its competition. Every summer, one or two hardcore discs stay in my permanent rotation and Count Me In has definitely earned its spot.

33 comments

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theman_ 5/22/2007 4:39:26 PM

first post

anonymous 5/22/2007 5:25:36 PM

I'm not tough enough to listen to this.

anonymous 5/22/2007 5:42:09 PM

lol @ cory thinking this is decent and totally shitting on bands that are creative and good.

chris_ 5/22/2007 6:58:09 PM

"the band has gone from doing something stupid fairly well to doing something slightly less stupid exceptionally well and that surprisingly makes quite a difference." That is quite possibly the dumbest shit I have ever heard. Again..you still work here Cory? Do you have to take lessons from someone on reviewing f*cking albums? Jesus Christ.

nitro_ 5/22/2007 6:58:58 PM

Madball aren't the "Tough Guy" champs anymore, they lost the belt at the last UFC.

deez_nutz_ 5/22/2007 7:13:54 PM

wow cory, thanks for a fairly decent review, but still being able to highlight your own gayry

swampthang_ 5/22/2007 7:34:22 PM

Good review Good band

anonymous 5/22/2007 9:07:08 PM

madball >>>>>>

IronBalls_ 5/22/2007 9:46:58 PM

"Count Me In is a successful genre piece and outdoes anything current tough-guy champs Madball have ever released." Cory once again proves that he's a complete f*cking idiot.

todayistheday_ 5/22/2007 9:54:54 PM

BOSTON BEATDOWN

zero_x_potential_ 5/22/2007 10:21:19 PM

Solid disc.

anonymous 5/22/2007 10:49:20 PM

madball sucks... although these guys are comeing here with madball...

Dolly parton_ 5/22/2007 11:44:04 PM

These hear hawrdcore bands arr az played as my tittays

Seppuku_ 5/23/2007 12:05:14 AM

I hate you sooooo much Cory. I hope everything you love dies and after that you get AIDS.

Freddy Cricien_ 5/23/2007 12:28:33 AM

yo bro u think this pansy fsu shit is better than all the blood, sweat, tears weve poured into madball for 17 years? you best done check yourself, son. clean out ya motherf*ckin ears.

pukefuckfucker`_ 5/23/2007 2:08:50 AM

why you frontin on madbawl? madbawl?madbawl?madbawl?madbawl?madbawl?madbawl?madbawl?madbawl?madbawl?madbawl?

Rick Ta Life_ 5/23/2007 9:21:23 AM

Shit is hard like Madbawl, yo.

joehardcore_ 5/23/2007 10:12:49 AM

"the band has gone from doing something stupid fairly well to doing something slightly less stupid exceptionally well " You should thank god that Lambgoat hates hardcore and thus has cursed it by letting you do reviews.

anonymous 5/23/2007 10:35:33 AM

All you cory haters shut the f*ck up before i run you over with my lifted F150..

zombiesaretight_ 5/23/2007 11:50:32 AM

wow it never stops to amaze me when i see somthing cory has reviewed. tough guy hardcore wiht beat down bull shit is f*cking gay. i f*cking hate you cory.

wolfpack_ 5/23/2007 12:30:02 PM

Another horrible review

vdburns_ 5/23/2007 4:41:56 PM

It's funny cause there would be no market for douche metal or mall mosh or whatever it is if there was no Madball or bands of that ilk. It's cool though, be 17 year old elitist douchebags that secretly listen to everything you make fun of to look cool in front of other said nerds.

vdburns_ 5/23/2007 4:41:57 PM

It's funny cause there would be no market for douche metal or mall mosh or whatever it is if there was no Madball or bands of that ilk. It's cool though, be 17 year old elitist douchebags that secretly listen to everything you make fun of to look cool in front of other said nerds.

DethB4Dizzhonor_ 5/23/2007 6:08:59 PM

a shit hardcore album is better than the new PTW. good one there, gaygo! oh and i corrected that last line for you, "Every summer, one or two thick, veiny, black c-cks stay in my permanent rotation and Count Me In has definitely earned its spot within my rear." it suits you better now.

joehardcore_ 5/23/2007 8:01:34 PM

i would like to also mention that beatdown hardcore /tough guy hardcore is more crap and closer to metalcore then bands like death before dishonor these days.

xADFx_ 5/23/2007 9:10:41 PM

"and outdoes anything current tough-guy champs Madball have ever released." What are you...f*cking retarded?

Mike_ 5/24/2007 6:12:49 AM

Set it Off >>>>>>> /comments

Jon_ 5/24/2007 10:16:16 PM

vomits

Electrickle_ 6/10/2007 12:20:49 PM

One of the worst bands in music, to hell with this brocore bullshit.

itouchyourkids_ 6/11/2007 6:58:55 PM

dude, im in that video. im wearing the hoodie and camo shorts.

anonymous 7/5/2007 1:02:28 PM

You could identify a couple hundred people wearing a hoodie and camo shorts in a hardcore video, retard. This album is bland generic hardcore. It's a shame, because FFF had a couple of very unique songs and has held up fine since its release.

ray_ 8/21/2007 4:55:39 PM

How the hell are you going to say this is better than anything Madball ever released. Set It OFF is the best NYHC album EVER. Who ever wrote this should have their ears and tounge removed.

NYHC_ 8/21/2007 4:58:49 PM

MADBALL WOULD BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR JUST LIKE NYC WOULD BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF BOSTON (Man Town)