Countdown To Life Govern Yourself Accordingly

As much as some people (myself included) consistently complain about the overt theft of styles and riffs constantly happening in hardcore and metal these days, there are certain instance in which a band's strong similarities to another band really can help certain fans connect with their music. In Countdown To Life's case, the band invokes an inevitable comparison to the posthumously legendary Refused (pre-Shape Of Punk To Come) and it really isn't a bad thing. There's a lot of other stuff going on in the 90's-influenced hardcore of Countdown To Life as well, making this disc fit in very well on New Age Records, a label responsible for classic releases by Unbroken, Mouthpiece, Turning Point and Outspoken among others. So while Countdown To Life are certainly nowhere near the level of their obvious influences, it's pretty awesome to hear a band playing something in the vein of my personal favorite era in hardcore. Most of the songs on Govern Yourself Accordingly follow a tastefully simple formula that stays true to the honest, barebones approach of their predecessors. As far as making this disc a palatable listen that flows fairly well from beginning to end, Countdown To Life make this work to their advantage. I have to say though, that as well done as this record is, it seems wrong on some level. The reason the aforementioned bands achieved such revered status was their innovation and experimentation; following this closely in their footsteps seems to be against the very spirit in which this music should be created. The band does have their moments of breakthrough genius here and there. The haunting background vocals in "Countdown in Heaven" stand out as one particularly memorable moment, but unfortunately these moments are few and far between. What I was left with after each successive listen of this disc was a mildly pleasant feeling and the desire to put on a Strife record. Countdown To Life has been around since 2001 and obviously know what they're doing by now. They were nearly as successful in recreating the 90's sound and vibe on this record as they were in the music. The record is book-ended by samples from Pump Up The Volume. Seriously. Pump Up The Volume. I'm just going to let you chew on that one. The production by Death By Stereo's Paul Miner is spot on and there's a certain flatness to the overall sound that matches up with the era perfectly. Bottom Line: I guess what I'm saying here is that I enjoy listening to this disc, but have to wonder if the band appreciates the inherent irony of what they're doing: emulating bands whose major contribution to hardcore was their desire to break stereotypes and create something new and different. Countdown To Life's Govern Yourself Accordingly is, at best, a fun reminder of the continuing relevance of 90's hardcore and, at worst, an ultimately uninspiring trip down memory lane.