What makes Better Ways to Die by Death Before Dishonor notable?

The album was well-received within the hardcore community, showcasing the band's relentless energy and lyrical focus on social issues. It further cemented Death Before Dishonor's role in the resurgence of hardcore punk during the late 2000s, influencing a wave of similar bands seeking authenticity and urgency in their music. Released in January 2009, Better Ways to Die is Death Before Dishonor's third studio album, following the well-received album, Count Me In. At this point, the band had solidified their sound within the hardcore punk scene, continuing to build on their reputation for hard-hitting, politically charged music.

How many songs are on Better Ways to Die?

Better Ways to Die has 11 tracks, running approximately 24 minutes.

Better Ways to Die

Death Before Dishonor · 2009

24 min · 11 tracks · hardcore punk

Raucous hardcore punk anthems collide with raw emotion and unfiltered aggression, capturing the urgency of disillusionment and rebellion.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Fuck This Year — This track stands out for its cathartic expression of frustration and anger directed at societal issues, encapsulating the album's rebellious spirit.
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Better Ways to Die — The title track confronts themes of mortality and choice with a compelling mix of aggression and introspection, representing a core message of the album.
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Boys in Blue — This track critiques authority figures with sharp lyrics and relentless instrumentation, embodying the band's signature political edge and punk ethos.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

51 /100

Foothills

Higher than 34% of albums we've rated

The album captures hardcore punk's raw energy and social commentary, though it may not stand out significantly in the genre's history.

What we noticed

The first five tracks maintain a relentless tempo, with aggressive guitar riffs and shouted vocals that create a sense of urgency.
Several songs feature breakdowns that shift the rhythm dramatically, allowing for moments of intensity followed by brief pauses.
Lyrically, the album addresses social issues directly, with verses often structured around personal narratives and collective frustrations.

Composition 25% of the score: 7/10
Craft 20% of the score: 6/10
Durability 25% of the score: 5/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 7/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 6/10

Influence 4/10

Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

1 Peace and Quiet 1:15
2 Remember 2:12
3 Coffin Nail 2:23
4 Fuck This Year 1:51
5 Boys in Blue 2:15
6 Better Ways to Die 2:50
7 So Far From Home 3:02
8 Black Cloud 2:04
9 No More Lies 1:54
10 Bloodlust 2:03
11 Our Glory Days 2:28

What to play next

Listen next

Unfinished Business

2019

Go back to

Count Me In

2007

Full Death Before Dishonor discography Artists like Death Before Dishonor

hardcore punk

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