Death Before Musick
Amen · 2004
42 min · 15 tracks · hardcore punk
A ferocious blend of hardcore punk and alternative metal, drenched in raw energy and scathing social commentary.
Top tracks — play these first
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California's Bleeding — This track channels intense frustration about societal decay through its driving rhythm and sharp lyrics, serving as a highlight of the band's socio-political commentary.
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Please Kill Me — With its relentless pace and dark humor, this song encapsulates the album's themes of despair and rebellion, making it a quintessential Amen track.
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Fuck in LA — This track critiques the superficiality of life in Los Angeles with biting sarcasm, showcasing the band's ability to fuse humor with criticism.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album combines aggressive punk elements with sharp lyrics, creating a distinct sound while addressing societal issues.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a fast-paced track that sets a relentless tempo, maintaining high energy through the first half before introducing slower, heavier riffs in the latter tracks.
- Lyrically, the album is characterized by direct and confrontational language, with several tracks employing repeated phrases for emphasis on social critique.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
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.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady pacing for focused listening
- social critique through aggressive energy
- short bursts of intense expression
- cathartic release with each track
Maybe skip if you
- prefer lengthy immersive experiences
- seek melodic and soft sounds
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released in 2004, Death Before Musick was Amen's fourth studio album, following their 2000 release, We Have Come for Your Parents. This album arrived at a time when the band was solidifying its reputation for confrontational lyrics and aggressive sound, amidst a changing landscape in rock music.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Converge· The Dillinger Escape Plan· Hatebreed
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Liberation For... 1:36
- 2 Hello (One Chord Lovers) 3:06
- 3 California's Bleeding 2:38
- 4 The Abolishment of Luxury 2:33
- 5 Money Infection 3:16
- 6 Westwood Fallout 2:45
- 7 Oblivion Stereo 3:00
- 8 Please Kill Me 3:23
- 9 Exterminate! 3:06
- 10 We Got the Bait 2:16
- 11 Neutron Liars 2:38
- 12 Sorry, Not Sorry 3:08
- 13 Bring Me the Heads 2:46
- 14 Fuck in LA 2:41
- 15 The Summer of Guns 4:00
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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