Death Before Dishonor

Death Before Dishonor came back with a new record after almost a decade. I did this interview back in August 2019 for Down For Life fanzine but since not all of it was included in the issue, I decided that it deserves to be featured in Soulcraft 2! DBD is still here, representing Boston hardcore, and their new record kicks some serious ass; you better check it out! Bryan Harris (vocals) answered my questions.

Interview conducted in early August 2019. A part of it was originally published in Down For Life magazine, issue 8. We publish it under their kind permission. Graphics provided by the band’s A&R.

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It’s been a decade since ‘Better ways to die’ and you just came back with ‘Unfinished business’. Why did it take you so long to release a new album? Give us some more info about it!

Well it was a combination of reasons. After we released Better Ways To Die, we toured pretty hard for a few years. Then we had some line up issues, once we got that sorted we were still playing shows and touring here and there. Then some personal stuff was going on, so it was a combination of everything. Last year ended the personal things and we were very eager to get this record done. Zeuss had time to record us at the beginning of this year so everything just finally fell into place.

What business did you leave unfinished?

Well we always wanted to get another record done, we have had most of our ‘newer’ lineup (Colin on guitar and Ben on drums) for about 7-8 years. They had music to contribute, plus we never stopped being a band. We toured a little less and less the last few years but we were still a band. So that’s where the title of the record came from. We still have more to say!

What urge you to release a new album? How do you see the hardcore scene today and what is missing?

Honestly it was just time, we were eager to get this out and make sure people didn’t forget about us. Also get us back out there and touring more than we have been. I think hardcore is strong and thriving. There’s a lot of great younger bands making moves, also getting on bigger crossover tours. I think that is really cool, it helps expose people to hardcore that may not really know about it. The only thing I think it was missing in my opinion was a new Death Before Dishonor record, haha!

The world is going crazy… Wars, shootings, poverty (update: and imagine that Covid19 wasn’t present at that time). What’s DBD’s stance in these harsh times and do you believe that hardcore can still give an outlet to people?

The world has always been crazy but definitely more so now. Things are just chaotic and out of control. With that said I feel like hardcore is more important now for the fact that it is an outlet. It was an outlet for me my whole life, I would escape the chaotic stuff in my personal life by going to hardcore shows or listening to hardcore music. Hardcore is different from the outside world. Yea sure there are sometimes problems from the outside that affect hardcore but ya know what, the music and the shows is what you make of it. To me it always has been our own community where you don’t need to conform to the regular world!

Musically you always liked to mix hardcore / crossover metal with street punk and oi! influences. The songs of the new album are in the same spirit; you do this intentionally in order to give space to all your influences or it comes naturally?

I feel like the new record is the traditional DBD sound, with a more modern take. We definitely have all those influences. They all come naturally when we write. We are into all different types of hardcore, thrash, punk etc., and that really comes out in our music when we write. It’s something I have always loved about the DBD sound; you can’t pinpoint one ‘style’.

You recorded with Zeuss (well known for his work with Hatebreed among others), how was the whole process? And Bridge 9 released the record once again, how’s your collaboration with the label?

It was our first time working with Zeuss and it was awesome. This was the first record we recorded with someone different since 2005. We always wanted to work with Zeuss, we actually started talking to him maybe 2 years ago about this record. He wanted to do it but was also really busy. It worked out because we had personal things going on. He hit us up in December after he saw some Madball dates we had booked in the North East and the last show was very close to where he wanted to track the drums. So, we started recoding at the end of January. He was great to work with, very down to earth. He made the process really easy and he absolutely killed it on making sure the record sounded great. He is the man!

As for Bridge 9, I mean we have been with that label since 2005. Ever since we started working with them on the ‘Friends Family Forever’ record back then it has been great. They are just awesome. More than a great hardcore label, Chris has been a good friend, amazing supporter of DBD. It’s cool to be on a true hardcore label, and the fact that they are in the same state as us, always at shows we are at, it makes it feel like more than just a ‘label’. I have been talking about doing this new record on and off for at least 4 years, maybe longer. Chris was always down to do it, even when it took forever to get done, he was never changed his mind. So, a big thanks to Chris, Ryan and everyone at Bridge 9 for always being there!

What are your future plans? Heavy touring for the promotion of ‘Unfinished business’?

plans for the States in the fall, we hope Europe in the winter. We have some festivals already booked for next summer in Europe that I’m excited for. Yea we are gonna be out a lot more than we have in the last 4 years supporting this record. Hopefully we can make it to as many cities, and countries as possible.

Do you follow today’s scene? What are your favourite bands and what’s your opinion about all the old bands reuniting lately?

Yea definitely, I still go to a lot of shows in Boston, well as many as I can so I’m always trying to check out younger bands. Here is a handful of bands I have been into lately… Buried Dreams, Instigate, Years Apart, out of the Boston area, I really like Ecostrike, and Bloodbather from Florida I think. Facewreck from Pittsburg, Inclination from the Midwest. And of course, not a ‘new’ band, but Risk It!, from Dresden Germany! As far as bands reuniting, I think it’s cool. I mean there are a lot of legendary and influential bands in hardcore that some kids nowadays never got to see. So it gives people an opportunity to see these bands live.

Thanks, last words are yours!

Just want to say thanks for taking the time to interview us! Big thanks to everyone that picked up our new record ‘Unfinished Business’ on Bridge 9, it really means a lot. Come check us out on tour soon!