If you like the secular group Living Colour, then this is an album to check
out. XL & Death Before Dishonor have created an exciting, aggressive
Rap/Rock/Hip-Hop/Thrash/Punk album that you might find if you mixed up
Mike-E, D.C. Talk, and One Bad Pig. The album's pace is great, blending
heavy bass with harsh electric guitars. It mixes tunes emphasizing each of
these influences into a hard hitting experience that seems to last much
longer than the 41 minute playing time. The lyrics are hard hitting,
aggressive, and even militant, matching the musical style perfectly.
There's quite a topical diversity as well. There are songs addressing street
life and others addressing the Christian faith. The message is urgent, easy
to understand, militant at times, slightly violent in spots, but positive on
the whole.
Unlike most recordings in this genre, XL & DBD avoid getting stuck in the
darkness. There are a couple dark songs, but for the most part, they present
a path to the light, making this a surprisingly uplifting album in
comparison.