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| Code of HonorComplete Studio Recordings 1982-19842006 Subterranean 
  Review by: GlassPipeMurder See others by this writer ![[staff]](/images/icons/staffsticker.gif){kind=icon}
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 Published on December 22nd 2006
When someone references the burgeoning California punk scene of the early 1980s, there’s a handful of bands that are inevitably always name-dropped. Bands like Circle Jerks, TSOL, Agent Orange, Dead Kennedys, the Adolescents, X, Black Flag, and Fear have become common benchmarks when revisiting the history of the California punk scene. One band that is almost always left out is San Francisco’s Code of Honor, a band that interestingly enough, shared the stage with every single one of the aforementioned bands.
Your self-determination is more important than your life / Don’t regret what you’ve done yesterday, life’s in your hands but it’s only today / It’s better to die than to live a fucking lie / Never desert your comrade in need, in danger, or in trouble / [...] / Be your own advisor, choose your own castle, make your own decisions, be true to your own goals / It’s better to die than to live a fucking lie, IT‘S BETTER TO DIE!As the album progresses, the band’s changing styles become apparent. The hardcore punk is gradually toned down as new styles move in. “House of Others” is the album's longest track at 4:41, with a slower, heavy bassline, spaced-out guitar work and slightly synthesized vocals. Although the music changes significantly from start to finish, the overtly political lyrics are maintained as the constant theme, even as the band explores the wah-wah effects of the classic rock style in “This Day." After listening through the tracks a few times, it’s difficult to understand why Code of Honor never broke out with more success like some of the other bands of the time. They were aggressive, edgy, and unique. Thankfully, Code of Honor will live on through their Complete Studio Recordings and reach listeners who weren’t even born when they were making music. Who knows, maybe someday we’ll be hearing "Code of Honor" name-dropped on the list of early California punk legends they deserve to be on. People who liked this also liked:  ![Teen Idles - Minor Disturbance [7 inch]](/images/covers/thumb/teen_idles-minor_disturbance.jpg)        ![Double Negative - The Wonderful and Frightening World of... [12 inch]](/images/covers/thumb/147119.jpg) Please login or register to post comments. What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?
This band's early stuff stands up to anything from that time, and beats the pants off of a lot of current stuff too. I lost interest after the split with Sick Pleasure- that later stuff just isn't my thing. Here's a sample of Code of Honor's lyrical genius: Finally this got released. About time. this is so unbelievably good. great old-school hardcore GREAT discography... these guys rule. And this is a great review as well. fifteen and pennywise both had band songs, as did body count, green day (& sweet children), youth of today, bad religion, break the silence, etc. i donno, i don't think they're bad, i just wrote the ones that popped in my head as i was writing. Ahh, early '80's skatecore, before skatecore became pop-punk. Pretty damn good. The "band name" theme song thingy has been used by many, many bands, though. Don't forget, even Green Day had a theme song, and that's, like, an Org band. You could have picked better examples than Fifteen and Pennywise... Uh, whoa. thats a rad cover for sure . skate4life great to skate with. well, the early stuff. Good review. Pitchfork gave this a 7.0. I thought that was pretty interesting since they almost never give something I like a positive review. I've never listened to this band, but the review made me want to check them out. |
