Full Album Stream: Bushido Code – “The Ronin”

Sometimes you just have to take it back to the roots. The members of Pennsylvania crossover outfit Bushido Code have spent their lives playing in hardcore bands—Choose Your Weapon, Fury of V, xRepentx, among countless others—and they wanted to keep it simple, making an album that both hardcore fans and metalheads could get down to. The result is The Ronin, a blazing crossover record that finds its balance between Obituary, Metallica and Suicidal Tendencies.

Telling the story of Da Shi, a fictional rōnin samurai who travels through time in search of a warrior skilled enough to achieve death, Bushido code riff, shred and mosh their way through eight songs. The obstacles and internal battles that Da Shi faces along the way are reflective of common lyrical themes in hardcore, like honor, loyalty and respect, but re-envisioned in a new concept.

“We couldn’t be more excited for this release,” Ledet tells Decibel. “Through my years of playing music, this is probably the most excited I’ve been about a record that I’ve done. The Ronin is a brutal thrash experience.It should leave you dizzy from headbanging. Pick it up this Friday. Don’t be scared!”

The Ronin is streaming below and out April 16 via Upstate Records.