AN NCS PREMIERE: DECAYING — “ZERO HOUR”

Given my near-pathological affection for old-school death metal, and particularly the curriculum taught in old European schools, I was kind of stunned to realize that I’ve failed to write about Finland’s Decaying since reviewing their debut album (Devastate) back in 2011. Since then, they’ve released two more albums — Encirclement (2012) and The Last Days of War (2012) — and now their fourth album is almost upon us. The new album’s name is One To Conquer, and based on the song from the album we’re about to premiere, it should be another strong one.

Decaying have a penchant for including longer, doom-suffocated tracks in their military-themed albums, but they’re fully capable of rolling right over you in a crushing assault as well — and that’s the style of “Zero Hour”. If you like your old school death metal in the form of a smoking tank attack with a howling, rasp-voiced commander exhorting the battalion to show no mercy, “Zero Hour” is your thing. It’s definitely my thing: The song is a gassed up, heavy-grooved headbang trigger with a beautifully morbid melody — death metal militarism that will put a charge into your brainstem.

Especially with the timbre of the voracious vocals, you may think of Asphyx or Hail of Bullets, but fans of Bolt Thrower should eat this up, too.

“Zero Hour” is the second track from the album to be revealed so far, the first one having appeared at CVLT Nation. To give you a further tantalizing taste of what the album holds in store, I’m including that track below as well.

One To Conquer is now due for release by Hellthrasher Productions on November 4. Further info is available via the links below.

http://www.facebook.com/Decayingofficial
http://www.youtube.com/Decayingofficial
http://decayingofficial.bandcamp.com
http://www.hellthrasher.com