Decades’ debut EP, Numbered is a 21-minute, slow-churning pot of modern hardcore in the recent scope of bands like Dead Hearts, This Is Hell and Modern Life Is War, but with a coating of sincere emotion and desperation to help them rise above the glut of mediocre acts overcrowding the room lately.

Sure, this sound’s been done and it’s been done a bit better, but to deny Decades’ talent in their ploy here would just be dishonest. With a vocalist who’s semi-raspy and rather comprehensible, akin to the singer of Election Day (a reference I’m sure helps, oh, three of you reading this), the usual density applied to a style like this is much less overwhelming. “Principles (Of Scientific Management)” bears a surprising amount of room to breathe and guitar chugging seemingly marked by plenty of frustration and tenseness over its 4:25 course.

If they were to constantly operate at that one tempo, I could envision Numbered being a bit tedious to listen to, but the band know that an occasional fast pace doesn’t hurt. See “Late Night, No. 708,” where the strongest case is made for the aforementioned This Is Hell comparison; the guitar lead sticks its neck out and there’s a nice rugged bounding about things. “Looking Out / Looking In” has some nice catchy refrains, as well as a somehow well-integrated quote from “High Fidelity.”

Numbered’s tracks average at well over three minutes apiece, so rest assured that Decades’ hardcore is not for the “1-2 fuck you” set. But those who appreciate the methodical, thoughtful burn of a heavy song should definitely find something to like in Decades.

Cold Sweat

STREAM
Looking Out / Looking In
One Twenty Two