Zao are streaming a new track titled “A Well-Intentioned Virus”. Vocalist Dan Weyandt said of the song:
“[It’s about] the idea that the human race has a collective, cognitive dissonance about itself where we perceive our intentions/purpose/actions as good (well-intentioned) or at least justified. In the end, regardless of good intention, a majority of our actions blindly cause destruction to ourselves, our loved ones, society, nature etc. The ‘effect’ of our actions spread like a virus to everything it comes into contact with, slowly destroying the host.”
Drummer Jeff Gretz adds:
“This song is a good example of how us taking our time paid off. The bulk of this song is in 14/8, which is weird for us. The music came together really quickly but getting a vocal phrasing that worked took longer. Dan was able to try a version, sit with it, and go back to it a week or so later and try something totally different. Over the course of a month, it went from a song we thought wasn’t going to work and possibly get cut from the record to becoming one of our favorites and basically the ‘title track’ for the album.”
Their 11th full-length The Well-Intentioned Virus is due in stores on December 9th through the band’s own Observed/Observer Recordings. Pre-orders are now available at ZaoOnline.net.
The Well-Intentioned Virus track listing:
1. “The Weeping Vessel”
2. “A Well-Intentioned Virus”
3. “Broken Pact Blues”
4. “Hinba Ittai”
5. “Apocalypse”
6. “Xenophobe”
7. “Haunting Pools”
8. “Observed/Observer”
9. “The Sun Orbits Around Flat Earth Witch Trials”
10. “I Leave You In Peace”
[via Metal Injection]