In Hearts Wake Announce New Album, 'Ark'

And they've also got a brand new single out as well - 'Passage'. 

Look, it's fine to write songs about how fucked up the world can be and to use your music to grapple with larger and heavier, more serious topics of discussion than other bands might opt for. However, when all you do as a band is merely write and play songs and seemingly never take any further action about those issues, your message(s) can feel hollow and it can come across preachy; like your heart isn't actually in what you're singing and/or screaming about.

To their credit, though, In Hearts Wake aren't really one of those bands.

See, for their next album, the Byron Bay metalcore quintet will soon be partnering up with non-for-profit organisation Tangaroa Blue for what will be called 'We Are Waterborne: An In Hearts Wake Initiative'; a series of environmental clean-ups along of some of the most polluted waterways on the east coast of Australia held this year. (Apparently, Tassie has the most polluted waterway - The King River. Just saying). That project will be launching soon.

It's this issue of water conservation and environmental preservation, combined with the band's usual message of peace and unity, that is at the heart of both new single 'Passage' and their upcoming fourth record, 'Ark'.

The band's frontman, Jake Taylor, said this of the obvious importance that water plays in our global society and planet's eco-system, and also how the term 'ark' is in reference not to a specific ship or boat, but rather Earth itself:

“No matter what side of the world we live on, water connects us all. Every living thing, and every human being that ever was or will be, is born of water. The plasma in our blood is 92% water, our brains 75%, and even our bones are 30% water. The same water that shapes our Earth is the same water within each of us.

“This record is an ode to the Ark, that is our ocean planet. Just like a ship, if one part is compromised, all life is threatened. What happens on one side of the world affects the other. If we don’t work together to repair our home and restore the integrity of its natural resources, we will all go down with the ship. Since water is our lifeblood, it needs to be respected, protected, and acknowledged not only as a basic human right, but as an essential human need.”

Water.org estimates, from a 2015 study, that nearly 663 million people lack access to safe water and that 1 in  3 people - that's around 2.4 billion - don't have access to toilets, let alone the least sanitary ones. Which is just absolutely fucked! Now, while some will people will laugh and comment how In Hearts Wake is just going down the list of Captain Planet cast members for the themes of their recent albums  - which they kinda are - this focus on water isn't a laughing matter. In January 2015, the World Economic Forum announced that a water crisis would indeed be the primary global risk to our species future and ultimate survival and would have the most impact on our society, as a measure of devastation. Sure, I thought the "Seaskimmer" album memes were funny - if only for the very first time - but this is serious shit all up. Best leave the memes at the door, you nerds.

Of course, while the band's message and effort are indeed commendable, it'll all come down to the actual music, and so far, it just looks like business as usual for the metalcore outfit. Though, hopefully, this new record as a whole will be a massive step up from 2015's underwhelming 'Skydancer'.

I guess we'll all find out come May 26th, when 'Ark' drops via UNFD. Check out 'Passage' below (the music video was co-written and directed by Taylor) as well as the album's first single, 'Warcry' over here.

In Hearts Wake will be touring nationally this July with labelmates While She Sleeps and Crossfaith, as well as Resist Records homeboys, Polaris. Tickets on sale now. 

Monday 10 July - Capitol, Perth (18+)

Tuesday 11 July - The Gov, Adelaide (LIC/AA)

Thursday 13 July -  The Forum, Melbourne (18+)

Friday 14 July - Enmore Theatre, Sydney (Lic/AA)

Saturday 15 July - The Tivoli, Brisbane (18+)