Oztix | News | In Hearts Wake Announce New Album & Single

Byron Bay five-piece In Hearts Wake have announced the release date for their fourth studio album, titled Ark, and unveiled the first single from the forthcoming release.

That song, Passage, made its debut on triple j earlier this week, and is a typically thunderous effort from the metalcore mainstays full of meaty riffs, pounding drums and a central ponderance that considers "who's steering the ship?" with respect to the general course along which the planet seems to be headed.

The album's title — and single's video — are thematically consistent with the band's broader mission of late, seeing them engage with marine-environment charity Tangaroa Blue to create We Are Waterborne: An In Hearts Wake Initiative.

The program will entail a series of clean-ups along some of the Australian east coast's most polluted waterways, solidifying the band's dedication to practical results when it comes to their social and environmental consciousness.

"No matter what side of the world we live on, water connects us all," frontman Jake Taylor said in a statement. "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."

Ark will be released on Friday 26 May via UNFD. Pre-orders are available now.

The band will, of course, embark on a tour to support the album following its arrival — kicking off in Perth on Monday 10 July, they'll take to stages in Adelaide (licensed all-ages), Melbourne, Sydney (lic/AA) and Brisbane over the course of the run. They'll be joined on the tour by While She Sleeps, Crossfaith and Polaris.

See theGuide for all the details.