In Hearts Wake
Ark
Album · Rock · 2017 · Epitaph
“Close your eyes, brace for the impact.” Byron Bay's In Hearts Wake stands out from the metalcore pack with their punishing menace. They drop sharp elbows like “Overthrow,” “Passage,” and “Totality.” But even with the corrosive guitar attack and Jake Taylor’s asbestos-lined throat, the band remains open to experimentation. “Waterborne” highlights electronic elements. The metallers can slow it down on “Arrow” and “Flow,” allowing a hopeful flower to bloom from dense concrete.

