Pairing sonic extremes with earnest messaging, In Hearts Wake powerfully articulates the need to reclaim and preserve the world we share. The Byron Bay metalcore band really hit its stride on 2014’s Earthwalker, with The Amity Affliction vocalist Joel Birch joining in on the title track to drive home the message that we’re all on this planet together. The 2017 anthem “Warcry” proved equally powerful, with the chorus announcing “It’s time to make way for the new generation/So sick of watching the world’s demise.” Between guttural lead singer Jake Taylor and the clean counterpoint of bassist Kyle Erich—who would exit the band in 2024—In Hearts Wake has established a rich emotional palette for its timely concerns. After 2020’s Kaliyuga showcased clubby breakbeats on “Worldwide Suicide” and Taylor’s raplike delivery on “Son of a Witch,” the band released the 2022 documentary Green Is the New Black about making the carbon-offset album. On 2024’s Incarnation, Taylor shouldered more of the vocal commitment but also invited such roaring guests as Parkway Drive’s Winston McCall (“The Flood”). Reminding the world that heavy music can have a conscience, In Hearts Wake has demanded sustained attention by vocalizing the fight to save the planet itself.