Review Summary: Completely unnecessary, not altogether unwelcome.
Despite a steady growth from this Australian metalcore band they’ve always had a tendency to repeat themselves, sticking to the formulaic structuring’s of a tried and tired genre-style. Due to no fault of their own; In Hearts Wake have been crippled by what modern metalcore can’t create for a new band: a new sound.
Ark Prevails is a continuation of sorts from their full-length released last year, but this little EP wasn’t exactly a full-serviced release showcasing a sample of what the band can do outside of a formal release setting instead fans had to decode a sneaky cipher found on the case of
Ark. That coded message simply read “2 Feb 2018” and gave no other indication of what In Hearts Wake may have in mind for that particular date.
Featuring re-recorded tracks from the full-length including a rather tasteful rendition of “Arrow” featuring a dual vocal effort from Jake Taylor and Dream State’s CJ Gilpin. This four track EP (including a small outro) manages to add little to the collective breadth of In Hearts Wake’s music. The “reimagined” versions of “Frequency” and “Waterborne” while largely acoustic in nature don’t build on the dynamics of these already released tracks. For listeners, there’s little added here that they don’t already know about. At least at the EP’s very core it’s clear that it was released for the fans, rather than to grow a fan base. At the very least it gains some recognition for CJ Gilpin’s project, Dream State.
Overall, it’s no wonder that
Ark Prevails hasn’t had too much traction from the release date. Largely a hidden message on the original release this little EP bears no commanding presence on anyone but die-hard In Hearts Wake fans. Admittedly, the EP’s opening track, “Arrow” showcases a beautiful play on contrasting vocal melodies but unfortunately the need to listen onwards becomes less apparent as each stagnant note floats through the speaker. Take what you will from this release, chances are it’s not going to be for you.
