INSECT ARK
Raw Blood Singing
DEBEMUR MORTI
9/10
EXPANSIVE AVANT-METAL: Raw Blood Singing is the latest sonic distillation of Insect Ark, a duo consisting of Dana Schechter (Swans) and Tim Wyskida (Khanate), a nightmarish dreamscape of sounds that’s as much ambient dissonance as it is dissonant ambiance. Confused? That’s only the beginning.
“The Frozen Lake” is a vast, sprawling expanse of post-rock, doom, avant-metal, and everything in-between, all accentuated by Schechter’s haunting vocal work. This is a 7-minute plus track that plays like an entire record, but this is just the beginning of what Insect Ark has in store on Raw Blood Singing. The equally expansive “Youth Body Swayed” continues this aural journey, a somber march of sonic exploration that pulls listeners into a world of shadows and echoes.
“The Hands” introduces more pronounced rhythms, creating a sense of urgency and foreboding, and “Psychological Jackal” delivers another heaping helping of dread, creating an empty space that feels intimate yet vast. The atmospheric layers build up to a climax that is both chaotic and cathartic. Schechter’s ability to craft immersive soundscapes is both haunting and mesmerizing. Her dissonant screams during the latter stages of “Psychological Jackal” are unsettling to say the least, helping to create one of the absolute best tracks on Raw Blood Singing.
The penultimate “Inverted Whirlpool” is a slow-burning descent into darkness. The textural layering here is meticulous, creating an overarching sense of impending doom, while the sparse, echoing drums and distant guitar wails paint a picture of a barren, apocalyptic world. This is a fun record. Closing the album, “Ascension” serves as a melancholic epilogue, a fitting end to Raw Blood Singing, a journey both harrowing and hypnotic.
Raw Blood Singing is not for the faint of heart, but for those willing to delve into its depths, it offers a richly rewarding experience. If it was the goal of Insect Ark to leave listeners in a constant state of dread and unease with Raw Blood Singing, mission accomplished. ~ Brian Campbell
