“A striking combination of contrasting sensations, […] simultaneously crushing and ethereal, spellbinding and soul-shaking.” (No Clean Singing)

Ten days before the official release of their new album “Raw Blood Singing“, Berlin-based duo INSECT ARK unveil the full stream. Over the course of 45 dynamic minutes, Dana Schechter (SWANS) and Tim Wyskida (KHANATE) deliver eight doomy, psychedelic and poignant soundscapes filled with unexpected twists and turns. “Raw Blood Singing” is a deeply immersive and darkly atmospheric experience.

Vocalist and founder Dana Schechter shares insights into the creation of “Raw Blood Singing“:

“Writing this album was a new experience – in context for the history of the band, it started out similar to the others: I made elaborate demos by myself, writing and recording bass, lap steel guitar, synthesizers, and electronic drums; I wrote all the arrangements, chord progressions, and melodies. What made this album different was, when Tim Wyskida joined the band, it felt like a new creative chapter was opening as it became obvious that the music would benefit from his ideas, so we decided to see how far we could push the songs. We ended up chopping, rebuilding and rearranging a lot of the material. This process was a huge inspiration for us both and fostered our bond as a creative writing pair. The album concept is based more on our life views than lyrical content; primarily with the idea of impermanence and as humans existing as energy shifting, of retaining a deliberate presence. The actual studio recordings were preceded by my demos, followed by the heavy re-working Tim and I did to refine the material, which included a lot of experimentation. We didn’t rush any part of it, and we worked long days every day in our studio, for about a year.“

Discover all details about the forthcoming album here.

“Raw Blood Singing” will be released on CD, vinyl and digital on June 7th. Specially designed t-shirts will accompany the launch. Pre-orders are possible via DMP‘s EU, US and Bandcamp shops.

INSECT ARK will play a release show for their new album in Berlin, Neue Zukunft (Germany) on June 7th. Get tickets here!

INSECT ARK have also confirmed the following two festival appearances:

12-14.07.2024 – Red Smoke Festival, Pleszew (Poland)
10.11.2024 – Amplifest, Porto (Portugal)

Dripping and lurching horror films, gritty noir textures, crushing weight and viciously sensual delicacy: INSECT ARK is raw, ominous, desolate, and fearlessly unique.

INSECT ARK is the duo of American artists Dana Schechter (bass, lap steel, synths, vocals – also a member of SWANS) and Tim Wyskida (drums, percussion – also a member of KHANATE). The band is based in Berlin.

“Raw Blood Singing” – the band’s fourth full-length – is the result of a year’s writing. With a shared obsession with innovation and distillation, the duo merged and created an album that offers a sonic landscape which vacillates between sensory overload and isolation in a seething void.

“Raw Blood Singing” will be released 07.06.2024 on Debemur Morti Productions.

INSECT ARK, featuring Dana Schechter (SWANS) and Tim Wyskida (KHANATE), release their new album, “Raw Blood Singing“, on June 7. At the outer realms of avant-Metal, psych-Doom, and experimental Goth, INSECT ARK fiercely refuses the trappings of simple genre categorization.

The album was mixed by Colin Marston (KRALLICE, GORGUTS) and mastered by James Plotkin (ISIS, JESU). Colin Marston and Ville Leppilahti (ORANSSI PAZUZU) contribute to the record as guest musicians. Cover photography by Chris Friel and layout design/composites courtesy of Dana Schechter.

Tracklist:

01. Birth of a Black Diamond
02. The Frozen Lake
03. Youth Body Swayed
04. Cleaven Hearted
05. The Hands
06. Psychological Jackal
07. Inverted Whirlpool
08. Ascension

Schechter and Wyskida, who deconstructed and re-imagined INSECT ARK in the lead-up to the new album, release a preview of “Raw Blood Singing” with the arrival of ‘Youth Body Swayed‘. A notable shift for the band is the decision to add Schechter‘s vocals to their music, with previous INSECT ARK releases having been instrumental.

“Embracing evolution and fearless exploration are the core instincts of INSECT ARK,” Schechter shares. “Writing the album ignited an awakening. It was in this inspired environment that I tried singing again, after a 10-year break. Encouraged by Tim, our manager, and in other collaborations such as recording vocals on SWANS ‘The Beggar‘ – to my surprise, it felt great to sing again. I felt like I was creeping out of a deep cave after hibernation, blinking awkwardly into the bright and uncomfortable light of springtime.“

Wyskida explains how he came to join Schechter, permanently, in INSECT ARK: “Shortly after Dana asked me to play shows with INSECT ARK in 2022, she asked if I’d like to play on the new album. I expected to mostly replicate pre-existing ideas. We started digging in and it turned into a full on collaboration, with most of the original ideas and arrangements being completely reworked. We spent the better part of a year working on the music, daily. To my ear, the result is incredibly potent.“

Over the eight-songs, INSECT ARK weaves a lush, bleak, vast and expansive landscape as they move from whispers of synth to a monstrous wall-of-sound via Schechter‘s blistering lap steel playing, diabolical bass-work and the mammoth, searing power of Wyskida‘s drums.

Follow the band on Facebook and Instagram.

“Raw Blood Singing” will be released on CD, vinyl and digitally on June 7th. Specially designed t-shirts will accompany the launch. Pre-orders are possible via our EU, US and Bandcamp shops.

The record release show for ‘Raw Blood Singing‘ will be the live premiere of the new songs, taking place in Berlin (Germany) at Neue Zukunft on June 7th. This concert marks another first, with the live band expanded into a trio, with the addition of Berlin-based musician Lynn Wright on lap steel and electric guitars. Tickets on sale now (here)!

Dripping and lurching horror films, gritty noir textures, crushing weight and viciously sensual delicacy: INSECT ARK is raw, ominous, desolate, and fearlessly unique.

INSECT ARK is the duo of American artists Dana Schechter (bass, lap steel, synths, vocals – also a member of SWANS) and Tim Wyskida (drums, percussion – also a member of KHANATE). The band is based in Berlin.

“Raw Blood Singing” – the band’s fourth full-length – is the result of a year’s writing. With a shared obsession with innovation and distillation, the duo merged and created an album that offers a sonic landscape which vacillates between sensory overload and isolation in a seething void.

“Raw Blood Singing” will be released 07.06.2024 on Debemur Morti Productions.