“There is father sky and mother earth, and we mature beings are a part of both, in between, on the earth.”
Frontman of In Hearts Wake, Jake Taylor, is something else. It's not his velvet voice on the line that can belt out sharp, deep screams in an instant, or the energetic ball on stage getting fists pumping and crowds circling, it's his passion for music and the world that's awe-inspiring. Fifteen minutes with Jake is all that's needed to feel moved, enlightened and have his spirit engage yours.
A hardcore/ metal outfit from the shores of Byron Bay, In Hearts Wake weren't afraid to connect with their feminine side to create 'Earthwalker', the first chapter in their global vision. “We’re not the angriest, most toughest guys. We don’t have tattoos, none of us work out, we’re just nature loving kids at the end of the day. We’re all men, yes, but we all have really good relationships with our mothers as well. And that really helped connect with the emotional side and we're not afraid to speak about our feelings and nature.
“Most males cover it up, they've gotta be tough and hard, gotta be guns and action. There’s a time and a place for all of that. But with ‘Earthwalker’ we really needed to get into that headspace and to keep it bittersweet and keep it unpredictable... the 'Mother' message is just to be clear.
“We believe that we are a part of both worlds. We come from the earth, we don’t believe that we were just dropped here or we came out of a tree. We definitely evolved over time and come from the earth. And for the most part, we lost touch. We see the earth as very separate – we see a tree as a tree and a flower as a flower. They’re items. We forget that they’re living things and that we come from the same DNA. So the 'Mother' message is to bring Mother Nature's message to life. Connecting with the emotional, the spiritual, the chaotic, all the shades we have with the feminine world.”
Attacking their ambitious project in the same recording, part two of their narrative moves from the spiritual growth of the femme world into the masculine, hard-hitting world of 'Skydancer'. “It’s definitely a lot tougher, it’s more rigid, everything is a lot punchier. The lyrical concepts as well as the music. In the masculine world, it’s speaking about a financially fuelled world, war, racism – which to me is definitely in the shadow of the male psych. It’s born out of ego and it’s separated us in that way rather than being a feminine thing. So there are topics there that are darker topics, as much as there’re also the positive, finding the light and the flow, within which is wild fire. It’s reflecting the lyrics that are on ‘Earthwalker’ which are all emotive and personal.
“The 'Father' world is related to the sky, because in Native American culture they say there is Father Sky and Mother Earth, and we mature beings are a part of both, in between, on the earth. To grow we need warmth and some sort of miracle in the middle of space to grow inside this bubble and be created. So 'Father' world has some strings of the human world – in building cities and the things we’ve created in the man-made worlds. So it’s in everything. Both worlds are everything that exists here on earth and that’s the message, to appreciate both world in harmony.”
Recording in Michigan in 2013, Jake and the band became friends with a local whose parents are local to the land and pure blooded Native American Indians from two different reservations – a rare quality to find. After much persuasion, Jake convinced the couple of his pure heart and passionate message, and born were the 'Mother' and 'Father'. “I told them my ideas, and the words that I had written for both tracks, and how [the 'Mother' and 'Father' tracks] were a couple, and these people were literally a mother and father. They were skeptical at first, 'cause this little white kid from Australia had approached them. But afterward they were very appreciative and blown away that not only did someone want them to be a part of their record, and trust in them, but also that it was 'from a white man' in their words, and that was very special for all three of us and the band, and everyone to do that. So it was very cool and added some credibility to the record as well as the way it was our story.”
Long involved with organisations that support their global vision, In Hearts Wake are partners with Carbon Neutral, which helped them plant 1374 tree as part of their 'Earthwalker' campaign in 2014. Choosing a fresh approach for 'Skydancer', the men are supporting non-profit organisation Local Futures along with a charity auction on eBay to assist the Byron Young Residents Alliance.
“[Local Futures] has a vision for economic happiness and localisation as the way forward. Localisation for those who don't know is about localising your local economy – so shopping locally doesn't mean going to Woolworths or going to Wal-Mart, because they're global companies. It's about going to the farmer's markets and learning how to grow you own food and work with your family and friends to create a sustainable community. So you reduce the carbon footprint that's created and you keep the dollar and the trade in your local community. It creates happiness too because poverty is reduced. It's not about left and right, it's about reducing the difference between your upper and lower class, and health and happiness all stems from that.
“Proving that localisation is ever so important, we wish to also stand behind our own community. BYRA is a community organisation founded and run by young residents within the Byron Shire. Byron Bay is currently under threat from the impact of mass development and BYRA is a vessel for those who wish to keep Byron sustainable and preserve its pre-existing culture.”
With a hope to bring awareness to the world that there are solutions – and ways to be a part of the solutions –, In Hearts Wake are actively doing their best to promote sustainability. “We're not going to force feed, but at the end of the day, you become aware that there are solutions, because there are so many problems out there and we don't need any more... We live in a crazy world, but there are things you can do to counteract it.
Touring in May and June with fellow hardcore heavyweights We Came As Romans, Beartooth and Storm The Sky, In Hearts Wake's 'Skydancer' is out 1 May.
In Hearts Wake Tour Dates
Thurs 28 - Fri 29 May – The Triffid (Brisbane)Sat 30 May – Roundhouse (Sydney)
Sun 31 May – Magpies (Canberra)
Tues 2 June – YMCA HQ (Perth)
Wed 3 June – Metropolis (Fremantle)
Thurs 4 June – HQ (Adelaide)
Fri 5 June – 170 Russell (Melbourne)
Sat 6 June – Arrows (Melbourne)
