This is the fourth album from Insect Ark, an experimental doom band from Germany.
An album consisting of members of Swans and Khanate? Yep, colour me interested. Taking in doom, avant-garde, psychedelic, noise, drone, and Gothic influences, Raw Blood Singing is an expansive work of darkness and beauty.
The music ranges from the soft to the heavy, from gentle to crushing. It moves between these states, merging and blending them as the artists see fit, delivering an immersive experience that’s compelling. Synths, electronics, and piano layer the songs, enriching them with ethereal ease. The otherworldly bass has a dense, expressive presence that’s striking. The vocals are haunting and potent, providing the music with a focal point that’s as affecting and enthralling as everything else here.
Raw Blood Singing is an album led by emotional exploration into dark doomy waters. Thick with swirling atmosphere and ripe with the promise of absorbing and well-realised soundscapes, this is music that’s as well-crafted as it is impactful. There’s filler, as there is on almost every album, here in the form of a superfluous outro, but it doesn’t negatively affect the album too much, (there’s also an intro, but unusually this is very good). Minor misstep aside, Raw Blood Singing is a quality release.
Insect Ark have produced a worthwhile record that demands repeat exposure, yet does so with the nuanced grace of a consummate artist. If you’re a fan of acts such as Big | Brave, Earth, Boris, Nadja, etc, then this is for you.
Wonderbox Metal 