In Hearts Wake’s sixth album is a sequel to their 2012 debut, Divination. Both albums contain 11 tracks—each referencing one of the 22 Major Arcana tarot cards—bringing the concept to a close after more than a decade. Every card in a tarot deck has two “meanings”, depending on whether they appear upright or inverted during a reading. Incarnation focuses on darker interpretations of the 11 cards reflected in the track list. “Tyrant (ɹoɹǝdɯǝ ǝɥʇ)” explores the concept of a ruthless dictator, as represented by the Emperor card being upside down (lead vocalist Jake Taylor wrote it with The Lord of the Rings character Denethor II in mind), while “Gen Doom (ʇuɐɥdoɹǝᴉɥ ǝɥʇ)” is set in a post-apocalyptic future. The chaotic, malevolent “Orphan (lᴉʌǝp ǝɥʇ)” is about the rise of tech and the devastating impact of mass production and mono crops on the world, the Devil card represents fear and how it can overwhelm when given the opportunity. “Hollow Bone (plɹoʍ ǝɥʇ)” is a brutal and pivotal moment on the LP. Following the departure of bassist and clean vocalist Kyle Erich earlier in 2024, the group found itself at a creative crossroads. Bereft of the melodic possibilities Erich’s voice afforded, the remaining members joined forces to sing the track’s melodic chorus, proving to themselves that there was a way forward without him. Such melodic moments are, however, few and far between, the album’s darker themes mirrored by a vicious, brutal musical attack—the inversion of the more melodically inclined Divination. Beyond the overall concept are several other links to the band’s debut—both are produced by Josh Schroeder with art by Johann Ingemar, while the guest vocalists from Divination (Parkway Drive’s Winston McCall, For the Fallen Dreams’ Chad Ruhlig and The Color Morale’s Garret Rapp) also feature on Incarnation. The end result is an album that recalls In Hearts Wake’s past, while being very much about their future.