LA-based new wave outfit Sacred Skin’s highly anticipated debut album The Decline of Pleasure” is out this May via Synthicide.
Formed in the spring of 2020 during quarantine, Sacred Skin is comprised of the core creative duo of Brian DaMert and Brian Tarney, two musicians who came together to explore the vastness of heart-wrenching, anthemic pop music, lit with a sunset sheen and brimming with deep romanticism.
Their first single, “Colder,” made its debut in March of 2021 and stole the hearts of dark souls everywhere with its melancholic undertones and perfectly produced songwriting. “Colder” and subsequent singles released in 2021—”Eyes Closed” and “Far Away”—landed the band an impressive series of live shows such as opening for AFI, performing at LA’s Substance Festival, and at headlining coast to coast at famed venues such as the Casbah in San Diego and Saint Vitus in Brooklyn.
This succession of well-received singles and captivating live performances have culminated with the announcement of Sacred Skin’s first LP The Decline of Pleasure, and the video for the album’s opening track “Earthbound”, which was followed up with “No Surprise”.
With its dreamy new wave structures and DaMert’s vocals induced with loss and longing, The Decline of Pleasure promises to be unlike any other released so far in 2022. Their use of vintage gear, namely the Sequential Prophet VS and the EMU Emulator II, retains a sound authentic to 1980s, yet stands out with its polished, studio feel that is unique to their own trademark style.
Coined as the “goth rock INXS”, Sacred Skin balances light and dark between new wave heartthrob royalty—akin to Talk Talk or The Fixx—and the rich emotional dynamics of classic post-punk tracks curated on a lovelorn mixtape. As a whole, The Decline of Pleasure is an album that shines as a beacon of hope, evoking an overall feeling of innocence and nostalgia that brings the listener back to a more cathartic and carefree experience as we boldly move forward from an era of isolation.
The Decline of Pleasure is set for release on May 27, 2022.
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