Lost in the Shadows — Los Angeles Dark New-Wavers Sacred Skin Release Second Studio Album “Born in Fire”

I’d love to waste a thousand years

Through all the strafe and solitude

Will we ever meet again?

Could you believe it?

The city of Angles is alight once again, bathed in hues of neon and shadow, and Sacred Skin is on a mission to capture its pulse in every beat of their synth-drenched soundscapes. Their new album, Born in Fire, is a collision of 80s cinematic drama and anthemic pop, out now via Artoffact Records. It’s a release that melds the evocative spirit of Michael Mann’s film soundtracks with the soaring choruses of Phil Collins, INXS, and Duran Duran, weaving together the cool tension of Tangerine Dream’s scores with the grandeur of Vangelis. It’s a lush ride back to the pastel-tinted, windswept world of the 1987 film The Lost Boys, an aesthetic that the band has fully embraced in both sound and vision. This is not just an album; it’s a revival of a bygone era, a flickering VHS tape you can’t quite eject from the machine. Luckily, Sacred Skin are the kind of band that would also release their music on LaserDisc and Beta.

The album’s opener, “Waiting,” is Sacred Skin’s nod to the frayed glamour of the 80s teen vampire aesthetic. The track builds on a foundation of new wave sheen with a post-punk undercurrent, a meticulous balance of darkness and light. Sparkling synths and a steady rhythm section propel the narrative, while the vocals pierce through like a whisper in a windswept alley. The accompanying video takes cues straight from The Lost Boys, conjuring up images of boardwalks, leather jackets, and a night that stretches on forever—a tribute both sincere and steeped in irony.

“Runaway” tumbles out next with all the urgency of a late-night car chase, drenched in the existential malaise of lost love. It channels the emotional turmoil of broken connections and the restless search for closure, echoing the anthemic soul of Icehouse and the dramatic melancholy of Ultravox. There’s a yearning here that refuses to settle, a dance between what was and what could never be.

With “Show You Love,” Sacred Skin dives headfirst into a cauldron of passion and recklessness, where lust meets the lush, pulsing groove of early Duran Duran. The track burns with raw energy, a fevered night ride through the neon-streaked backstreets of desire. Brian DaMert’s vocals glide and growl with a familiarity reminiscent of Michael Hutchence—equal parts silk and sandpaper, capturing the fever dream of longing with the wisdom of lived experience.

But Sacred Skin isn’t afraid to explore more diverse sounds in their retro repertoire. “Call It Off” takes us through a nocturnal spiral of toxic allure and emotional entanglement. Its Italo disco beat, and airy, bittersweet synth lines evoke the bittersweet vibes of the Thompson Twins while hinting at the glittery melancholy of Bananarama and Exposé. The song grapples with the tension between holding on and letting go, a love affair that burns too bright to last but is too addictive to quit.

Tracks like “On The Ice” and “Too Hard To Find” continue the narrative with stark emotional clarity. “On The Ice” is a brief yet chilling instrumental interlude that sets the stage for “Too Hard To Find,” a saga of love on the rocks, enveloped in synths that simmer with tension. The narrative tension is palpable, reflecting a desperate phone call left unanswered—a fitting metaphor for disconnection in an era of hyper-connectivity.

“Surrender” provides a moment of cinematic grandeur, as the band ventures into the sonic territory of Midge Ure’s melodrama. The song feels like a soundtrack to a relationship on the brink—synth arpeggios flicker and guitars crash like waves against a cliff, underscoring a couple’s resolve to fight for a future even as their past threatens to pull them under.

In “Breaking The Waves,” the band brings us to the shore, with waves lapping up secrets buried in the sand. The track explores the ache of longing against the backdrop of a seemingly endless summer—where the sun’s warmth is as much a blessing as it is a blinding burden.

The title track, “Born In Fire,” is a climactic anthem, fusing grandiose synth lines with shredding guitar solos that evoke the soaring drama of 80s educational science shows like Nova and 321 Contact. It’s a full-circle moment, a declaration of intent that roots the band’s future firmly in the lessons of the past. “Paranoid” closes the album with a sound that is both relentless and redemptive, capturing a sense of peril that is as intoxicating as it is unsettling.

Born In Fire is out now via Artoffact Records. Order the album here.

Catch Sacred Skin at these upcoming shows:

• Sep 21 The Echo Los Angeles (LA), CA
• Oct 31 Great American Music Hall San Francisco, CA
• Feb 7 Paard The Hague, Netherlands

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