Zola Jesus shares stunning new single Into The Wild

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Zola Jesus to release the delayed Arkhon on June 24 via Sacred Bones

Zola Jesus in a red chiffon gown
(Image credit: Shervin Lainez)

US art-rocker Zola Jesus has released the fourth single from her delayed upcoming album, Arkhon, which is out on June 24 via Sacred Bones. The visualiser for the atmospheric Into The Wild leads the viewer on a journey through illuminated chambers of the light-filled cave pictured on the album's cover - check out the full clip below. 

Says the singer-songwriter, aka Nika Roza Danilova, "Into The Wild was written about the end of a relationship, and what seemed like the end of a former life. It was such an overwhelming, tumultuous time of my life; every step into the future felt like walking into the great unknown. My anxiety was at an all-time high, and getting through each day felt like a nearly impossible task. Songwriting was the only way to feel grounded in what I was experiencing. 

"This song in particular became a beacon for me. I’m so grateful to have music as an outlet to help me navigate difficult periods, and hopefully those listening to this will also feel a deeper sense of stability through their own big changes.”

Arkhon – the title comes from the ancient Greek word for 'power' or 'ruler' – is Danilova's sixth studio album and follows on from 2017's mesmerising Okovi. It's her first project to include producer Randall Dunn who's best known for his work with Anna von Hausswolff, Sunn O))) and Chelsea Wolfe. The album also marks her first collaboration with drummer and percussionist Matt Chamberlain (Bob Dylan, David Bowie). 

"At some point, I had to work with other people. I needed new blood. I needed somebody else," she explains. "When I look back at my work, I see there's a theme where I fixate on my fear of the unknown. That really came into fruition for this record, because I had to let go of so much control. I had to surrender to whatever the outcome would be. That used to be really hard for me, and now I had no other choice."

Arkhon will be available on standard black vinyl, CD and cassette, as well as limited-edition coloured and marbled vinyl formats .

Arkhon tracklist:

1. Lost
2. The Fall
3. Undertow
4. Into The Wild 
5. Dead and Gone
6. Sewn
7. Desire
8. Fault
9. Efemra
10. Do That Anymore

album cover for Zola Jesus' Arkhon

(Image credit: Press)
Natasha Scharf
Natasha Scharf
Deputy Editor, Prog

Contributing to Prog since the very first issue, writer and broadcaster Natasha Scharf was the magazine’s News Editor before she took up her current role of Deputy Editor, and has interviewed some of the best-known acts in the progressive music world from ELP, Yes and Marillion to Nightwish, Dream Theater and TesseracT. Starting young, she set up her first music fanzine in the late 80s and became a regular contributor to local newspapers and magazines over the next decade. The 00s would see her running the dark music magazine, Meltdown, as well as contributing to Metal Hammer, Classic Rock, Terrorizer and Artrocker. Author of music subculture books The Art Of Gothic and Worldwide Gothic, she’s since written album sleeve notes for Cherry Red, and also co-wrote Tarja Turunen’s memoirs, Singing In My Blood. Beyond the written word, Natasha has spent several decades as a club DJ, spinning tunes at aftershow parties for Metallica, Motörhead and Nine Inch Nails. She’s currently the only member of the Prog team to have appeared on the magazine’s cover.