Not to be confused with the Canadian band with the same name that was signed to Reunion several years ago, this bunch of South Africans are much darker in tone and subject matter. While not pure goth, this hybrid of Europop and heavy 'n' low keys create a cool vibe. Vocally and melody-wise, I hear some David Bowie influence, and there's a couple songs in this band's arsenal that sound almost exactly like Type O Negative. On the newer Request, they do an original called "Where Roses Grow" that could've easily been on Bloody Kisses. Then there's also the cover of "The Sounds of Silence" on the Risen album, which rivals the Type O cover of "Summer Breeze." These two are not indicative of The Awakening sound, though. Older fans who remember Dark Angel and the Branded-era Undercover will find something to like here. This band is great at what they do. A US deal should not be too far away. If these comments are not enough to make you curious, let it be known that they do a cover of the Men Without Hats hit "Safety Dance" on the Request album. While Risen is the older of the two discs, they are both high quality. If I had to choose between the two, I think Request is more consistent song-for-song.
More from The Awakening
1998Request
1999Ethereal Menace
2002Roadside Heretics
2002Sacrificial Etchings (Selected Works 1996-2002)
2001The Fourth Seal of Zeen
2004Darker Than Silence
