Awaken | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | November 17, 2009 | |||
Recorded | Providence, Rhode Island, United States | |||
Genre | Metalcore | |||
Length | 39:34 | |||
Label | Angle Side Side | |||
Producer | Marcus de Lisle | |||
The Empire Shall Fall chronology | ||||
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Singles from Awaken | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Sputnikmusic | [1] |
Awaken is the debut studio album by The Empire Shall Fall, released on November 17, 2009 through Angle Side Side Records, owned by The Empire Shall Fall's bassist, Nick Sollecito. Awaken features the vocal talents of Killswitch Engage vocalist Jesse Leach. The band cites its influences as At the Gates, Meshuggah, and Edge of Sanity. Awaken draws heavily upon the band members' interests in jazz, punk, and experimental music. The album reflects heavily on the themes of politics and transcendentalism. Lyrically the album advocates positivity, unity, and empowerment. Historical inspirations for the album have been cited as Jello Biafra, Benjamin Franklin, Cynthia McKinney, and Ron Paul. [2]
Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbanding of Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Jesse Leach, guitarists Joel Stroetzel and Adam Dutkiewicz, bassist Mike D'Antonio, and drummer Justin Foley. The band has released eight studio albums and three live performance albums. Their eighth studio album, Atonement, was released on August 16, 2019.
Alive or Just Breathing is the second studio album by American metalcore band Killswitch Engage. It was released on May 21, 2002, through Roadrunner Records. Alive or Just Breathing was Killswitch Engage's first album on Roadrunner and was recorded from October 2001 to February 2002. Produced by drummer and guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, this was the band's first album on a major label, which prompted them to write and record the album to the best of their abilities. Alive or Just Breathing has been viewed as a landmark album in the metalcore genre and was well praised upon its release by fans and critics. The lyrics, which were all written by vocalist Jesse Leach, were intended to bring a positive message through the music.
Omnium Gatherum is a six-piece melodic death metal band from Finland, founded in the autumn of 1996. Although the band mainly follows the path of the melodic death metal genre, much of their work shows strong influences from progressive metal, especially their later albums. Their music is influenced by Gothenburg-style bands such as At the Gates, In Flames, Dissection, Dark Tranquillity, but also Iron Maiden, Death, Anathema and Megadeth among others.
Jesse David Leach is an American musician, best known as the lead vocalist of the metalcore band Killswitch Engage. He is also a vocalist for Times of Grace and The Weapon. Leach co-founded Killswitch Engage in 1999, but left the band in 2002; in February 2012, he rejoined the group following the departure of vocalist Howard Jones. He currently resides in the Catskill Mountains in New York. He is a devoted Christian.
Ceremonial Oath is a Swedish death metal band who formed in 1989 under the name "Desecrator", changed their name to Ceremonial Oath in 1991 and disbanded in 1996. During their short career they released three demos, one EP and two albums. Their influence is greater than their short lifespan suggests: several of the band members would later create or join metal bands that would gain fame and fortune on the future metal scene, such as In Flames, an influential band to the melodic death metal genre; and HammerFall, a band who would greatly influence the awakened interest in power metal and traditional heavy metal.
Deathcore is an extreme metal subgenre that combines death metal with metalcore. The genre consists of death metal guitar riffs, blast beats, and metalcore breakdowns. While there are some precursors to the concept of death metal fused with metalcore/hardcore elements seen in the 1990s, deathcore itself emerged in the early 2000s and gained prominence beginning in the mid-2000s within the southwestern United States, especially Arizona and inland southern California, which are home to many notable bands and various festivals.
Misery Signals is an American-Canadian metalcore band formed in Wisconsin in 2002.
Black Light Burns is an American industrial rock band fronted by Wes Borland. Founded in 2005 after Borland departed Limp Bizkit, the band's lineup also includes Nick Annis, Dennis Sanders and Dylan Taylor. Their debut album, Cruel Melody, was released in June 2007 to critical acclaim. They released a covers and b-sides CD/DVD combo package in the summer of 2008 titled Cover Your Heart and the Anvil Pants Odyssey. After a temporary hiatus, the band regrouped in 2012 and released their second album, The Moment You Realize You're Going to Fall in August. The band released a concept album, Lotus Island, in January 2013.
My Sister's Machine was an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1989. Its members were Nick Pollock, Owen Wright (guitar), Chris Ivanovich, and Chris Gohde (drums).
Karma to Burn was an American rock band from Morgantown, West Virginia. The band was noted for its heavy, mostly instrumental sound.
Malefice was an English heavy metal band from Reading, Berkshire, formed in 2003. They disbanded in 2017.
Soulidium is an American hard rock band formed in Tampa, Florida, United States, in 2006, currently consisting of frontman Michael McKnight, guitarist Braeden Lane, bassist Bobby "Fuzzy" Farrell, and drummer Eric Dietz. Under their original line-up, the band released their debut album, Children of Chaos in mid-2007. The band has toured many well-known bands, including Sevendust, Alice in Chains, Limp Bizkit, Alter Bridge, Puddle of Mudd, Hellyeah, Black Light Burns and Nonpoint. Numerous years after entering into a period of inactivity while attempting to release their sophomore album, initially titled "Fly 2 the Sun, around mid-2011, it was finally released, now re-titled "Awaken" in late 2015. The band had disbanded in 2017, but has reunited in 2022 and is currently working on a new album titled "Revolution" to be released in 2023.
Knights of the Abyss are an American deathcore band from Glendale, Arizona, United States, formed in 2005.
Elexorien was a power/viking metal band from Groningen, Netherlands.
Deadlock is a German heavy metal band from Schwarzenfeld, Bavaria. In 2010 they supported Lacuna Coil on tour. The band consists of only founding member Sebastian Reichl (guitar) alongside John Gahlert (vocals), Margie Gerlitz (vocals), Ferdinand Rewicki (guitar), Christian Simmerl (bass) and Werner Riedl (drums).
The Empire Shall Fall is an American metalcore band formed by Jesse Leach with friends in 2008. The band released their first independent album Awaken which was released on November 17, 2009, until Jesse and Nick left The Empire Shall Fall in 2019. Nick Sollecito also left The Empire Shall Fall to focus on his other band, The Dear Hunter. The Empire Shall Fall currently consists of singer Alan Feeney, guitarists Jake Davenport and Marcus de Lisle, bassist Dylan Nash, and drummer Jeff Pitts.
Mistrust was a heavy metal band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984. This band primarily consisted of vocalist Jeff L'Heureux, guitarists Owen Wright and Michael Winston, bassist Tim Wolfe, and drummer Chris Gohde. They recorded one album in their brief existence called Spin the World, which was originally released through C.O.M.A. Records in 1986 and again through Heart of Steel Records in 2009.
Times of Grace is an American metalcore band formed in Southampton, Massachusetts. The group consists of Adam Dutkiewicz and Jesse Leach while guitarist Joel Stroetzel, bassist Matt Bachand, drummer Dan Gluszak complete the touring lineup. An album was planned for 2009. However, the group remained largely inactive until 2010, releasing the single "Strength in Numbers", with their debut album, titled The Hymn of a Broken Man, released in 2011 through Roadrunner Records.
The Hymn of a Broken Man is the debut album by American heavy metal band Times of Grace, released on January 18, 2011, through Roadrunner Records.