Picture yourself in a place that is stuck in limbo between light and dark, that grey area in which the worlds of both the living and the dead are parallels, the space in between the two is the basis of Awake At Last’s recent release, Life, Death, Rebirth.
With a sound similar to compositions created by Danny Elfman, Awake At Last have created a concept EP with a cohesive foundation of tracks. With dark melodies and melodic vocals, the band takes listeners on a journey of redemption and rebirth. The mix of both the softer vocals and heavy-hitting riffs and drums blend well with the story that the band has set out to share with the release of their third album.
For me the standout track is the album’s opening track, “Purgatorium”. The song’s haunting melodies and breaks work so well, throw in some heavy guitar work and punching choruses and you have a well-balanced track that takes us on a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows. The lyrical structure of the song is something that also shined through as well – “will he choose heaven or hell, or will he be reborn” sets the tone for the rest of the story of redemption that the band wants to tell.
Overall, the six track, 24-minute-long EP leaves the listener looking for more once the story is complete. Awake At Last uses the album to refer back to previous releases for longtime fans of the band. When it comes to concept albums, there are a lot of risks involved. But for Awake At Last, I think that they have to formula down to a science. I would personally like to see the band continue to create records like this and further develop the story that they are trying to tell.
“Life, Death, Rebirth” is out now via Google Play, Apple Music and Spotify. Awake At Last is currently on tour as well. You can check out their tour dates on their website, www.awakeatlastrock.com to see if they are coming to a town near you.
