Awaken I Am release heavily emotional EP “The Beauty in Tragedy”
by Emily Armitage
Awaken I Am are a band from Australia who have recently toured with Slaves, CKY, Picturesque, and Secrets. They’ve recently experienced a new line up change since their last release “Blind Love”. First they got a new vocalist, Jimmy Stevenson and most recently lost their guitarist Connor which is what inspired the new music. The band was on tour in Australia with Secrets when the tragedy happened. Prior to this EP, the band had one single featuring the new vocalist called “Dissolution”. This EP was produced by Taylor Lawson who also produced Blind Love and has the same kind of raw emotional vibe as the album. Awaken I Am will be supporting Secrets this May on their Fragile Figures Anniversary tour. There are five tracks on this release, “Kin”, “By Your Side”, “Dissolution”, “Indifference”, and “The Stages of Grief”. Aside from the loss of Connor which can be painful felt through the last track “The Stages of Grief”, this EP also outlines the tragedies surrounding a toxic relationship. Each song is just as powerful as the next and really showcase Jimmy’s incredible vocals. I’ve always felt that Adam had a distinct voice but Jimmy certainly does not disappoint. This music is much heavier than their last release while still maintaining the same kind of vibe. Like Adam, all of the anger, sadness, pain, realization and growth can be heard in Jimmy’s vocals. One of the hardest hitting lines is in Kin, “What I once loved now just brings pain and what brought pain has become my escape”. There are so many stories waiting to be unfolded in each song and the entire EP as a whole. It feels as though you are on this emotional journey watching first hand while listening to each of these songs. The emotions felt while listening to “The Stages of Grief” are on the same level as if you were listening to “3.17.16” by Secrets about the loss of Richard’s sister and “Eiley” by Too Close to Touch, about the loss of Keaton’s sister. Another really powerful line is from Indifference, “Maybe I just feel numb”. If you’re going through a hard time or have been recently, this is definitely something that you can relate to.
10/10 Listen to The Stages of Grief, Indifference, and Kin.