Released:
January 2001, Intervention Arts, INT016

Website:
The Awakening

It’s been just over a year since The Awakening released ‘The Fourth Seal of Zeen’ and this month sees the release of a brand new CD from this dark Gothic band. ‘The Fountain’ is a seven-track EP with five brand new tracks that showcase Ashton Nyte’s versatility as a songwriter.

On ‘The Fountain’, you’ll find love songs mingling with Romantic socio-political concepts, and entirely electronic Darkwave dance-floor fillers alongside classic Gothic Rock on songs like ‘Cerebral Song’, ‘The New Renaissance’, ‘Asrya’, and ‘Martyr’. ‘The Fountain’ also includes two bonus tracks - a complete reworking of the title track and a beautiful version of ‘Amethyst’, an emotional vocal delivery with all the music performed on grand piano.
-- Stephen Segerman, SA Rock Digest #135, January 2002

I first heard the song 'Martyr' on Barney Simon's show one night on 5FM, and I thought to myself "nice new David Bowie song". When I found out it was actually Ashton Nyte's alter-ego band The Awakening, I thought "hmmm, Bowie but better..."

'Martyr' is an uptempo and bouncy song (or as bouncy as a Goth song can be), with wonderful piano and a catchy chorus ("perfect martyr for me, perfect martyr for you..."). Ashton's deep and dark voice even manages to soar in places. I was hooked and soon had my hands on 'The Fountain' 7-track CD.

I'm not a great Goth fan (its the clothes, I think), but besides the superb 'Martyr', this CD also has some other great moments. 'The New Renaissance', the slow and powerful 'Asrya' and the Depravity Remix of the title track, with its Mike Garson-type manic piano, are all outstanding. There is also a live piano version of 'Amethyst' which was a track on the 'The Fourth Seal Of Zeen' CD released about a year ago. If your taste runs towards The Mission, No Friends Of Harry, Sisters Of Mercy and David Bowie (his voice, more than his music) then The Awakening is definitely for you. Ashton implores us to "fly the flag of the new Renaissance" and we have no reason to doubt his sincerity.
-- Brian Currin, SA Rock Digest #144, February 2002

All info supplied by John Samson, June 2002