Reviewed by Alex Figgis

In the '80s such bands as The The, Sisters Of Mercy, The Mission, The Cure and many others introduced a sub-culture that seemingly appealed to certain disillusioned youth who felt misunderstood by both their peers and family alike. Arguably this helped to both realise and establish in some way the gothic musical genre, introducing it into the mainstream for the first time. The Awakening not only identify with their musical peers, but also hold perhaps more firmly than others to their '80s heritage. Awash with keyboards, sampling and macabre guitar and vocals, Ashton Nyte emerges as something of a musical genius where the vast majority of material herein is composed, arranged, produced and executed by the main man himself with a little help from Jenni Hazell (bass) and Philip Booyens (guitar). Originally released in '97, this particular edition was re-issued at the start of '99 with three bonus cuts, making 'Risen' a truly collectors item for those adventurous enough to explore The Awakening's peculiar musical leanings. Dubbed 'Gothic future rock', in fact the overall sound of this particular disc is rather dated. This aside, 'Risen' is a good introduction to some excellent musical ideas from an artist bent on originality.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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