Awake by Design's 'Awake by Design' - Album Review

England's Awake by Design are one of those bands that I seem destined to bump into every so often. I believe I caught one of the band's very first live shows back in 2008 when they supported Touchstone at The Marlborough Club in Ilfracombe; and I have seen the band live twice since, supporting both Sonata Arctica and Stream of Passion. While that first show back in 2008 featured a very rough and ready version of Awake by Design, which saw frontman Adrian Powell continually running around the whole venue for some unknown reason, I enjoyed the band's melodic take on gothic rock. I started to follow the their progress after the show, but I did not pick up the band's 2009 debut album Sentiment on release. I think it was after seeing the band again in 2011 with Sonata Arctica that I took the plunge, so to speak, and purchased the album. The Awake by Design featured on Sentiment is quite different in line-up and in sound to the Awake by Design of today - with the heavy, oppressive nature of the band's older material a contrast to the more streamlined sound that they have evolved into possessing. Sentiment is a true gothic metal release; complete with slow tempos, a doomy atmosphere, and occasional harsh vocals; but, while Awake by Design have remained a gothic act, they have never been as heavy again. It would take six years and many line-up changes for the band to follow up Sentiment however, but 2015's Carve the Sun saw the band putting on a much more accessible front. The gothic trappings were still present, but the songs were less lengthy and doomy; instead going for more of an accessible European melodic metal approach. There are hints of the darker end of Kamelot in the post-Sentiment Awake by Design sound, as well as strains of classic goth acts like Saviour Machine - with Powell sounding somewhat similar to the latter's Eric Clayton at times. It has been five years now since Carve the Sun, a time period which included yet more line-up changes, but the band are now back with their third album - and this time they opted to go for a self-titled release. Joining Powell on the band's latest thirteen track opus are guitarist Luke Smith and bassist Dave Favill, who both contributed to Carve the Sun, along with returning guitarist Toby Stewart and new drummer Chris Threlfall. Stewart was one of the band's original members and appeared on Sentiment, so it is unsurprising that Awake by Design returns to some of the more progressive trappings of the band's debut. In some ways, Awake by Design is almost the perfect mix of Sentiment and Carve the Sun, with the progressive gothic metal sounds from their debut mixing well with the more concise, melodic approach taken on the latter to create a hybrid that presents the band in a strong light. Powell also returns to his original 'other' role as the band's keyboard player here, although former member Janson Sissons also contributes keyboards and strings to a handful of tracks.

One thing to note before diving into Awake by Design however is that it is a long album. At over 75 minutes in length, the album is a real commitment. While the quality of the songwriting is pretty consistent throughout, it might have been wise to hold two or three of the songs back for a future release to allow the album to be a bit more digestible. The length will certainly put some people off, but those who stick with Awake by Design will be rewarded with a strong collection of dark, melodic songs. The Coming Tide is a perfect representation of the modern Awake by Design sound, with a melodic harmony guitar lead opening the song up - before Threlfall lays down a crunchy double bass drum pattern behind it to inject some energy into the album's opening moments. In classic gothic/power metal fashion, Powell's vocals are full of melodrama and act as a contrast with the heavier and energetic metal backing. Awake by Design rarely reach high speeds, but most of their songs are still full of energy - largely thanks to Threlfall's drumming style - and the battle between this energy and Powell's mournful crooning is what gives the band their distinct style. There is plenty of melody to be found in this opening number too, with a soaring chorus forming the album's first earworm - while Stewart and Smith trade harmony leads and solos throughout. Devoid of Illusion is similar, but the opening riff sounds like something a Gothenburg-based melodic death metal act might come up with - and then forced through a gothic metal filter. It works well, and the slightly dirtier guitar tone used here helps the song to stand out from the opening track. It also ensures that the song is somewhat heavier than average for the album, with Powell's vocals sounding more urgent here - especially during the call-to-arms-esque chorus that is a stark contrast to the thespian strains of the opening number. This song recalls the heaviness of Sentiment somewhat, while upping the tempo to create something catchier and more energetic. This Avalanche has a similar tone, but the pace is slowed down slightly to create more of a gothic atmosphere overall. Stewart and Smith often lock together throughout the song to provide melodic harmonies, but it is actually the suffocating verse riff that stands out the most for me. There are lots of great standout leads throughout the album, but the heavier riffing moments are also impressive - and recall the sound the band forged on Sentiment. Having Stewart back in the band makes those moments somewhat more common, and his influence is felt here - with the doomy riffing providing a great backing for Powell's dramatic vocal performance. Powell's keyboards also make their presence felt here, their shimmering halo contrasting nicely with the heavier riffing. Tears for the Fall continues on the somewhat slower, heavier vibe established on the previous song. A lone guitar lead slowly opens the song up, before a crunching, groove-based verse takes over that gives Favill's bass a prominent role. His grooves really keep the song ticking; and even the heavier moments that see Threlfall's double bass drumming dominate still feature a strong bass presence. In many ways however, the song is a real mix of styles. The bass-heavy grooves allow parts of the song to sound modern; while the lengthy harmony guitar lead and solo section sounds like a real throwback the 1980s. The combination works well however, and the song is another strong offering.

Nothing Hurts takes a much more symphonic approach, and it is during songs like this that the Kamelot comparison is most apt. The are fewer guitar leads and standout riffs here, with Stewart, Smith, and Favill locking together perfectly throughout for crunching and energetic rhythms while Powell's keyboards and strings dominate melodically. Much of Awake by Design's sound is very guitar-based, which means that the more keyboard-dominated songs stand out due to their different approach. Songs like this also really bring out the best in Powell as a vocalist too. The crunching riffs and haunting stings really allow him to shine as the general arrangement is less busy - and his emotion-filled performance here is easily the song's standout ingredient. Calling You Home is more of a ballad, and it is one of the most instantly-memorable songs here. Awake by Design is an album that needs a good few listens to fully appreciate, but Calling You Home was one of the few songs the stood out on first listen. It is much simpler than many of the other songs here, with a strong vocal presence throughout that is helped by a memorable chorus hook and plenty of atmospheric clean guitar lines. While many of the album's other songs have surpassed this one now as their melodies and riffs have taken hold, I still really like its simplistic, melancholic sing-a-long nature. It does provide a bit of a respite near to the album's midway point, which is welcome after the darker opening five numbers. Fall to Victory returns to the crunch of the album's earlier numbers, with more Gothenburg-esque riffing and guitar tones. The keyboards are much more prominent this time around however, which does bury the riffing a little, but the mix of sounds works well in my opinion. Parts of the song are very keyboard-heavy, with the guitars providing little more than a rhythmic backing to allow Powell's voice to really shine, while others push the guitars to the fore a little more to emphasise the band's guitar talent. Stewart and Smith have already formed a strong guitar double act, and the two play off each other nicely throughout the album. Both are big part of Awake by Design's history, but this is the first album that they have appeared on together - and I hope that Powell can keep them both on board going forward. Echoes for Eternity ups the pace and recalls the album's opening couple of numbers - with a busy guitar riff dominating throughout while Threlfall lays down some more strong double bass drum patterns. The keyboards take more of a backseat here, letting the guitars lead the charge, but the star of the show again is Powell - who's vocal performance is one of the album's best. He has a surprising amount of range despite his usual fairly deep delivery, and that range is on show here - particularly during the slower, more emotional choruses. The Unspoken Truth is another ballad, but this time the arrangement is stripped back in a much more dramatic way - leaving Powell mostly alone with his piano. While I knew that Powell was a great singer, I do not think that I really appreciated before just what a great pianist his is too. His piano playing here is almost classical in style, and the subtle strings that back the whole song add a little extra depth. While Awake by Design is Powell's band, he always ensures that his songwriting brings out the best in his band as a whole - so it is nice to have this song that really showcases him and him alone, despite the band joining towards the very end of the piece. His vocal performance is full of emotion and depth here, while his virtuoso piano playing showcases that he is much more than 'just' a singer.

As Strangers Divide, which is co-written by and features former keyboard player Sissons, is unsurprisingly very keyboard driven. A hypnotic keyboard riff opens up the song in a very classic power metal-esque way; before Threlfall launches into some of the fastest drumming of the album while the guitarists provide machine gun rhythms to contrast the sparkling melodies. The mix of sounds work well together, and is something quite different for Awake by Design. I would never call them a power metal band, but this song comes close at times. The lead keyboard approach taken is very reminiscent of many of the big power metal bands out there, but the overall heaviness of the track stops it from becoming too sugary. As a result, the song still fits nicely within the context of the album and does not stand out too much. The keyboard melodies provide a nice change of pace, but many other parts of the song still sound like classic Awake by Design. A melodramatic chorus is full of the band's usual gothic trappings, while the occasional guitar lead and solo helps the album's core sound to rise to the surface when needed. Saviours opens in a similar way to The Unspoken Truth, with dark piano and gothic strings, but the stripped back arrangement is only utilised during the intro this time around - as the rest of the band crash in after a minute or so with heavy mid-paced riffs and more Gothenburg melodies. Despite the crunch, there is still a strong string presence throughout to allow that contrast between gothic textures and metal riffing to once again shine. It is something that works really well for the band, and this is the album of theirs that perhaps showcases it the best. Hand of a Thousand Fates is similar, but with more of the symphonic approach taken on Nothing Hurts. The band's guitarists here largely provide tough rhythms and dark riffs; while Powell's strings and keyboards provide dramatic and theatrical stabs of melody over the top of the tough metal backing. The chorus is not as strong here as on many of the album's other songs, but the strong symphonic nature still makes it an enjoyable listen. The best part of the song for me however is the slower bridge section that leads into a lengthy and shredded guitar solo that is one of the best pure guitar moments of the album. The album comes to a close with the lengthy and progressive Empire - and in my opinion it is one of the best cuts here and one of the best songs the band have put together yet. Stewart, who co-wrote all of the material on Sentiment, co-wrote the song which could explain the more progressive leanings on display here - but the song is more of a perfect mix of all of the influences on display throughout the album. A lengthy string and piano intro kicks the song off with Powell eventually joining in vocally; but for me the best part of the song is when it gets going proper. The lengthy intro really helps to set the scene and build up to the main meat of the track, but the high energy riffing of the verse and the album's most soaring chorus are what makes Empire a real winner for me. I feel like this is the sort of song that Awake by Design have been building up towards since getting together a decade or so ago, and it is great to hear them fulfil their potential. There is so much going on here, but it is the sort of song where everything really hangs together perfectly. Every melody hits the way it was intended to, every guitar lead is packed with emotion, and Powell brings it all together with his thespian-esque vocal display. It is the perfect way to end the lengthy and dramatic album, and it is easily the band's defining moment at this point in their career. Overall, despite its length, Awake by Design is a very strong third effort from a British metal band who certainly deserve to be heard by a larger audience. The material here is the sort that could certainly turn a few heads if it reaches the right publications etc., so I really hope that the band are able to capitalise on all of the hard work that has clearly gone into making this album. It is certainly one that I will be listening to a lot more going forward, and I hope to be able to catch the band live again soon.

The self-released album was released on 14th August 2020. Below is the band's promotional video for The Coming Tide.