Blessthefall’s third studio album, Awakening, is dark in both theme and sound. The title track is promising and sets the listener up for what’s to come with brooding drums to go with the lyrics, which provide a battle cry to rise up and stand tall. “Promised Ones” starts out with a blood-curdling scream followed by thrashing guitars and slamming drums. The second tune brings a positive feel to the start of the release, along with the basic idea of ‘nothing can stop us.’ The shredding guitars, balanced harmonious and screaming vocals combined with hollow drums and distant lyrics in “I’m Bad News, In The Best Way.”
The distorted screams, electrifying breakdown and faint, almost angelic ahs throw “The Reign” into the spotlight as one of the album’s standout tracks, and “Flatline” and “Meet Me At The Gates” blend into each other to close Awakening out on an emotional note.
“Flatline” features night sounds matched with drums that feel like a fading heartbeat. “Meet Me At The Gates,” the final cut, seems to be the most personal on the release, as well as the strongest and heaviest. Each distinct voice blends together to form a wave of power strengthened by the guitar tones that fade out into silence, which lasts for about 10:35 when an eerie clip of a young girl’s voice appears to close the release.
Despite the barely audible bass throughout, Blessthefall’s third studio album puts the band on a whole different level.
In A Word: Heavy
