AWAKEN

AWAKEN is a Power/Progressive Metal band that was formed in 2009 by vocalist Glenn DaGrossa, founding member and chief songwriter. The band was signed to Mausoleum Records in June 2012 and released their self-titled CD worldwide in November of the same year. Kerrang! magazine hailed AWAKEN as “One of the quintessential metal bands of our time”.

On the strength of the debut album, Awaken toured heavily from 2013 to 2016, joining the sold out Xfinity Tour supporting legendary rockers Uriah Heep, and opening for major acts such as Queensryche, Fates Warning, Kamelot, Adrenaline Mob, Dokken, Winger, Finntroll, UFO, Pain of Salvation, Spock’s Beard, Saxon, UDO, Sacred Oath, Y&T, Symphony X, Firehouse, Brett Michaels, Jeff Scott Soto, and Yngwie Malmsteen.

During those three years of touring, the band was a “two-guitar” band, and powerhouse drummer Mike Marrone and Glenn DaGrossa worked on writing the second studio album. At the end of 2016, with the addition of Andrew Colyer on keyboards, vocals, and sound design, the sonic possibilities were endless. The second studio album was redesigned, to include a broader cinematic scope. This process took from 2017 through 2019 to finish re-writing, re-recording, mixing, and mastering.

By the summer of 2019, Out of the Shadows , an epic 90-minute double album was finally ready to launch! With DaGrossa’s soaring vocals and stellar song craftsmanship, blazing guitar solos from guest artist Eric Gillette (Neal Morse Band), the powerful rhythm section of Marone with bassist Eddie Jucius, guest percussionist Gumbi Ortiz (Al Dimeola band), and sweeping symphonic lines from Colyer, AWAKEN has created a cinematic, melodic metal masterpiece.

Summer 2019 also saw the band release the official video for “Ride Like the Wind”, a heavy metal remake of the Christopher Cross hit from 1980, and a return to touring live with guest guitarist Alek Darson (Circuline, Special Providence, Jordan Rudess). This will be released in the upcoming album, Awaken Live in New York.

Fall 2019 saw the addition of internationally-known guitarist Eric Wirsing as the new permanent guitarist in the band. The band got one live gig in New York City with Wirsing under their belt in February 2020, just before the global COVID-19 pandemic lock-down.

With considerable national and international touring and recording experience under their collective belts, AWAKEN is primed for the world stage, ready to lead and redefine the lines of Progressive Metal. After searching for over a year for a new record label to call home, the band is currently signing with a European metal label, to be announced soon!