The Band 'HUMANITY' was formed at
Cambridge Regional College in 2000 where the six original members attended the
Contemporary and Popular music course. The guys spent the next 3 years writing
and performing songs which took them all around the UK metal scene. Demand led
to the first EP being released in 2001, with a follow up in 2002. A reputation
was quickly claimed for being a very professional live stage act with a huge
wall of sound and energetic stage show.
In 2003 the debut album ‘When silence
calls’ was recorded with Pete ‘Pee-wee’ Coleman (AC/DC, Rush & Paradise lost),
and the album was released under the Carbon 13 label. The album received 8/10
across the board by reviewers. HUMANITY’S sights looked upwards as they played a
series of high profile gigs with the likes of EVERGREY, BREED 77, DRAGONFORCE,
BLAZE BAYLEY, JEFF SCOTT SOTO and CHILDREN of BODOM
In 2005, Humanity played Bloodstock open
air with Paradise lost and Evergrey . Meeting Tom Englund (Evergrey) and
striking up a friendship, started the next chapter for the band, new heights
were just around the corner.
2007 Humanity changed their line up and name to AWAKE and the second
album was recorded and produced by Tom Englund at his studios in Sweden. AWAKE
went straight into an extensive UK and European tour with EVERGREY, with a huge
crowd response every time. LION MUSIC based in Finland released ‘Illumination’
worldwide and AWAKE embarked on another UK tour, this time with MAGNUM.
Magnum bassist Al Barrow (MAGNUM) has
nothing but praise for AWAKE, stating, “We have crossed paths with AWAKE a
few times now. From meeting the guys they seem down to earth and quite
restrained. This is NOT the case once these guys tread the boards. You get a
strong feel of very accomplished rhythm section with this band. Solid but with
just the right amount of flair and extravagance you want to hear from a live
metal band. Having these guys on stage before us was a no brainer, getting the
crowd well worked up and in the mood for some good rock tunes. A force to be
reckoned with when the stage lights go on and these guys do what they do best.
Play it live, play it loud, the only way!”
The journey for the follow up started
around a year after ‘Illumination’ was released. The bands former guitarist left
(Richard Hall) and the group were keen to move on with new members when writing
the new album. After thorough and extensive auditioning Andy Coles joined around
June 2008 and the early ideas for the new album were formed. ‘Release Me’ was
the first song written and came from a keyboard ‘riff’ that Craig came in with.
Steven Coles joined the band by February 2009 and a break in writing was taken
for the band to go out on the road with Magnum again. After this writing resumed
and the album took shape over the next year or so. Pre-production took place in
February 2010, final adjustments were made (including the inclusion of female
backing vocals-Jennifer Hardy), and full recording took place April/May 2010.
Over the next few months the album saw
completion and 'Forever More' was released on Lion Music in October 2011.