Alt-rock group Awaken The Empire are currently rocking out audiences on the ‘When The Sky Cracks Open Tour’, which sees them playing alongside 10 Years, Nonpoint, and The Family Ruin.

Even though they’re slammed bringing their music to new ears every night, we still managed to catch up with singer/guitarist Damien Lawson to ask him six questions about the new album Aurora, working with Chad Michael Ward, and what sets Awaken The Empire apart from other bands in today’s day and age. Check out this exclusive interview below!

Order your copy of Aurora via iTunes.

The music scene has never been more flooded with bands and artists, thanks to the internet. You’ve been busting ass for a few years now getting your name out there. What do you think sets you apart from the countless other bands that are struggling to make it?

As a band, we just do what comes naturally, so it’s difficult to have an unbiased opinion on what makes us so different from other bands. From a musical standpoint, I think we have a unique blend of styles that makes it hard to classify us as one specific genre. When we’re touring, we get a ton of feedback from current and new fans, and something we hear all the time is that when we play, it doesn’t feel like a band playing songs, it feels like a group of people experiencing an emotion, and that energy is shared with the audience.

‘Aurora’ has been a long time coming. What can fans of the band expect from the album?

Aurora is an album that plays out more like a movie score than a collection of individual songs. There are super heavy songs about the most intense heartbreaking experiences I have been through in my life, and there are songs that clean and beautiful that are all about love. This album is all about contrast, and the juxtaposition between dark and light.

How would you describe ‘Aurora’ to people who have never heard of Awaken The Empire to get them to give it a chance?

Aurora is pure emotion and passion collected into a singular album. If you love songs where every word has a purpose and meaning, and albums where everything from the packaging/artwork to the music helps to build the overall story, you should check out Aurora.

You worked with Chad Michael Ward on the video for “The Awakening”, who is known for his dark yet beautiful style. What drew you to him?

Chad is incredible. He’s one of my favorite directors on the planet. I was originally drawn to him for the exact reasons you mentioned. His work is really dark while still being super high-end and beautiful. We worked with Chad Michael Ward on The Awakening, Rise+Fall, and Cross My Heart videos, and every time it was a fantastic experience.

Speaking of music videos, if you could get any horror director to write and direct a video for you, who would you want?

Robert Wiene, who did the ‘The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari’ would be fucking brilliant, if he wasn’t dead… I think David Lynch would be amazing to work with. I’m really into videos that force the viewer to look deeper, and become enveloped in the overall cinematic experience. I love videos that affect you physically as much as they do visually.

Now that ‘Aurora’ is coming out, what’s next for the band? What do the next couple of years hold for you?

In the immediate future, we’ll be focused on touring, and getting in front of many people as possible. I know we all really want to go to Europe to play some shows. I’m always creating new music and content, so I plan on releasing as much material as possible.

Awaken The Empire online:
Official Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Tour dates with Nonpoint, 10 Years, and The Family Ruin:
07/29 Columbia, SC – Music Farm Columbia
07/31 Lake Buena Vista, FL – House of Blues Orlando
08/01 Pensacola, FL – Vinyl Music Hall
08/07 Knoxville, TN – The International – Knoxville
08/09 Joliet, IL – Mojoes
08/11 Lawrence, KS – The Granada Theater
08/13 Rochester, MN – Wicked Moose Bar and Grill
08/15 Rockford, IL – District Bar and Grill