Both as a band and as individuals, Awake At Last continue to stand for positivity, spirituality, self-help and making an impact every single day. After the successful release of their debut full-length, The Change, they have returned with a brand new single THIS MEANS WAR featuring lead singer Rick DeJesus of band Adelitas Way. Released on June 26th, the song originally was written about a post-apocalyptic world that can be seen reflected in the track's artwork. However with everything happening in the world, the song took on a double meaning. "To stand up and use your voice to fight for what you believe in, to be the change you want to see reflected in the world." says lead singer Vincent Torres. The lyric video shows imagery of both the recent Black Lives Matter protests as well as the viral footage of Flint, Michigan police sergeant Chris Swanson and his men marching together in unity with the protestors and allowing their voices to be heard.
The collaboration came about after having done dates together with Adelitas Way in May 2019, which sparked a friendship between the two bands. Awake At Last and Rick hung out together in Las Vegas on an off day of the Octane Accelerator Tour in Las Vegas and the idea was sparked. Rick Dejesus commented "I loved the song the second I heard the original demo! Awake At Last is a hard working band and I believe they are capable of having a long bright future. I always love teaming up with friends and This Means War is a hit song that I was excited to be a part of!"
The band's debut full length album The Change. was a massive success - earning some impressive first week chart placings - #2 on the Heatseeker Chart, #3 Hard Music Album, #8 Independent Album and #27 Top Billboard Albums, after selling a combined 3700 units week 1 alone. The response from fans has been “astronomical and amazing”, and has only served to make them more intent to get their message out there. “We pushed ourselves to our limits as songwriters,” states guitarist Imran Xhelili. “There is more variety on this record and there are songs that lean in a heavier rock/metal direction with other songs being a lot lighter and more dynamic. All of the choruses on this album have huge hooks, and there are more sections that are less guitar heavy and carried by different elements, like pianos and orchestral instruments. The lyrics are also more direct in how they carry across the messages we have always had at the forefront of our music.” While making waves with their previous output, this combination is the sound of a band who have truly come into their own, and this has been borne out in the critical reception, with Devolution magazine writing ‘Driven by a ‘nothing worth having comes easy’ spirit, full of anthems for self-belief, and a resource for self-help, Awake At Last’s solid soul-baring gem sounds young and fresh – and is full of encouragement to live, love and follow your dreams.’ From front to back, every song carries a message of hope. Having commenced writing for it even before the release of their Life/Death/Rebirth EP in 2017, the finished result is not something that came easily. “We all had demons we had to battle mentally and physically,” explains vocalist Vincent Torres. “You wouldn't believe the pressure that comes down on you when you begin the process for a full length record. After we pushed through the turmoil and embraced the wonderful things that came as a reward it became pretty clear that what we had made should be called The Change. I think this is a perfect name, because it represents the spiritual evolution that we all went through.”
The band went on to achieve a lot in 2019 after the initial successful charting of the album on Billboard - going out to support From Ashes To New and Palisades immediately upon its release, and performing mainstage on massive rock festivals such as InkCarceration Fest and ROCK USA that summer. They then went on to open the Octane Accelerator Tour in the fall alongside Ice Nine Kills, Fit For A King and Light The Torch. Sirius Octane went out to play four songs off of the album to help champion the band - rounded out by guitarist Eric Blackway and drummer Jon Finney - giving four tracks from The Change extensive airplay, helping to get their core message of positivity out to the masses as they continue to place their fans first, and wanting to do all that they can to help improve their quality of life. “I want people to understand the symbiotic relationship between a band and its fanbase and I want them to feel like they're along for the ride with us,” Torres states. “We are a band that is built on the foundation of endurance and perseverance, and nothing we've accomplished has been easily accessed. I want our fans to know that the reason we are able to live this dream is because they continue to support us and allow us to do so, but most of all I want them to understand that whatever it is that nurtures their soul can also be obtainable if they strive for it and believe in themselves.” Xhelili expounds on this, noting “As individuals, it can feel hard at times to find our own identity and our individual greater purpose. It all may feel rather heavy and bog us down constantly. However, we are here to take a stand and try to rise above all of that and be a respite for all of the darkness around us, as a shining light.” The casual listener also might be unaware of the interconnectedness of Awake At Last’s releases, with Torres explaining that there’s a deep-rooted storyline following a character on their journey through multiple lives. The Change in fact serves as a direct sequel to Life/Death/Rebirth.
Carry On Wayward Son
Awake At Last Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There′ll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more
Once I rose above the noise and confusion
Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion
I was soaring ever higher
Though my eyes could see, I still was a blind man
Though my mind could think, I still was a mad man
I hear the voices when I′m dreaming
I can hear them say
Carry on, my wayward son
There'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more
Masquerading as a man with a reason
My charade is the event of the season
And if I claim to be a wise man
It surely means that I don′t know
On a stormy sea of moving emotion
Tossed about, I′m like a ship on the ocean
I set a course for winds of fortune
But I hear the voices say
Carry on, my wayward son
There'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don′t you cry no more, no
Carry on, you will always remember
Carry on, nothing equals the splendor
Now your life's no longer empty
But surely heaven waits for you
Carry on, my wayward son
There′ll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry, don′t you cry no more
"Carry On Wayward Son" by Kansas is a song that tells a story of a man trying to find his place in the world. The lyrics start with "Carry on, my wayward son, there'll be peace when you are done, Lay your weary head to rest, Don't you cry no more." The singer of the song is instructed to keep going, and that there will be peace waiting for him when everything is said and done. Following this, the verses explore the singer's journey of self-discovery, as he rises above the confusion and illusion of the world but ultimately flies too close to the sun and falls, blinded and delusional. He struggles with his own mind, hearing voices when he's dreaming, and he masquerades as a man with a reason when, in reality, he's just as unsure of himself as everyone else. Despite setting a course for the winds of fortune, he's still tossed about like a ship on the ocean, hearing the same voices urging him to carry on. In the end, the singer discovers a sense of purpose and fulfillment in life, and the song ends on a hopeful note, with the promise of heaven awaiting him.
Line by Line Meaning
Carry on, my wayward son
Continue moving forward, my lost and restless child
There'll be peace when you are done
You will finally find the calm you seek when your journey ends
Lay your weary head to rest
Take a break from traveling and allow yourself to rest
Don't you cry no more
Do not shed any more tears for the troubles you've faced
Once I rose above the noise and confusion
I acted above the chaos of life
Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion
Trying to break free from the delusions of life
I was soaring ever higher
I was constantly pushing to climb higher
But I flew too high
I pushed myself beyond my own limitations
Though my eyes could see, I still was a blind man
Despite my ability to see, I was still ignorant to some things
Though my mind could think, I still was a mad man
Despite my intellect, I was still mentally disturbed
I hear the voices when I'm dreaming
I hear the inner voices when I'm asleep
I can hear them say
They tell me
Masquerading as a man with a reason
Faking to have purpose in my actions
My charade is the event of the season
My disguise is the talk of the town
And if I claim to be a wise man
If I say I am a knowledgeable person
It surely means that I don't know
It is most likely that I am clueless
On a stormy sea of moving emotion
In a turbulent experience where emotions run high
Tossed about, I'm like a ship on the ocean
Thrown around like a boat in rough water
I set a course for winds of fortune
I aimed for favorable opportunities
But I hear the voices say
But the inner voices warn me
Carry on, you will always remember
Keep going and never forget
Carry on, nothing equals the splendor
Your journey is filled with unmatched beauty
Now your life's no longer empty
Your existence is no longer meaningless
But surely heaven waits for you
You will find peace beyond this physical realm
Don't you cry, don't you cry no more
Do not weep, for your journey is not over
Writer(s): Eric Thomas Blackway, Vincent Collin Torres, Imran Xhelili
Contributed by Levi T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@AshenMoon1
This is so amazing! You guys are so awesome!! The SPN fan in me is in complete awe right now!!! Thank you for blessing us with your incredible talent! ♥♥♥
-An adoring fan of many years
@Awakeatlastrock
We love Supernatural! part of the reason we covered the song 🤘
@marblewolf5502
I came here to find the Supernatural fans! 😭
@MoonlightDisco
First heard this song on Spotify in one of my “discover weekly” playlists a few days ago and now I can’t stop listening to it
@Awakeatlastrock
😁
@Awakeatlastrock
Jesus Christ 🙌🎉
@imranxhelili5075
Thanks everyone for all the love so far! Keep sharing the video around and let us know where you first heard the song in the comments!
@MJ-gm5lo
Super natural
@snickers17
Wow! You guys never fail to amaze me with your awesome music!
@isaoikeiosis3134
Awesome take on a classic. The theatrics remained solid which is something I think is very important for a song of this caliber. The lyric that stood out the most during this listening was “if I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don’t know.” I really resonate with Awake At Last as a band and I am grateful to be able to listen to the band’s music. Thank you for sharing your talents with the world! The fade out is awesomeeee. Take it easy 🧬