With Rise, Ashes Awaken deliver a full-length experience that combines crushing riffs, soaring melodies, and unflinching messages of hope, recovery, and spiritual rebirth.
From the middle-eastern inspired, dramatic intensity of set opener “Golgotha” to the anthemic closer “Rise from the Ashes,” the record embodies the band’s mission to create music that doesn’t just move the body, but transforms the soul.
Marrying the sonic heft of modern metal with the message of eternal hope, Ashes Awaken have crafted an album that will resonate with fans of Demon Hunter, Skillet, and Killswitch Engage alike. Tracks like “Crown of Thorns” and “Through Strengthened Hands” bring both ferocity and vulnerability, while “Amazing Grace, Again” and “Hallelujah” show a softer side of the band.
Michael Stover cites bands like Stryper, Boston, Queen, Styx and Journey as some of his biggest influences.
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Rising from the Ashes: How Ashes Awaken’s “Rise” Turns Faith, Fire, and Heavy Metal into Redemption| Posted January 20, 2026 Ashes Awaken’s debut LP Rise (out February 6, 2026, via MTS Records) is a thunderous and faith-fueled statement of purpose—a record that doesn’t just speak to the ears of metal fans but to the hearts of believers hungry for revival through art. Hailing from Pittsburgh, the quintet has crafted an eleven-track manifesto of spiritual warfare and victory, merging blistering guitars and anthemic choruses with a profound gospel message: death is defeated, Christ reigns, and grace is still amazing.
Opening the album not with a roar but with reverence, “Golgotha” serves as a cinematic instrumental interlude that sets the spiritual tone for Rise. Built around haunting Middle Eastern melodies and percussive textures that evoke the landscape of Calvary itself, the track feels like a journey through sacred history. It’s a prelude to resurrection, an aural pilgrimage to the foot of the cross—where silence, sorrow, and glory entwine before the storm of metal begins.
Thematically, Rise traces a soul’s journey from brokenness to redemption. “A Better Way,” the lead single, embodies that turning point—confessional yet confident, testifying that “Only Love can set me free.” Its melodic hooks and emotional honesty make it one of the album’s most accessible entries, echoing the radio-friendly power of early Skillet or Kutless. “Through Strengthened Hands” keeps that momentum alive, a modern-metal hymn built around Philippians 4:13’s timeless reminder that our strength comes through Christ.
Ashes Awaken balance their ferocity with vulnerability. “The Mirror” explores grief, loss, and fatherhood through a spiritual lens, offering the comfort of divine empathy in the midst of human pain. Meanwhile, “Amazing Grace, Again” transforms personal recovery into worship, connecting struggles with addiction to redemptive grace. It’s a powerful moment of authenticity—Ashes Awaken refuse to polish their testimony; they let the scars show.
The band’s ability to shift from heaviness to hallelujah is best displayed in “Hallelujah” and “Love’s Embrace,” where modern worship meets classic hard rock melodicism. The former explodes with joyful praise (“Everybody praise the Lord!”), while the latter meditates on the persistence of divine love. The closing epic, “Rise from the Ashes,” ties the journey together in a soaring declaration of renewal—a sonic depiction of rebirth that fulfills the album’s title and promise.
From chains to freedom, from the cross to the empty tomb, Rise lives up to its name. It’s not just an album—it’s a testimony wrapped in distortion and drenched in hope. For fans of faith-forward metal like Demon Hunter and Stryper, Ashes Awaken’s debut is both a rallying cry and an altar call: proof that heavy music can still serve a higher purpose.
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