Awakened (album)

Awakened is the sixth studio album by American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. It is the final album released by the band before their hiatus in 2014. The album was released on September 25, 2012, through Metal Blade Records. The album was produced by Bill Stevenson (the drummer of the Descendents) and recorded at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado and Lambesis Studios in San Diego, California. On June 22, 2012, the album title, release date, and first single were announced. On June 25, the first single "Cauterize" was released for free download and became available online for purchase the following day. On June 27, a lyric video for "Cauterize" was released along with album artwork, also the band created an event on Facebook inviting fans to participate in a music video shoot for "A Greater Foundation". Fans were able to pre-order a copy on the Rockstar Mayhem Festival tour of 2012.

The band has released clips of the album via SoundCloud, prior to the release date, and on September 11 the music video for "A Greater Foundation" was released.

Although this album does not have a title track, the word "Awakened" is used in the lyrics of the song "Tear Out My Eyes".

Reception
Overall reception towards the album has been positive.

Mark Fisher of Metal Forces gave the album an impressive 10/10.

Personnel
Production and performance credits are adapted from the album liner notes.

As I Lay Dying
 * Tim Lambesis – lead vocals
 * Nick Hipa – guitar, backing vocals
 * Phil Sgrosso – guitar, backing vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards on "Wasted Words"
 * Josh Gilbert – bass, clean vocals
 * Jordan Mancino – drums, backing vocals

Additional
 * Joey Bradford – additional backing vocals, gang vocals
 * Loniel Robinson – gang vocals
 * Matt JR – gang vocals
 * Lore JR – gang vocals
 * Joey St. Lucas – gang vocals
 * Amanda Dubord – gang vocals
 * Vince Bifano – gang vocals
 * Robert Pine – gang vocals
 * Willow – gang vocals
 * Matt Geise – gang vocals

Production
 * Bill Stevenson – production, engineering, gang vocals
 * Jason Livermore – production, engineering
 * Andrew Berlin – engineering
 * Daniel Castleman – assisting engineering
 * Chris Beeble – assisting engineering
 * Colin Richardson – mixing
 * Carl Bown – mix engineer
 * Ted Jensen – mastering
 * metastazis.com – artwork, layout
 * Tiffanie Uldry – artwork, layout
 * Ty Watkins – photography

Studios
 * The Blasting Room, Fort Collins, Colorado – drums, guitars
 * Lambesis Studios, San Diego – bass, vocals
 * Echelon Studios – additional vocals
 * Treehouse Studios, Derbyshire, UK – mixing
 * Sterling Sound – mastering