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Coming at you from Horsham, England, and originally founded in 2021, alt-metal outfit Rogue Awakening are swiftly making new friends and gaining new fans with their explosive presence. Guitarist Tom fills in the details on our introduction to Rogue Awakening.
What are the origins of Rogue Awakening, and how long have you been playing together?
So we are Horsham-based originally, but the band was a weird product of lockdown! Kimberley and Tom used to live on the same street, and it was that dark time when you could talk to people but only at a distance. They started chatting, and Kimberley asked Tom what he was doing to stay sane, and he said he was getting back into guitar, and she said she used to sing in a band, and then announced they should start a band! From there, we had Ollie join, who was friends with Nick and brought him along, and it just clicked. Our most recent member is James on the drums, and he brings a crazy intensity and energy that you can hear on our new tracks.
What should people expect when they check the band out? How would you describe Rogue Awakening?
I think we would say it was heavy but melodic. We have the powerful blasting drums coupled with heavy layered guitar riffs and bass, but then you have Kimberley’s beautiful, clean, and soaring vocals on top. We’ve worked hard on developing the theatrics and stage presence of our live shows in the last few months, so you can expect lots of energy and a great atmosphere!
How did you feel performing your first gig as a band, and how was it?!
I think we were all quite nervous! It was a while ago now, playing at the Pipeline in Brighton. At the time, we were happy with it, but it may well have been a bit average! 😂
What are you working on at the moment that people can check out?
We have just released our new single, Remain Untamed, on all platforms. Armed with crunching riffery, pounding beats, and stunning vocal passages, we think the track is a thunderous statement of where our sound is heading. We also did a video for this one, which looks epic, featuring pole dancers, blindfolds, and whipping, so it’s worth a watch!
Regarding a similar audience, which band at the minute do you feel that you would be best suited to open for?
I think either Halestorm or Sleep Token would be amazing to open for. We’ve seen them both live, and they have spectacular stage presence,e and to be part of one of their shows would be a dream come true.
Excluding yourself, which new band would you like to see break out and become a success?
Our band besties Sypha are doing really well at the moment, and I’m sure they have bigger things in store for them. They are super talented and have a similar sound to us, and are a really nice bunch as well!
What frustrates you about the music business?
There is a lot, but I think mainly how hard it is for musicians to make a living now. Spotify is great to get your music out there, but musicians see so little of all that money that’s being made. It’s sad to think of all the talent that isn’t being heard, as artists simply can’t afford to be full-time musicians.
What are your first musical memories? And what lightbulb moment made you say, “I want to do that”?
It’s hard to say, I think we all grew up in households with lots of music being played. For me (Tom), watching Top of the Pops (which ages me) was a big part of my musical education,n and I still remember certain bands on there and thinking how effortlessly cool they were and how amazing it would be to do that.
What was the last gig that you attended as a fan?
Kimberley: I recently went to see Heilung. I’ve seen them before, but I’m always blown away by them. It feels more like a pagan ritual than a gig, and it’s totally otherworldly.
What current social issues are you particularly passionate about?
Well, there are a lot! But our recent single, Remain Untamed, is a rallying cry to every woman who has been told to conform and come in line with society’s norms and expectations. All the lyrics are things that men have actually said to demean and belittle her, so it was great to put those emotions out there in this song.
The album that you have in your album collection/Spotify playlist that would surprise most people?
Tom: Not sure it’s a surprise, but I’m a huge Prodigy fan. They were the first band I saw live, and I’ve been infatuated ever since. Some of their early stuff is 35 years old now, but it still sounds great.
Everybody is a fan of something. Who or what are you a fan of?
Oooh, that’s very cryptic! We are all kind of nerdy, so we all love Lord Of The Rings and fantasy. We have a lot of fantasy-inspired elements in our live show now, and a lot of our fans enjoy spotting lines we’ve stolen from films or games!
What new music have you been enjoying so far this year?
Really loving the new stuff from Sleep Token. You can never tell what they are going to come up with, definitely didn’t see a saxophone solo coming! 😂
What does the rest of 2025 hold for Rogue Awakening?
We are very busy with gigs and festivals, and we are back in the studio soon as well! We are excited to be building up songs for a big release later this year, watch this space…
How active are you on social media, and where can people connect with you?
We are very active! You can mostly find us on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube. Rogue Awakening Official is our handle, but there is also a health spa with the same name, but I’m sure you’ll work out which is which!
