 The Awakening has had top charting radio singles and club rotation throughout South Africa, Europe, and the USA, and became the first gothic rock band to ever headline major national festivals throughout South Africa, including Oppikoppi and RAMfest, and has performed to crowds of 30,000+.Guitarist-vocalist Ashton Nyte began his musical career as front man for the South African rock band Martyr's Image, formed in early 1994.In 1995, Nyte asked Martyr's Image bassist Jenni Hazell and guitarist Philip Booyens to join him in his new project, which was tentatively titled "Children of the Torch" but later changed to "The Awakening" just prior to their first show in February 1996.