Ashton Nyte
Encyclopedia
Ashton Nyte is a South Africa
n born singer, songwriter
, producer
, composer
and front man of the South Africa
n alternative rock
band The Awakening
. Nyte has released five solo albums both as Ashton Nyte and Ashton Nyte and the Accused in addition to his numerous releases as The Awakening. He is considered to be a pioneer of alternative rock in South Africa, and has been described as "something of a music[al] genius" for his typical method of composing, playing and recording each instrument himself on most of his releases. Nyte is widely known in South Africa for his chart-topping cover of Simon and Garfunkel
's "The Sounds of Silence" and several other top singles. His signature style combines baritone vocals akin to David Bowie
and Johnny Cash
, with instrumentation that ranges from alternative rock
to post punk to Americana
and even lo-fi indie rock
and most things in between. Nyte has been based in the USA as of 2009.
, Nyte relocated frequently throughout his childhood until settling in Johannesburg
as a teenager. Born in to an Afrikaans
and English-speaking family, he grew up in a bilingual environment and composed works in both languages. Due to South Africa's then-mandatory military service, upon completion of tertiary education Nyte was forced to choose either military service or university studies. Although his only career interest was music from an early age, Nyte completed his degree as a architect
while singing for his first band Martyr's Image. In 1995, Nyte formed The Awakening.
's "The Sounds of Silence" which brought the band national media attention along with club and radio rotation. The cover went to #1 on South African national radio. Following the success of Risen, Nyte began to write The Awakening's second album entitled Request which embraced the electronic and industrial sounds of 1980s new romantic movement
. These influences were openly acknowledged by Nyte, who describes his musical tastes as "very broad" but names among his personal heroes the likes of David Bowie
and Kate Bush
. The single Maree from Request went to #1 on the SA rock charts.
The band's first music video was filmed for the single "Rain" by director Katinka Harrod. The video was filmed in the middle of winter which posed a unique and potentially dangerous challenge for Nyte who performed under icy water during filming, was painted black in body paint, and hosed clean for other scenes. The video brought more public exposure for the band; the video was aired on several music shows throughout Africa.
In November 1998 Nyte launched his own record label and began to produce and promote other South African artists in addition to handling all management and distribution of The Awakening. A third album, Ethereal Menace
, was released in 1999. The album utilized elements of industrial music, later dubbed as "dark future rock" by Nyte. The album achieved an enthusiastic reception: another music video was produced for the single "The March" by South African Music Awards
winning director Eban Olivier. The video for "The March" was placed in rotation on MTV Europe
.
, in early 2000. Heralded as a "glamorous departure" from The Awakening's harder rock stylings, The Slender Nudes style was described as "Ziggy-era Glam Rock
with '80s-induced synthpop
." The album ranked 14th on the Top 30 Albums for 2000 in South Africa, and featured Nyte's experimentation with alter-egos such as the "Electric Man" and "Glam Vamp." Two videos were produced for the album, "Glam Vamp Baby" (included on the album) and "Need for Air" both of which were aired throughout South African television. The single Glam Vamp Baby was featured as a track on Universal Records
/Sheer Music
's Indie Essentials compilation.
The South African version of The Slender Nudes featured a cover photo of Nyte kneeling next to a pale nude woman; when the album was released in the US, distributors feared that the artwork would prove objectionable to the American market. An alternative cover was proposed and accepted, and copies sold in the US feature an image of Nyte as the Glam Vamp, the artist's androgynous, somewhat cross-dressed alter-ego portrayed in the same-titled video.
Complimentary to the glamorous and decadent imagery of The Slender Nudes Nyte released The Awakening's fourth and darkest album to date, The Fourth Seal of Zeen
in September 2000. The epic album displays a range of sounds between darkwave
and classic gothic rock
. The song "The Dark Romantics" became a club dance floor anthem throughout the world, and remains one of the band’s most beloved singles to date. In 2001, The Awakening then released a follow-up to Zeen - an EP called The Fountain which featured songs closely linked in style and atmosphere to Zeen. The self-titled single The Fountain went to #4 on the South African rock charts, and charted in the top 10 for nine weeks.
True to the comparison of a South African Ziggy Stardust, Nyte chose to abandon the hedonistic persona of the Glam Vamp for his next solo album, Dirt Sense
released in 2002. The album spent 17 weeks in South Africa's charts topping out at #2.
Described as "stripped down, minimalist, under-produced, almost dirty", and "a powerful album with strong tunes and hard-hitting lyrics" the album contains some of the artist's "most personal" songs. A video was produced for the single Window and aired throughout South African music television. The release of Dirt Sense reportedly left fans of Nyte's previous works somewhat confused, but not for long - in June 2002 The Awakening recorded its most aggressive, guitar-driven album to date, Roadside Heretics
. Thematically, Roadside Heretics deals with a discriminated-against and isolated people – a subject well known to South Africa. According to Nyte, Roadside Heretics marked a new era for The Awakening, as the band focused on capturing their trademark live performance intensity within the album’s sound. In the same year, the band released a compilation album entitled Sacrificial Etchings, featuring singles from 1997–2002 and a few previously unreleased songs including the band’s hit single "Vampyre Girl." The album Sacrificial Etchings ranked as the 18th top album of 2003 in South Africa.
In early 2003, Nyte released his third solo album, Sinister Swing
. Described as "organic electronic / experimental" music, the album received critical acclaim for the hybrid of pre-80s electro and the "icy echoes of isolation...and just a hint of swing." Nyte later starred in an adaptation of Sinister Swing with the University of Pretoria
's theatre department as a cabaret piece, again proving that the multi-talented Nyte was not to be pigeonholed.
A year later Nyte began to work on The Awakening’s most ambitious album by far, entitled Darker Than Silence
, with lyrical themes about devastation and medication. Songs such as "One More Crucifixion", "Angelyn", and "The Needle and The Gun" achieved a positive reception worldwide and notable success on South African and German charts. The success brought the band to tour the United States for the first time in 2004.
In July 2005, Nyte released his fourth solo album entitled Headspace
with his solo band Ashton Nyte and The Accused representing the live line-up of five musicians including Nyte. A music video for the single "Murder Me" was aired throughout South Africa.
In 2006 The Awakening signed a management deal with German based MCM Music, and later signed a record deal with German label Massacre Records
. The Awakening then released its eighth studio album entitled Razor Burn
. With the European distribution and marketing of Massacre Records
, the album received more notice than the band's previous albums as well as positive reviews from alternative music press, and a second US tour followed in 2007 along with a headline appearance at RAMfest, South Africa's largest alternative music festival. The following year the band returned for a third tour of the US, this time with one of its first 2008 US shows as a headliner of HM Magazine
’s stage at Cornerstone Festival
2008.
In late 2009, Nyte completed his fifth solo album, The Valley
, described as "a collection of songs caressed with Americana styling as uniquely as only a non-American could." Other reviews describe the album as "a sepia-toned film reel of old western imagery" and "an ingeniously crafted pictorial." The Valley was released in the United States on June 15, 2010.
, The Parlotones
, Ashton Nyte, Not My Dog, Fuzigish, Jo Day, Tweak, Cutting Jade and many more.
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South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n born singer, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and front man of the South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band The Awakening
The Awakening (band)
The Awakening is an alternative rock band from Johannesburg, South Africa, formed in 1995 by vocalist, guitarist and producer Ashton Nyte. The band is credited in the press as "South Africa's most successful Gothic Rock act and one of the top bands in the far broader Alternative scene." The band...
. Nyte has released five solo albums both as Ashton Nyte and Ashton Nyte and the Accused in addition to his numerous releases as The Awakening. He is considered to be a pioneer of alternative rock in South Africa, and has been described as "something of a music[al] genius" for his typical method of composing, playing and recording each instrument himself on most of his releases. Nyte is widely known in South Africa for his chart-topping cover of Simon and Garfunkel
Simon and Garfunkel
Simon & Garfunkel are an American duo consisting of singer-songwriter Paul Simon and singer Art Garfunkel. They formed the group Tom & Jerry in 1957 and had their first success with the minor hit "Hey, Schoolgirl". As Simon & Garfunkel, the duo rose to fame in 1965, largely on the strength of the...
's "The Sounds of Silence" and several other top singles. His signature style combines baritone vocals akin to David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
and Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
, with instrumentation that ranges from alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
to post punk to Americana
Americana
Americana refers to artifacts, or a collection of artifacts, related to the history, geography, folklore and cultural heritage of the United States. Many kinds of material fall within the definition of Americana: paintings, prints and drawings; license plates or entire vehicles, household objects,...
and even lo-fi indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
and most things in between. Nyte has been based in the USA as of 2009.
Early years
Born in Port Elizabeth in Apartheid-era South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Nyte relocated frequently throughout his childhood until settling in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
as a teenager. Born in to an Afrikaans
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
and English-speaking family, he grew up in a bilingual environment and composed works in both languages. Due to South Africa's then-mandatory military service, upon completion of tertiary education Nyte was forced to choose either military service or university studies. Although his only career interest was music from an early age, Nyte completed his degree as a architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
while singing for his first band Martyr's Image. In 1995, Nyte formed The Awakening.
1990s
Nyte rose to prominence in South Africa during the tail end of the 1990s as front man, writer and producer for The Awakening. His first album, Risen featured the band's first hit single, a cover of Simon and GarfunkelSimon and Garfunkel
Simon & Garfunkel are an American duo consisting of singer-songwriter Paul Simon and singer Art Garfunkel. They formed the group Tom & Jerry in 1957 and had their first success with the minor hit "Hey, Schoolgirl". As Simon & Garfunkel, the duo rose to fame in 1965, largely on the strength of the...
's "The Sounds of Silence" which brought the band national media attention along with club and radio rotation. The cover went to #1 on South African national radio. Following the success of Risen, Nyte began to write The Awakening's second album entitled Request which embraced the electronic and industrial sounds of 1980s new romantic movement
New Romantic
New Romanticism , was a pop culture movement in the United Kingdom that began around 1979 and peaked around 1981. Developing in London nightclubs such as Billy's and The Blitz and spreading to other major cities in the UK, it was based around flamboyant, eccentric fashion and new wave music...
. These influences were openly acknowledged by Nyte, who describes his musical tastes as "very broad" but names among his personal heroes the likes of David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
and Kate Bush
Kate Bush
Kate Bush is an English singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Her eclectic musical style and idiosyncratic vocal style have made her one of the United Kingdom's most successful solo female performers of the past 30 years.In 1978, at the age of 19, Bush topped the UK Singles Chart...
. The single Maree from Request went to #1 on the SA rock charts.
The band's first music video was filmed for the single "Rain" by director Katinka Harrod. The video was filmed in the middle of winter which posed a unique and potentially dangerous challenge for Nyte who performed under icy water during filming, was painted black in body paint, and hosed clean for other scenes. The video brought more public exposure for the band; the video was aired on several music shows throughout Africa.
In November 1998 Nyte launched his own record label and began to produce and promote other South African artists in addition to handling all management and distribution of The Awakening. A third album, Ethereal Menace
Ethereal Menace
Ethereal Menace is the third album by the South African gothic rock band The Awakening released in July 1999. The album utilizes elements of industrial music, a style later later dubbed as "dark future rock" by Nyte...
, was released in 1999. The album utilized elements of industrial music, later dubbed as "dark future rock" by Nyte. The album achieved an enthusiastic reception: another music video was produced for the single "The March" by South African Music Awards
South African Music Awards
The South African Music Awards are an annual award ceremony, run by the Recording Industry of South Africa , where accolades are presented to members of South Africa's music industry. Winners receive a statuette is called a SAMA. The event was established in 1995...
winning director Eban Olivier. The video for "The March" was placed in rotation on MTV Europe
MTV Europe
MTV Europe is a pan-European 24-hour entertainment cable and digital television network launched on August 1, 1987. Initially, the channel served all regions within Europe being one of the very few channels that targeted the entire European continent...
.
2000s
After the release of the third Awakening album, Nyte released his first solo album, The Slender NudesThe Slender Nudes
The Slender Nudes is the 1st studio album by South African recording artist Ashton Nyte, frontman for the Gothic Rock band The Awakening. The style is described as "Ziggy era Glam Rock with 80's-induced synthpop" and the album ranked 14th on the Top 30 Albums for 2000 in South Africa.The album...
, in early 2000. Heralded as a "glamorous departure" from The Awakening's harder rock stylings, The Slender Nudes style was described as "Ziggy-era Glam Rock
Glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
with '80s-induced synthpop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
." The album ranked 14th on the Top 30 Albums for 2000 in South Africa, and featured Nyte's experimentation with alter-egos such as the "Electric Man" and "Glam Vamp." Two videos were produced for the album, "Glam Vamp Baby" (included on the album) and "Need for Air" both of which were aired throughout South African television. The single Glam Vamp Baby was featured as a track on Universal Records
Universal Records
Universal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...
/Sheer Music
Sheer Music
Sheer Music is a South African record label that focuses primarily on club, dance and trance tracks, and is one of the biggest distributors of dance music in South Africa. Sheer Music represents local and aspiring DJs and artists, often through collaboration with local radio stations such as 5FM....
's Indie Essentials compilation.
The South African version of The Slender Nudes featured a cover photo of Nyte kneeling next to a pale nude woman; when the album was released in the US, distributors feared that the artwork would prove objectionable to the American market. An alternative cover was proposed and accepted, and copies sold in the US feature an image of Nyte as the Glam Vamp, the artist's androgynous, somewhat cross-dressed alter-ego portrayed in the same-titled video.
Complimentary to the glamorous and decadent imagery of The Slender Nudes Nyte released The Awakening's fourth and darkest album to date, The Fourth Seal of Zeen
The Fourth Seal of Zeen
The Fourth Seal of Zeen is the 4th studio album by the South African gothic rock band The Awakening, released in 2000. The album features the band's most well-known single "The Dark Romantics" as well as the singles "Eve" and "Amethyst" which became both fan and media favourites...
in September 2000. The epic album displays a range of sounds between darkwave
Darkwave
Dark Wave or darkwave is a music genre that began in the late 1970s, coinciding with the popularity of New Wave and post-punk. Building on those basic principles, dark wave added dark, introspective lyrics and an undertone of sorrow for some bands...
and classic gothic rock
Gothic rock
Gothic rock is a musical subgenre of post-punk and alternative rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes...
. The song "The Dark Romantics" became a club dance floor anthem throughout the world, and remains one of the band’s most beloved singles to date. In 2001, The Awakening then released a follow-up to Zeen - an EP called The Fountain which featured songs closely linked in style and atmosphere to Zeen. The self-titled single The Fountain went to #4 on the South African rock charts, and charted in the top 10 for nine weeks.
True to the comparison of a South African Ziggy Stardust, Nyte chose to abandon the hedonistic persona of the Glam Vamp for his next solo album, Dirt Sense
Dirt Sense
Dirt Sense is the 2nd studio album by South African recording artist Ashton Nyte, frontman for the Gothic Rock band The Awakening. Described as "stripped down, minimalist, under-produced, almost dirty", and "a powerful album with strong tunes and hard-hitting lyrics" the album contains some of the...
released in 2002. The album spent 17 weeks in South Africa's charts topping out at #2.
Described as "stripped down, minimalist, under-produced, almost dirty", and "a powerful album with strong tunes and hard-hitting lyrics" the album contains some of the artist's "most personal" songs. A video was produced for the single Window and aired throughout South African music television. The release of Dirt Sense reportedly left fans of Nyte's previous works somewhat confused, but not for long - in June 2002 The Awakening recorded its most aggressive, guitar-driven album to date, Roadside Heretics
Roadside Heretics
Roadside Heretics is the 5th studio album by the South African gothic rock band The Awakening, released in 2002.-Recording:In June 2002 The Awakening recorded its most aggressive album, Roadside Heretics. Regarding Roadside Heretics, HM Magazine wrote that "Ashton Nyte has a great understanding of...
. Thematically, Roadside Heretics deals with a discriminated-against and isolated people – a subject well known to South Africa. According to Nyte, Roadside Heretics marked a new era for The Awakening, as the band focused on capturing their trademark live performance intensity within the album’s sound. In the same year, the band released a compilation album entitled Sacrificial Etchings, featuring singles from 1997–2002 and a few previously unreleased songs including the band’s hit single "Vampyre Girl." The album Sacrificial Etchings ranked as the 18th top album of 2003 in South Africa.
In early 2003, Nyte released his third solo album, Sinister Swing
Sinister Swing
Sinister Swing is the 3rd studio album by South African recording artist Ashton Nyte, frontman for the Gothic rock band The Awakening. Described as "organic electronic / experimental" music, the album received critical acclaim for the hybrid of pre-80's electro and the "icy echoes of...
. Described as "organic electronic / experimental" music, the album received critical acclaim for the hybrid of pre-80s electro and the "icy echoes of isolation...and just a hint of swing." Nyte later starred in an adaptation of Sinister Swing with the University of Pretoria
University of Pretoria
The University of Pretoria is a multi campus public research university located in Pretoria, the administrative and de facto capital of South Africa...
's theatre department as a cabaret piece, again proving that the multi-talented Nyte was not to be pigeonholed.
A year later Nyte began to work on The Awakening’s most ambitious album by far, entitled Darker Than Silence
Darker Than Silence
Darker Than Silence is the 6th studio album by the South African gothic rock band The Awakening, released in 2004.-Recording:In 2004 The Awakening began to work on its most ambitious album by far, titled as Darker Than Silence, with lyrical themes about devastation and medication...
, with lyrical themes about devastation and medication. Songs such as "One More Crucifixion", "Angelyn", and "The Needle and The Gun" achieved a positive reception worldwide and notable success on South African and German charts. The success brought the band to tour the United States for the first time in 2004.
In July 2005, Nyte released his fourth solo album entitled Headspace
Headspace (Ashton Nyte album)
Headspace is the 4th studio album by South African recording artist Ashton Nyte, frontman for alternative rock band The Awakening. The album was released under the name Ashton Nyte and The Accused, representing the live line-up of five musicians including Nyte...
with his solo band Ashton Nyte and The Accused representing the live line-up of five musicians including Nyte. A music video for the single "Murder Me" was aired throughout South Africa.
In 2006 The Awakening signed a management deal with German based MCM Music, and later signed a record deal with German label Massacre Records
Massacre Records
Massacre Records is an independent record label based in Abstatt, Germany.The label was founded in 1991 by Torsten Hartmann. The label is specialized on bands of the harder varieties of metal...
. The Awakening then released its eighth studio album entitled Razor Burn
Razor Burn
Razor Burn is the 7th studio album by the South African gothic rock band The Awakening, released on Massacre Records in Germany and Intervention Arts in Africa and the US in September 2006.-Recording:...
. With the European distribution and marketing of Massacre Records
Massacre Records
Massacre Records is an independent record label based in Abstatt, Germany.The label was founded in 1991 by Torsten Hartmann. The label is specialized on bands of the harder varieties of metal...
, the album received more notice than the band's previous albums as well as positive reviews from alternative music press, and a second US tour followed in 2007 along with a headline appearance at RAMfest, South Africa's largest alternative music festival. The following year the band returned for a third tour of the US, this time with one of its first 2008 US shows as a headliner of HM Magazine
HM Magazine
HM: The Hard Music Magazine is an American bimonthly publication focusing on both Christianity and hard rock. Articles include news, album and festival reviews, posters, artists to watch, indie artist reviews, devotionals and interviews with Christian artists...
’s stage at Cornerstone Festival
Cornerstone Festival
Cornerstone Festival is a Christian music festival put on by Jesus People USA and held annually around the 4th of July near Bushnell, Illinois. In a given year, many artists that play at Cornerstone also play at other events such as Creation Festival and mainstream festivals and tours such as the...
2008.
In late 2009, Nyte completed his fifth solo album, The Valley
The Valley (Ashton Nyte album)
The Valley is the 5th studio album by South African recording artist Ashton Nyte. The album was first released in 2009 to South Africa, with a US release in June 2010. While the recordings on the releases are identical, the US release features entirely different album artwork and digipak packaging...
, described as "a collection of songs caressed with Americana styling as uniquely as only a non-American could." Other reviews describe the album as "a sepia-toned film reel of old western imagery" and "an ingeniously crafted pictorial." The Valley was released in the United States on June 15, 2010.
Rock Against Rape
In 2001, Ashton Nyte organized the first of three national Rock Against Rape music festivals. The concert series was hosted in 2001, 2002 and 2004, aiding rape awareness and funding the organizations such as POWA and SHEP, responsible for counseling rape and abuse victims in South Africa. The series featured artists supporting the cause and included The AwakeningThe Awakening (band)
The Awakening is an alternative rock band from Johannesburg, South Africa, formed in 1995 by vocalist, guitarist and producer Ashton Nyte. The band is credited in the press as "South Africa's most successful Gothic Rock act and one of the top bands in the far broader Alternative scene." The band...
, The Parlotones
The Parlotones
The Parlotones is a rock band based in Johannesburg, South Africa. They have achieved multiplatinum-selling status in their home country. They experiment with their sound and various structures in their songs, incorporating the typical doo-wop or traditional folk structures. The Parlotones are...
, Ashton Nyte, Not My Dog, Fuzigish, Jo Day, Tweak, Cutting Jade and many more.
Studio Albums as Ashton Nyte
- The Slender NudesThe Slender NudesThe Slender Nudes is the 1st studio album by South African recording artist Ashton Nyte, frontman for the Gothic Rock band The Awakening. The style is described as "Ziggy era Glam Rock with 80's-induced synthpop" and the album ranked 14th on the Top 30 Albums for 2000 in South Africa.The album...
(2000) - Dirt SenseDirt SenseDirt Sense is the 2nd studio album by South African recording artist Ashton Nyte, frontman for the Gothic Rock band The Awakening. Described as "stripped down, minimalist, under-produced, almost dirty", and "a powerful album with strong tunes and hard-hitting lyrics" the album contains some of the...
(2002) - Sinister SwingSinister SwingSinister Swing is the 3rd studio album by South African recording artist Ashton Nyte, frontman for the Gothic rock band The Awakening. Described as "organic electronic / experimental" music, the album received critical acclaim for the hybrid of pre-80's electro and the "icy echoes of...
(2003) - HeadspaceHeadspace (Ashton Nyte album)Headspace is the 4th studio album by South African recording artist Ashton Nyte, frontman for alternative rock band The Awakening. The album was released under the name Ashton Nyte and The Accused, representing the live line-up of five musicians including Nyte...
(2005) - The ValleyThe Valley (Ashton Nyte album)The Valley is the 5th studio album by South African recording artist Ashton Nyte. The album was first released in 2009 to South Africa, with a US release in June 2010. While the recordings on the releases are identical, the US release features entirely different album artwork and digipak packaging...
(2009 South Africa, 2010 USA)
Studio Albums as The Awakening
- Risen (1997)
- Request (1998)
- Ethereal MenaceEthereal MenaceEthereal Menace is the third album by the South African gothic rock band The Awakening released in July 1999. The album utilizes elements of industrial music, a style later later dubbed as "dark future rock" by Nyte...
(1999) - The Fourth Seal of ZeenThe Fourth Seal of ZeenThe Fourth Seal of Zeen is the 4th studio album by the South African gothic rock band The Awakening, released in 2000. The album features the band's most well-known single "The Dark Romantics" as well as the singles "Eve" and "Amethyst" which became both fan and media favourites...
(2000) - The FountainThe FountainThe Fountain is a 2006 American romantic drama film, which blends elements of fantasy, history, religion, and science fiction. It was directed by Darren Aronofsky, and starred Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz...
(2001) - Roadside HereticsRoadside HereticsRoadside Heretics is the 5th studio album by the South African gothic rock band The Awakening, released in 2002.-Recording:In June 2002 The Awakening recorded its most aggressive album, Roadside Heretics. Regarding Roadside Heretics, HM Magazine wrote that "Ashton Nyte has a great understanding of...
(2002) - Sacrificial Etchings (best of) (2003)
- Darker Than SilenceDarker Than SilenceDarker Than Silence is the 6th studio album by the South African gothic rock band The Awakening, released in 2004.-Recording:In 2004 The Awakening began to work on its most ambitious album by far, titled as Darker Than Silence, with lyrical themes about devastation and medication...
(2004) - Razor BurnRazor BurnRazor Burn is the 7th studio album by the South African gothic rock band The Awakening, released on Massacre Records in Germany and Intervention Arts in Africa and the US in September 2006.-Recording:...
(2006) - Tales of Absolution and ObsoletionTales of Absolution and ObsoletionTales of Absolution & Obsoletion is the 8th studio album by the gothic rock band The Awakening, released worldwide via Intervention Arts in June 2009.-Recording:...
(2009)
Compilation appearances
- Essential Indie: Volume 1 Universal RecordsUniversal RecordsUniversal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...
Sheer MusicSheer MusicSheer Music is a South African record label that focuses primarily on club, dance and trance tracks, and is one of the biggest distributors of dance music in South Africa. Sheer Music represents local and aspiring DJs and artists, often through collaboration with local radio stations such as 5FM.... - 5FM SA Music Explosion 1 EMIEMIThe EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
- Dark Awakening COP International
- Unquiet Grave 2 Cleopatra RecordsCleopatra RecordsCleopatra Records is a Los Angeles-based independent record label.- History :Founded in 1992 by Brian Perera, it specializes in gothic rock, hard rock, heavy metal and reissues of out-of-print music...
- Orgazmatracks 2 David Gresham Records
- Moonlight Cathedral Cold Fusion
- Orgazmatracks 3 Alter Ego
- The Doors Nightclub David Gresham Records
Music videos
- Rain (1998)
- The March (1999)
- Glam Vamp Baby (2000)
- Need for Air (2000)
- Window (2002)
- Murder Me (2005)
- My Little Rock 'n Roll (2005)
- Jennifer (2010)
Television appearances
SABC:- Geraas
- SA City Life
- Replay
- Top Billing
- The Works
DSTV
DStv
DStv is MultiChoice's multi-channel digital satellite TV service in Africa, launched in 1995. It operates from two satellites over Africa, broadcasting on Ku band via Eutelsat W7 and Intelsat 7 , which only requires a small satellite dish...
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- Go!
- MK89
- Dis Hoe Dit Is
M-NET
M-Net
M-Net is a subscription-funded television channel in South Africa, established in 1986 by Naspers....
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- Live @ 5