Awake Again unveil new single ‘Middle Man’ ahead of second album

The Finnish metalcore band, who impressed at Tuska’s tent stage this summer, have released the first taste of their upcoming sophomore album.

Awake Again are continuing their strong international rise with the announcement of their second full-length studio album, due in spring 2027. Alongside the album news, the Finnish band have released “Middle Man”, the first single from the upcoming record.

“Middle Man” marks the beginning of a heavier and more mature chapter for Awake Again. Fast, chaotic and relentlessly heavy, the track combines the crushing force of modern metalcore with the unexpected twists and unpredictable energy of System Of A Down. Sharp riffs, explosive dynamics and the band’s trademark catchy hooks offer an aggressive first glimpse into this new era of Awake Again.

“For the upcoming album, we agreed on the following description as our guiding principle: epic and melancholic SOAD frenzy with hairy sounds. ‘Middle Man’ is an excellent taste of this new direction,” says vocalist Matti Österman.

“We clearly wanted to move towards both a heavier sound and darker lyrical content. The upcoming album is a story about the time of the apocalypse, and ‘Middle Man’ is its first chapter. The song tells the story of the first signs of the apocalypse, when evil has no consequences for those who commit it and the narrator of the song acts as an indifferent middleman for the perpetrators of evil.”

The band have also hidden references to several films and TV series within the lyrics.

“We also wanted to drop references to several movies and TV series into the lyrics. Listeners can spot them along the way and tell us how many they found,” bassist Ville Loukola hints.

With this new chapter, Awake Again have taken their production to the next level and introduced new shades to their sound, while keeping the working process that has served them well. The band worked on the track together, with Österman taking on production duties. Mixing and mastering were handled by the band’s trusted collaborator Rami Nykänen.

Known for their explosive live energy, Awake Again have also attracted viral attention through their social media videos. Tracks such as “PARAS!TE”, “shitwreck” and “violins” have brought the band widespread visibility and helped expand their international fanbase, while their total streams have surpassed 11 million.

The band also joined Lost Society as special guests on their European tour last spring, before taking over Tuska’s tent stage last summer.

Awake Again’s next live appearance will be at Unholy Winterfest in Joensuu on November 27. Early next year, the band will once again head abroad, joining Swedish band Mister Misery for a German tour. The tour will kick off around the release of the new album, with further live dates expected to be announced soon.

Awake Again – Germany 2027

18 March – Betty, Hamburg
19 March – Turock, Essen
20 March – Paunchy Cats, Lichtenfels
21 March – Bastard Club, Osnabrück
22 March – Bandhaus, Leipzig

Awake Again are:
Matti Österman – Vocals
Ville Loukola – Bass
Petteri Horn – Drums
Maron Lahdenperä – Guitar