Album

The Album
Inside

Inside
Audio

Audio
Photos

Photos
Videos

Videos
The Instruments

Instruments

Sister Awake

Background

Kronos-Quartet

Inspiration for Sister Awake.

Listen

Inspired by the Kronos Quartet’s version of Hamza El Din’s composition “Escalay: The Waterwheel”, Sister Awake is the result of merging two songs with an incredible instrumental build. Sister Awake defines what the band set out to do, combining three piece rock compositions with music from the world. This song utilized 58 tracks and when it came to mixing they synched up three 24 track machines to get the job done. The complexity of the recording process helped create one of the band’s most beloved songs, consistently ranking as a fan favorite across their entire catalog.

Jeff Martin

It deals with that nebulous creative force, the muse. Quite literally, it’s a warning for the muse to awake, but to also beware of the trappings, misconceptions, and dangers that exist when you search within yourself.

Jeff Martin
about Sister Awake

Sister Awake has evolved with segments of various songs performed in the middle, including "Hurt", "Paint It Black", "Heroes", "The Maker" and more, 

Hamza El Din

The band has released several acoustic renditions of the song throughout their career, stripping back the layers to reveal arrangements more closely aligned with Hamza El Din's original "Escalay: The Waterwheel". These intimate versions showcase the song's versatility and Middle Eastern influences that formed its foundation. The band's follow-up album "Alhambra" features a remixed version of Sister Awake, reimagining the track with additional electronic elements while maintaining its hypnotic core.

Stuart Chatwood

We had Rhys Fulber from Front Line Assembly do a remix of that song, We thought that by sending the song to him, we’d have something very, very hard and industrial in return, but he sort of took our whole angle on music and ran with it. He hired an Arabian singer in Vancouver to lay over some background vocals and, well, it’s a pretty interesting remix.

Stuart Chatwood
about the Remix Version of Sister Awake

Releases

Promo (Canada)

01. Sister Awake (album version) 5:44
02. Sister Awake (edit Version) 3:34

Label: EMI - CDPRO 1179
Format: CD, Single, Promo
Released: 1996

  • Sister Awake Single - Front
  • Sister Awake Single -Front w/ Case
  • Sister Awake Single - CD
  • Sister Awake Single - Back

Promo (Australia)

01. Sister Awake (Rhy Fulber Remix)

Label: EMI – CDRP 379
Format: CD, Single, Promo
Released: 1996

video

Official Video

Director Curtis Wehrfritz

Band commentary on the video

lyrics

When the winter was over
She returned there to find him
And her memories filled her with light

She remembered the beauty
She remembered desire
And her memories filled her with light

I am the sun in the flame
Cold from the flame turns away
And in these winds came a change
She awakes, ah-ah-ah

Sister walk through these fields of delight
But I want you to know
Desperation′s the tenderest trap
So gently you go

What will it take?
Sister awake
Sister awake
(Sister, sister)

When this beautiful cult of desire
Has left you for dead
Isolation will cradle the lies
Of things left unsaid

What will it take?
Sister awake
Sister awake
(Sister, sister)

And you’ll look to the heavens above
And taste it′s deceit
These temptations have blinded desires
To sleep at their feet

What will it take?
Sister awake
Sister awake
(Sister, sister)
(Sister, sister)

And you’ll hear them call out your name
Invoking the fates
Chances are you’ve travelled too far
In stirring their hate

So what will it take?
My sister awake
Sister awake
Sister awake
Awake
Awake