The Awakening is the debut album by the Swedish death metal band Merciless. The original album was recorded in Summer 1989 but released by Deathlike Silence Productions in February 1990. The original press was limited to 1000 CDs and LPs and is now considered one of the most rare and expensive albums in heavy metal collecting. It was later re-issued in 1999 by Osmose Productions with a different color cover and four live bonus tracks. The live tracks were recorded in Uppsala, Sweden on 7 December 1990.