Dream Theater - Awake
This is one of those albums that fits a certain state of mind nicely, for me this is when I'm feeling a bit melancholic and in need to drift off and get away form this stressing world for a while.
The dark and captivating all embracing atmosphere that surrounds this magnificent album is one of the aspects that I like best about it, Kevin Moore sets up a very special mood with his stunning keyboard performance for the rest of the instruments to unfold in.
Lyrics and music is running a very important supporting race here, this is some of the most sophisticated and challenging lyrics I have ever heard, dealing with themes as personal as they get, fear, sorrow, confusion, sadness, hope. The words found in ex. Voices and Scarred are simply amazing, and most brilliantly matched musically.
Let me try to present what for me is the most important aspect found on this mesmerizing adventure, mentioning all songs and digging deeper into some favourites (well that's more or less them all).

6:00 is a jamming kind of opener, lots of different things happening in a very packed track. It surely gets better with time and I just have to embrace this song's ultra progressive profile, and yeah the drums are simply unbelievable. Caught In A Web pushes the tempo upward and the heavy guitar riffs works perfectly in harmony with the key melody, James' vocals shifting from both raw and highly melodic.

With Innocence Faded we enter a very catchy cut spiced with detours of progressive passages and sensitive vocal parts. The chorus part is relaxing in style but could have been more exciting, nevertheless very melodic.
James sounds more experimenting in his approach than on Images And Words, having a broader range that of course matches the very different songs perfectly, he truly is a most excellent singer.

Erotomania is the album's instrumental track and also one of its most technical pieces. In these nearly 7 minutes all members engage in a thrilling and highly dynamic journey displaying great skill. Mind-blowing guitar passages and a most varied and admirable drum execution.
Voices has always been one of my all time favourite Dream Theater songs. The way the different passages are mixed into a dark and emotional song is very impressive. Atmospheric piano melodies mixed with aggressive guitar attacks and emotional singing. The amazing technical bass lines and monster guitar solo at the end are yet other highlights.
In The Silent Man we find the album's slow ballad, a cool interacting between the driving acoustic guitar rhythm and James sensitive vocals.

The Mirror completely breaks the calmness with a right in your face guitar riff, subsequently supporting power-drums and a magnificent keyboard build-up. The mid-section vocal part is one of the albums biggest highlights, melodrama and strong feelings of regret and frustration makes way for a completely moving passage. The flowing mystic and dreaming keyboard section in magic corporation with a massive dark bass is another kick.
The song goes right into Lie that continues the hard profile in a very complex song. The ultra fast mid-section and one of John Petrucci's best solo's ever being absolutely thrilling.

With Lifting Shadows Of A Dream we are back in the mesmerizing slower aura of the album that glows with its dim and mystical gleam. It's tracks like this that makes me leave this world for a while and just surrender to the magic mood. This is the song with the most "bright" profile, featuring a catchy binding chorus, and packed with the most excellent acoustic guitar play and mesmerizing keyboard moments.

John Myung not only succeeds in laying out a most vigorous base for all songs, his playing is also very innovative as goes for this next mind-blowing song, Scarred. Once aging a very long track where Mike Portnoy spices it with his detailed and powerful playing. One of the bands strongest sides is that they succeed in melting so many special and different passages together and each song still appears well structured, this element is very apparant here. The melodic keyboard solo and James emotional vocal parts being some of many stunning aspects.

Space-Dye Vest ends Awake with a rather strange but nevertheless very atmospheric track. Led by a soft piano melody, odd spoken parts, ingenious raw guitar effects and huge keyboard harmonies.
I have never heard anything like this before and even though I find the way the verse is working with the rest of the song a bit tame it's still a great song with a cool dreaming mood.

The production is, as goes for the music, quite unique and rather gloomy. A very tight sound with raw guitars, hard grooving bass play, solid drums, dominating keys and in front vocals make way for a brilliant result.
The is no need for elaborating more on the musical skills delivered here, every member of the band succeeds in putting out a performance that is no less than spectacular.

Awake combines emotionalism, technicality and unique captivating moods in one grandiose effort.

Written by Tommy
Tuesday, July 16, 2002
Show all reviews by Tommy

Ratings

Tommy: 9.5/10

Members: 9.5/10 - Average of 3 ratings.



Member ratings

Profile pictureSteen (Staff)

Rating: 9.5/10
No review was posted
Profile pictureSandra

Rating: 10/10
This was my first DT album. I found it in a second hand CD-shop in my hometown. I was jus... · Read more ·
Profile pictureProfessorShred

Rating: 9/10
As fantastic a release aas this was,still prefered Images and Words,still...one hell of an... · Read more ·

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RevelationZ Comments


Comment by Costas Follas (Anonymous) - Wednesday, June 12, 2002
An excellent effort, by a band that never dissapoints its fans


Comment by Costas Follas (Anonymous) - Wednesday, June 12, 2002
An excellent effort, by a band that never dissapoints its fans


Comment by Costas Follas (Anonymous) - Wednesday, June 12, 2002
An excellent effort, by a band that never dissapoints its fans


Comment by Costas Follas (Anonymous) - Wednesday, June 12, 2002
An excellent effort, by a band that never dissapoints its fans


Comment by milka_05 (Anonymous) - Saturday, August 2, 2003
Just great!Dream Theater's my favourite band...so,rock on!


Comment by Law (Anonymous) - Wednesday, March 19, 2003
This album is the true embodiment of progressive metal. Look up "progressive metal" in the dictionary, and its definations says "see Dream Theater".



Comment by Cacko (Anonymous) - Saturday, June 14, 2003
yeah

10/10


Comment by bassted (Anonymous) - Sunday, April 4, 2004
where can i find free lyrics of erotomania you suck


Comment by qaz (Anonymous) - Wednesday, August 4, 2004
best DT album


Comment by Pat (Anonymous) - Wednesday, August 11, 2004
There're a few songs I don't care for on this album (though the musicianship is great), but it has some of my favorites. Everything from Erotomania through Scarred is just amazing, and all the tracks fit together nicely. I find myself listening to this album very often... definitely worth the buy, and definitely worth the 9.5 rating.


Comment by guyzif (Anonymous) - Tuesday, November 9, 2004
My first DT album. I'd Never heard of prog metal before this. I got this album on the off chance and my musical eyes were opened, still one of my favourites.


Comment by Pat (Anonymous) - Friday, December 31, 2004
Change of opinion... EVERY SONG IS GREAT.


Comment by Dani from Barcelona (Spain) (Anonymous) - Thursday, December 8, 2005
Oh my god!!!! the power of the inspiration, Kevin Moore inspiration!. Dream Theater, in images and awake was the best band of the world but now.. with Jordan there are too much demostration of technique but not inspiration. Now DT makes album easy, there are too much inprovisation and this sux. But DT is my life. I love DT.
cya.


Comment by VeX (Member) - Tuesday, February 24, 2009
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Comments: 81
Ratings: 0
You know what's crazy. that your 9.5/10 review drives me mad, and I know that's an amazing rating but this album to me is far beyond a 10/10 this album embodies everything. Top notch musicianship, Heaviness, Melody, Amazing lyrics, and Emotion. Everything meshes perfectly and is exciting and gloomy at the same time.

Posted by VeX
Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Comment by Alanna (Staff) - Wednesday, March 18, 2009
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Comments: 245
I very rarely give albums a 10 but this one comes so very close, I think I would have to. The disc is simply amazing from start to finish... "Space Dye Vest" is one of the most haunting pieces of music I have ever heard. Such longing, such emptiness, a sense of bleak desperation... all of those gothy bands that are trying to convey that atmosphere of darkness fallen, none even come close to the kind of empty emotion that pierces this deeply depressed track. It's absolutely magnificent. The double hit of "Lie" and "The Mirror"....
The musicianship, songwriting, production... it all clicks. I love the heaviness mixed with that exploring progressive touch. The ultimate progressive metal album? I think so.

Posted by Alanna (Staff)
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Review by Sandra (Member) - Monday, April 6, 2009
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Comments: 36
Ratings: 25
This was my first DT album. I found it in a second hand CD-shop in my hometown. I was just walking around searching for something different. Then I saw this album, I had to have it because I thought that the cover was inspired by Salvador Dali, who I admire. When I went home and gave it a spin I was very confused, because it was just way too complicated for my ears. However, a year later I went through my CD's and I gave it a chance. the best decision I ever made... Musically... and a decision I sometimes believe has changed my life. Today 3 years later DT is my all time favorite band.
The lyrics are probably the best from Dream Theater - a true piece of art... And the music. there is so much into it.
The Mirror, Voices, scarred and space-dye-west are my favorites; however, every single song is beyond belief, 11 songs is pretty much, however, there isn't a track which doesn't belong on this album, and I use to be critical when a band makes albums containing more than 8-9 tracks.. But Awake is perfect.
I listen to this album when I fell a bit strange/down. Melancholic as Tommy says. it's just perfect for this state of mind. and especially on a Sunday morning. DT creates music which I find very special. Their music makes me think about life, so it is music with something rare into it and I find this album very special and I can say it has shaped me into the person I am. Listening to this album makes me feel like I reaching a higher level.so it is kinda deep ;)
And yes, the guitar solo in the end of Voices is unbelievable and so not expected when you hear it for the first time. So tight and overwhelming. And I just love when James sings: "I'm lying here in bed swear my skin is inside out, just another morning,seen my diary on the newsstand, seems we've lost the truth to quicksand, it's a shame no one is praying, cause these voices in my head keep saying ."
I found this analysis of Voices and I remember it was quite interesting reading, so here is the link:
http://www.linusakesson.net/music/voices/index.php
"Awake combines emotionalism, technicality and unique captivating moods in one grandiose effort"
I couldn't have described it better myself.


Rating: 10/10

Posted by Sandra
Monday, April 6, 2009

Review by ProfessorShred (Member) - Friday, June 26, 2009
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Comments: 16
Ratings: 45
As fantastic a release aas this was,still prefered Images and Words,still...one hell of an album,Kevin Moore has been sorely missed.

Rating: 9/10

Posted by ProfessorShred
Friday, June 26, 2009










Review by Tommy
Dream Theater - Awake

Released by
EastWest Records - 1994

Tracklisting
1. 6:00
2. Caught In A Web
3. Innocence Faded
4. Erotomania
5. Voices
6. The Silent Man
7. The Mirror
8. Lie
9. Lifting Shadows Of A Dream
10. Scarred
11. Space-Dye Vest


Style
Progressive Metal

Related links
Visit the band page

Dream Theater - Official Website

Other articles
Band information - (Tommy)

Metropolis Pt.2: Scenes From A Memory - (Tommy)

A Change of Seasons - (Yoni)

Train of Thought - (Hashman)

Train Of Thought - (Tommy)

An Evening With Dream Theater, K B Hallen, Copenhagen - January 20th, 2004 - (Tommy)

Interview with James LaBrie - (Tajs & Tommy)

Images And Words - (Tommy)

Awake - (Hashman)

Systematic Chaos - (Tommy)

Black Clouds And Silver Linings - (Tommy)

Dream Theater with Opeth, KB Hallen, Copenhagen - September 27th, 2009 - (Tommy)

Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence - (Sandra)



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