AWAKE

Great album, a little bit heavier and darker than its classic predecessor. I do not think it is as good as people say it is, but it is a real good piece of art. Most of the songs are shorter songs that are more catchy, which are heavy, but still progressive at the same time by having intricate guitar solos and stuff like that. The songs that stand out are A Mind Beside Itself, which is Erotomania, Voices and The Silent Man all together. It makes a 20 minute suite. It's a good suite, going from a progressive metal instrumental, to a song with lyrics, to an acoustic, soft ballad. Sometimes I listen to the last part just to make me feel happy, it really is a nice piece. The Mirror and Lie Segue into each other. And Space Dye Vest... this is another outstanding song, it features Kevin Moore's Keyboards dueling with James LaBrie's vocals in a haunting, atmospheric epic, before the other members join in for the climax and outro. This doesn't sound like Dream Theater at all, in fact, but it would show you a bit of the way Kevin Moore was heading towards when he left and formed Chroma Key. Kevin Moore is an amazing Keyboardist. While maybe not as skilled as Rudess, he still has that certain feel to him... that piece of creativity that could only be found in HIS mind and no one else's. He's kinda like the Syd Barrett of Dream Theater.

Other than that, most of the songs are just ordinary progressive metal songs, and all of them are nice. This is a good album!