AWAKE

Dream Theater's third studio album, released in 1994 and is sadly, becomes the last album recorded with an amazing keyboard player, Kevin Moore. Awake is pretty much has the same concept and characteristic with the previous album, Images And Words, very progressive and metal. For me, its not my favorite and I think it is not as great as Images And Words, in terms of musical composition and lyrics.

Now let's take a look at each song.

6.00 This song is not my favorite in this album nor in all Dream Theater songs, because of James LaBrie's vocal and personally I think the song is lack of feeling and technique. This is very important considering 6.00 is an opening song which can determine the rest of the songs in the album, but for me, a true Dream Theater fan, I have listened to the rest of the songs and they are great!

Caught In A Web This song is much better than 6.00, consist of heavy guitar and keyboard riffs creating metal ambiences throughout the song, which is very Dream Theater. Moreover, when it hits the chorus, the ambience changes to rock - pop style, "caught in a web, removed from the world." However, once again, LaBrie's vocal in the second verse is not very good, just like in 6.00.

Innocence Faded This song is more like rock - pop ballad, just by listening to the intro, mellow and beautiful guitar riff. In the first verse, the style is also very rockish rather than metal. Once again, (uhh!!) is its very sad to say that LaBrie sang not very beautifully, except for the chorus, he was like screaming out of his range.

Erotomania Is actually the first part of A Mind Behind Itself, which is an instrumental section. The intro rhythm section was also used in A Change Of Season, added with practice-like guitar riff, and this is the most song played when I practice guitar! Anyway, the song is very great and very progressive metal with odd time signature throughout the song. The guitar solo is more like Yngwie's classical style with truly fast guitar licks, but still, John Petrucci played very cleanly.

Voices The second part of A Mind Behind Itself, Voices has very complicated and mixed style of music. Started with not-so-metal intro and followed by very metal elements of the song. The coolest part is John Petrucci's guitar solo, and just like I said on every Dream Theater's album reviews, John Petrucci always presents technical guitar solo with a deep feeling in it. In this song, James LaBrie still sings not very good.

Silent Man Another mellow song just using guitar rhythm and vocal. At last! James LaBrie sang very beautifully in this song, probably because he didn't need to scream to create metal elements. Its really awesome, how a combination of simple guitar rhythm and low pitches vocal can creates a real beautiful song. Moreover, the solo is really great! Just like Andy Timmon's stuff, clean and acoustic, simple yet profound.

The Mirror A true metal song, just by listen at the intro of the song. Heavy guitar riffs with heavy drums at the back. One thing to notice is that at around the fifth minutes, there are some riffs in Space - Dye Vest, just progressive.

Lie This song is the most popular song in this album, just like Images And Words' Pull Me Under and Train Of Thought's As I Am. The coolest part is there is a video clip of this song! The song is pure metal in every single minute of the song. In the guitar solo, John Petrucci played a riff taken from Pull Me Under, at the last minute in Pull Me Under, to be exact. The song ends with an unfinished guitar solo masterpiece : ), well, he could continued it, if there still time available.

Lifting Shadows Off A Dream For me, this is the most beautiful song in the album, not very metal but has a great feeling just by listening at the music notes. In a part, which I believe is the pre-chorus, there is a cool and nice guitar licks, which is very soft and unique, creates a nice ambience.

Scarred The last metal song before Space - Dye Vest, a nice ending of the album, and once again, not a very good vocal from LaBrie, but has great guitar solo..

Space - Dye Vest was made by Kevin Moore, both the lyric and the music. The song has dark and sad feeling because of the deep keyboard lines and also deep dark guitar and echoes sections. The best part is the change of style in the fifth minute, which increases the energy of the song. Truly Amazing.

I would give for stars for this album, because of the lack quality in LaBrie's vocal, although personally I think the others were doing great. Timur Imam Nugroho - Indonesia

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