Dream Theater - Awake (1994)

Writing an album that is the successor of a bands big commercial success and breakthrough is one of the hardest things any big band have to face. If you fail your band may always be remembered as the band that made that one great record. But if you succeed your band will most likely be lifted to the skies as the next big thing. So it was pretty much make or break time as Dream Theater was ready to release their third studio album titled "Awake". The expectations for this album was huge since "Images And Words" was such a giant success. But unlike most "flings", Dream Theater chose not to reinvent their last album. Instead, they tried to write something new and different. A tactic that later proved to be very successful.

Anyhow, "Awake" is maybe not mega different from "Images And Words" but it shows another side of the band that the world had not seen in that time. This album is more versatile than its predecessor. And even though the band was pressured by their record company to write a song that would bring as much success on the radio as "Pull Me Under", Dream Theater did manage to put in more elegant and not so radio friendly music here on "Awake". The first single that tried to reach the same heights as "Pull Me Under" was "Lie", a heavy and catchy song with a pretty quiet and numb verse but also a great epic chorus. Perfect for those who likes to sing-a-long. And even though it failed to reach commercial success I really enjoy "Lie" for its chorus and heavy riffs. Two other songs from "Awake" made it as singles. Those songs was "Caught In A Web" and "The Silent Man". Both great songs but they both do not have something that will make a song rememberable. An "it-factor". But I do like the symfonic chorus on "Caught In A Web".

How about the other songs then? Well, every song shows great creativity and muscisianship. Everything from the heavy "The Mirror" to the symphonic and psychadelic "6:00" is just a blast to listen to. There is ony one weak spot on this high quality record. I think the instrumental "Erotomania" could have been better if the band had put in more effort in this piece. Let us make a comparision. "Ytse Jam", from their debute album "When Dream And Day Unite", is crazy and has a great passion put in to every riff, beat and fill while "Erotomania" is more of a delicate instrumental. It is not challenging the muscisans, something I almost always want to see in a instrumental. Sure, an instrumental can be slow and does not need crazy ass riffs but if it must be that way then it must be perfect. Not a single mistake can be made in that kind of an instrumental. Something "Erotomania" failed to manage.

There is only one song on this album that reaches over the 10 minute mark and that song is "Scarred". A pretty hard epic that has its moments but it is not one of the bands finest mastodon songs. It is still a great song but I bellieve it could have been a bit better. But I have to admit gets better as the songs goes. Something that all great epics have in common.

Yeah, so this album failed to reach a commercial success but I still believe that this is one of the finest albums Dream Theater has made in their carrier. A great pack of songs that has great musicality and versatility. But just like in "Images And Words" there is some power missing for this album to reach the highest of peaks. But who cares when you get to experience a fantastic masterpiece by some of the greatest progresive musicians of all time.

Songs worthy of recognition: Lie, The Mirror, 6:00

Rating: 9/10 Voices

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Distance Over Time