Dream Theater Awake Zip Download
Venessa Serr
The lyrics on Awake are a great deal more personal and introspective, with very few abstract themes. Kevin Moore wrote both "6:00" and "Lie" about his decision to leave the band, and "Space-Dye Vest" about a bad breakup he had. Portnoy wrote "The Mirror" about his struggles with alcohol. "Erotomania", "Voices", and "The Silent Man" make up a suite. Like "Scarred", A Mind Beside Itself deals with religion; furthermore, it also concerns itself with sexuality. The more abstract songs are: "Lifting Shadows Off A Dream" which Myung describes as being about a man and a woman and the duality in their relationship; and "Innocence Faded", the meaning of which has escaped most Dream Theater fans. While there is no title track, the word "awake" does appear during the song "Innocence Faded" and "The Silent Man"
At that time I was not so keen with prog music anymore as MARILLION, my hero, wentpop / straight rock in early 1990. I was fed up with musical trend at that time. I was solonging for early YES, early GENESIS, PINK FLOYD, ELP .. that sort of bands. But "6:00"of DT blew me! I even failed to identify what sort of music these guys were playing.Frankly, I was not aware what is prog music. But "Awake" changed my perceptionabout DT. Since then I collected almost all official albums of DT. My visit to my bro's house when he introduced me, again, to the root of modern progrock music represented my second come back to prog. The kind of music I had beendreaming to enjoy. I also remember that Henky also showed me the other album ofDT "A Change of Seasons" that did not attract me first time looking at it because itcontained some cover of LED ZEPP, KANSAS, DEEP PURPLE and others. I did not like acover band actually. Since then I started collecting prog albums again.What's so great about this album? Two things: musicianship and composition. Theseblokes are really skillful in their respective field. Other than Portnoy, I was amazed withthe bass player John Myung who plays dynamically throughout the whole album(except "Spce-Dye Vest" probably). The other players that I like as well were Moorewith his thick sound keyboard, Petrucci with his powerful riff.On composition, all tracks have been beautifully crafted by the band, each track is wellpositioned to create ultimate satisfaction for listeners. On particular, I want toemphasize the nice position of "Erotomania" - "Voice" - "Silent man". I think these threetracks must be enjoyed as one track as "Erotomania" has successfully created anatmosphere to enter "Voice" which then closed nicely by acoustic based "Silent Man".Really cool!Having enjoyed the relaxing music of "Silent Man", the band brings us back to a heavyguitar riff (and dazzling bass guitar) kind of music in "The Mirror". I like also the wayMoore plays his keyboard. Stunning! LaBrie's voice is powerful. The tone of this trackslows down in approx min 5:45 with keyboard taking its part followed by guitar. It thenflows smoothly with "Lie". What a wonderful transition!If my bro at that time played "Lifting Shadows Off a Dream" instead of "6:00" I mightprobably think that DT is another neo-progressive rock band. Sort of MARILLION, IQ,PALLAS with a different kind of singing style. Definitely, LaBrie's voice is not the kind ofvoice for neo prog rock. The keyboard melody at the intro of "Lifting Shadows Off aDream". Excellent track. The next track "Scarred" has a very cool intro of cymbalsounds, followed by stunning lead guitar and drumming. LaBrie's voice entersin "breathing" style. The track is then going into a higher tone with (as usual, DT style)guitar riff "jeg-e-jeg-je-eg" (that's how rock community in my country call the sound ofguitar riff). It's a terrific track packed with instrument sounds played skillfully by theboys in the band.Any human being, be it a pop lover, rock lover, or other music lover will definitelylove "Space-Dye Vest". It has a very nice piano intro and touchy melody! Try this trackfirst before you try any other track. You would think that DT is not "metal" influencedband. You might recall PINK FLOYD influence in this track, especially the sound effect ofpeople's voice in the crowd.Overall, this is a MUST HAVE album in your prog collection. It's a masterpiece! I think.What do you think? - Gatot Widayanto, Indonesia. social review comments Review Permalink
Posted Thursday, June 17, 2004 Review this album Report (Review #11423)
Petrucci never fails to impress on this album and it's nice to see him trying differentstructres of his guitar work. Mike Portnoy is probably more of a highlight on this albumas he offers intense drum work throughout the heavier sections of the album yetmanages to keep up the good work for the mellower parts, which is more familiar toImages and Words. "6:00" automatically draws you into the album with the opening drum solo and furiousdark vocals. This track still shows off much progression and it builds up well from thedrum solo and "6:00 on a christmas morning" to much more impressive stuff. "Caught ina Web" is a great piece that continues the flow of the album. The bands sound mayseem a bit dramatic at times (especially LaBrie's vocals) but it's all good. "InnocenceFaded" is one of the more beautiful pieces and somehow reminds me of the "light todark, dark to light" feel of "Surrounded" on Images & Words. Erotomania is a dark andspellbounding instrumental that reminds me of "The Call of Ktulu" by Metallica. This songalways manages to build and fade majestically and is a delight to the ears. The guitarsounds here are pretty manic like the title would suggest. voices adds a slower andpaced balance to the album which leads beautifully into "The Silent Man" which is anacoustic ballad, showing off the other side of petrucci and stretching LaBrie's vocals.This song along with "Space-Dye Vest" are really one of kind and sort of show off theheart of the band, offering a "Wish You Were Here" sort of edge to these songs."The Mirror" is the centrepiece of the album (reflecting the album cover) offering a moremetallic edge to the second half of the album. The album continues smoothly withlengthy "Scarred" and "Lie" which give the latter half the album as much skill as the first.When "Space-Dye Vest" arrives you are no longer awake with the lulling piano pieceand experimental voices that are similar to Dark Side of the Moon. Awake starts to turnback into the wonderful dream which is Dream Theater. This is a brilliant album from theband and is just as essential as Images & Words and Scenes from a Memory. social review comments Review Permalink
Posted Thursday, July 8, 2004 Review this album Report (Review #11426)
Well, it's obvious that I'm starting my reviews with incredibly lame comments, but in thiscase it's true: I have written so many 2 and 1-start reviews lately that I think it's time towrite something about The Dream. After I finish with this, only OCTAVARIUM, TRAIN OFTHOUGHT and SCENES FROM A MEMORY will remain unreviewed by me, which is the sameas to say "unreviewed by DT's most critical objector". (Insert a blinking face here). No,that's unfair. I know when my boys do something wrong (cough!**The GlassPrison**cough!) or when they write lame songs (did anyone mention "take Away myPain"?) or when they make bad decisions (recording their best song ever in the same EP asa series of useless live covers?). So, as usual, let's bring fairness to the table and judgeAWAKE for what it truly is: ...well, sorry. Another masterpiece. Actually, if it was posible I would really give this album only 4.75 stars or even 4.5. that'smainly because of four reasons: 1. Coming after ultra-masterpiece and my third favorite album of all time IMAGES ANDWORDS it was really hard for any album to measure up. Somehow DT managed to at leastreach the very next stair down from that, if not the same exact one.2. James La Brie's singing: as I mentioned again and again in reviews and in the forum, I'mone of the biggest fans of Mr. Canadian's style of singing. For me he's the perfect vocalistfor the New York outfit. but even Maese LaBrie had a moment of weakness, and it arrivedin some parts of AWAKE: when he tries to "yell", to sing overly "metallic", his throat sort ofgives up and all we hear is a awkward shriek. It doesn't happen too often in the album, butit happens, and that's something I could never say about any other DT release. (Especiallyafter listening him singing "Under a Glass Moon" live in SCORE, I know that was just a badmoment for James, he IS capable of hitting the high notes even in front of a largeaudience). 3. Again, this has more to do with comparing this release with the preceding history-makingone. AWAKE is more metallic, less "progressive" in that there's less long songs, and most ofthem have a rather normal structure. There are also less soaring solos and blazingrhythms. But that's just a change of style. Once you adapt and understand you won'tbe hearing to IMAGES AND WORDS II, you will be fine and love AWAKE for what it is. 4. Kevin Moore's lesser contribution and importance in the final mix. In I&W the keyboardswere everywhere, a prominent part of the overall picture, whereas in AWAKE the keyssort of get lost in the mix and their contribution to the actual main riffs and section ofsongs is less evident. It was not a shock when we learned this was Morre's last album withthe band. 6:00 (8/10) , after a great drum intro by Portnoy, the songs gets on a groovy, fast tempowith much instrumental value but no great melodies or solos. Good song but nothingmagnificent. Caught in a Web (9/10) Now we start to talk! Not in the same caliber of othermasterpieces, but a good song nevertheless. In this one LaBrie's performance is justdecent, but on the other hand Moore's is impecable. Good chorus.Innocence Faded (9.5/10) We're getting closer to magnificence here. A very melodic,uplifting track where, curiously, LaBrie renders a fantastic singing performance. The middlepart reminds me of Rush-meets-I&W. Great.Erotomania (9.75/10), an instrumental of great coherence and cohesiveness, this startsthe series "A Mind Beside Itself". I have special fond memories of this song as it appearedin a instructional-VHS tape made by Portnoy that I bought to improve my playing. A greatpiece with variety. It lakcs emotion, but that is solved when we hear the series frombeginning to end. Voices (10/10), masterpiece, superb. After "Erotomania" fades out, it blends perfectly intothe odd time signature of the main riff in this song which contains another one of MaestroPetrucci's greatest and most melodic solos ever. Terrific. desperation, melody, heart,feelings. That's what this anthem is about. As opposed to the long songs in IMAGES, thissong's structure is rather common, just enlarged. At the end, it blends in with the nexttrack. The Silent Man (9.5/10), as a stand-alone song is nothing to write home about, just a littlemellow acoustic track with another superb performance by LaBrie (when he's not in "metalmood" he sings as always, amazing). But if you listen to it in the right context,after "Erotomania" and "Voices", it works perfectly. The Mirror (10/10) An outstanding track with a heavy heavy riff and some beautiful ifmaybe too-far-in-the-mix keyboard work by Moore. This is a pure metallic song withprogressive elements, but this one perfectly crafted. The melody at the end will returnlater as the most sad of all say-goodbye-songs in this album final track. Lie (7.5/10) this one had a video shoot for it. Ironically, is the weakest song in the album.Simple metal with almost no progressive elements, if maybe with the exception, of course,of musicianship of the highest level by the 5 virtuose at play here. Wait, by four of them,because this is not one of LaBrie's shiniest moments; wait, only by three of them, becausewe have to guess in order to realize Moore is playing here. Lifting Shadows Off a Dream (9/10) a great melodic track with good performance by Mooreand the rest of the band. The chorus is too-mellow at times for me, but nothing thatultimately damages the song.Scarred (10/10), after a classy, elegant, bass-guitar-and-ride-cymbal-only beginning,LaBrie sings with care, with caution, as if coming from behind trying to awaken us from anillusion. The second section is metallic with great power by the guitar and the keys, then apre-chorus of question, of doubt, and finally a chorus of re-assurance. Listen: this songhas so many sections, all perfectly united to create one song. Other bands have songswith two sections, others play the same three notes for minute after minute over and overagain. I prefer music with variety. I prefer something like this.Space-Dye Vest (10/10). Kevin Moore's last song with Dream Theater, such a beautifultrack as the prog-metal and prog and rock world in general has very seldom heard. It's sosad, we could actually cry for whatever reason we could choose: for love, for desperation,for any other cause. When we learned this master of the keys was leaving, we understoodwhat should the tears be about. Fantastic melody. Incredible space atmosphere.Magnificent end to a very productive, if too short, musical relationship. All in all, a fantastic album, not up to the level of IMAGES AND WORDS, but then again,very few albums are. A 4.5 stars, in my book, is rounded up to 5. And 5 I give toAWAKE. Recommended for: Dream Theater fans, Prog-Metal fans, Prog-fans, rock-fans, sanjuanito fans, MUSIC fans. Not recommended for: People who don't like anything metal-related. And die-hard fans ofKevin Moore who can't take Dream Theater without him. Why? Because after you listento "Space Dye Vest", you'll miss him even more. I don't. We lost him, we got Rudess. Now what's to suffer for? social review comments Review Permalink
Posted Friday, February 9, 2007 Review this album Report (Review #111386)