Author Topic: [Music] Dream Theater - Awake  (Read 6077 times)

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Offline icysk8r

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[Music] Dream Theater - Awake
« on: June 19, 2009, 01:47:56 AM »
First attempt at writing a review.  it is almost 4 in the morning here, so I am not sure how it turned out.  but I was bored.  tell me what you think.   

        Dream Theater’s third album, awake, was a landmark for Dream Theater.  An overall dark album, it covered topics such as madness and schizophrenia, and was also the last album that the former keyboardist Kevin Moore would be a part of.
   The album opens with the fast-paced song 6:00, written by Kevin Moore.  The song begins with a drumroll, leading into one of Mike Portnoy’s most famous drum parts.  The song then introduces samples from the film "The Dead", an adaptation of James Joyce's short story from his book.  While there is no confirmed meaning to the song lyrics, many believe it is about Kevin Moore wanting to leave the band.  The chorus hints at Kevin Moore struggling to decide on whether to leave the band or not.  Moore has not given a statement on what the lyrics are really about.
   The next interesting part of the album is the suite A Mind Beside Itself, All of which was written by Guitarist John Petrucci.  The suite consisted of three songs: Erotomania, Voices, and The Silent Man.  Many look at this suite as the highlight of the album.  The songs are about the different stages of schizophrenia.  Erotomania is a mental disorder, and a sign of schizophrenia, that causes one to feel as if someone is in love with them, or obsessed with them, when they may not be at all.  Erotomania is the only instrumental track on the album, and transitions into Voices as if it were really one song.  Voices is about the main character having conflicting thoughts regarding religion.  He is being talked to by the voices in his head, which is the main symptom of Schizophrenia.  The song clocks in at 9:53, making it the second longest on the album.  The final part of A Mind Beside It’s Self, is The Silent Man.  Many Dream Theater fans believe that The Silent Man is unrelated to the other two songs, while still keeping the same theme.  Those fans see the song as an somewhat of an alternate ending, being what could happen instead of what happened in Voices, if you stay with your faith.  Musically, this song is much simpler than the other two songs in the suite, and is the only acoustic song on the album.
   The final interesting part of the album, Space-Dye Vest, is the final track on the album, and also the final track that Kevin Moore wrote before he left the band.  Kevin Moore stated that  "I was looking through a clothing catalog and saw a picture of a girl modeling this piece of clothing called a space-dye vest. And, so, I fell in love with her for some strange reason and so the minute I did that, the minute I was just like obsessed with this person, I was like, 'why am I doing that?' and I noticed that I was doing it a lot lately. And I think the prime reason that I was doing that, and this is what I figured out at the time, was that I had just come out of a relationship where I'd gotten dumped, basically, and so I think the situation was that I wasn't finished giving all that I was ready to give, so I was just, like, throwing it around, you know, just aiming it in different directions. It was a total case of projection. And this song is just trying to sort it out and just kind of admitting that I'm just kind of lost. So it's kind of a dark song. It was very cathartic though."  
   Space-Dye Vest has had many different opinions over the years.  Some fans adore the song, while others feel it is cheesy and do not like the song.
   Awake was a milestone for Dream Theater for more than one reason.  One reason was because Kevin Moore left shortly before the album was mixed to pursue his own musical career, and moved to Istanbul, Turkey.  He was replaced by Derek Sherinian for the tour.  Derek stayed with Dream Theater until 1999 when he was replaced by current keyboardist Jordan Rudess.  
   Shortly before the tour, James LaBrie had gotten food poisoning and ruptured his vocal chords due to vomiting.  James told the rest of the band that they could replace him, because his voice would never be the same as it was before.  The band refused to let him go, because he is a part of the “family” that is Dream Theater, and can’t be replaced.  Doctors told James he should take it easy, but James didn’t listen and played on the upcoming tour.  James has since recovered, and many think his performance on Dream Theater’s 20th anniversary tour title Score is his best vocal performance to date.
   In conclusion, Awake was an excellent album by Dream Theater, and is truly a masterpiece in many fans eyes.  More importantly, it marked the beginning of a new era of Dream Theater to come.
« Last Edit: June 21, 2009, 07:07:31 PM by icysk8r »
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Offline BlobVanDam

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Re: [Music] Dream Theater - Awake
« Reply #1 on: June 19, 2009, 02:59:11 AM »
I hope you don't mind the critique, but your review reads more like an essay to me, giving more description than insight. Also, the last part of your review I think deviates a bit from the purpose of the review. Also, I don't know how Awake was the beginning of a new era. I see it only as the end of the KM era.

But being the young'un of the forum, I don't want to discourage you. :)
Only King could mis-spell a LETTER.
Yep. I think the only party in the MP/DT situation that hasn't moved on is DTF.

Offline icysk8r

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Re: [Music] Dream Theater - Awake
« Reply #2 on: June 20, 2009, 01:28:01 AM »
I hope you don't mind the critique, but your review reads more like an essay to me, giving more description than insight. Also, the last part of your review I think deviates a bit from the purpose of the review. Also, I don't know how Awake was the beginning of a new era. I see it only as the end of the KM era.

But being the young'un of the forum, I don't want to discourage you. :)
Lol.  Well, the reaon it is an essay is because I wanted to keep it unbiased, and most of my opinions out.  It was the beginning of a new era because this was the era where JLB couldn't sing, and it also pretty much began an era of depression, being that their albums weren't turning out well, [except ACoS], they had Sherinaian, but I don't think anyone wanted something long term with him.  So I think it was the beginning of a depression for DT.  Then scenes hit the shelf and the depression was over.
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Offline BlobVanDam

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Re: [Music] Dream Theater - Awake
« Reply #3 on: June 20, 2009, 01:56:25 AM »
Well Awake wasn't the beginning of that era then. And neither was ACOS. Apparently only FII was by your definition, so you can't say albums as a plural.
And even without strong opinion, you can give a more descriptive approach to the reviews. All reviews are going to have a little bit of bias, and it's up to the reader to decide whether they'll take into consideration a particular opinion of the reviewer. The important thing is to give an informed opinion without extreme bias, but a review should give the good and bad points of an album.
Only King could mis-spell a LETTER.
Yep. I think the only party in the MP/DT situation that hasn't moved on is DTF.

Offline Ultimetalhead

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Re: [Music] Dream Theater - Awake
« Reply #4 on: June 20, 2009, 04:58:02 PM »
Icy. You are now the biggest noob on DTF.
Orion....that's the one with a bunch of power chords and boringly harsh vocals, isn't it?
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Offline icysk8r

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Re: [Music] Dream Theater - Awake
« Reply #5 on: June 21, 2009, 01:01:08 AM »
Icy. You are now the biggest noob on DTF.
Well, you are the biggest.... MEANIE HEAD!!!
 :P
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Offline Ultimetalhead

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Re: [Music] Dream Theater - Awake
« Reply #6 on: June 21, 2009, 06:36:56 AM »
There is a SERIOUS factual mistake in your review icy. I suggest you find it before everyone here does and you lose what dignity you have left.
Orion....that's the one with a bunch of power chords and boringly harsh vocals, isn't it?
LOOK AT THIS AWESOME SHIT AHHHHHH

Offline BlobVanDam

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Re: [Music] Dream Theater - Awake
« Reply #7 on: June 21, 2009, 06:59:55 AM »
What? Naming A Mind Beside Itself incorrectly? Or calling SDV interesting? :neverusethis:
Only King could mis-spell a LETTER.
Yep. I think the only party in the MP/DT situation that hasn't moved on is DTF.

Offline Ultimetalhead

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Re: [Music] Dream Theater - Awake
« Reply #8 on: June 21, 2009, 07:02:45 AM »
Oh my god people....How the hell could you NOT notice what's wrong. It was the first thing I noticed....
Orion....that's the one with a bunch of power chords and boringly harsh vocals, isn't it?
LOOK AT THIS AWESOME SHIT AHHHHHH

Offline BlobVanDam

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Re: [Music] Dream Theater - Awake
« Reply #9 on: June 21, 2009, 07:08:27 AM »
Oh DUH. DT's second album.

I mean, he's pretty much correct, but technically there was some music they made before IaW with some other dude apparently.  :biggrin:
Only King could mis-spell a LETTER.
Yep. I think the only party in the MP/DT situation that hasn't moved on is DTF.

Offline Ultimetalhead

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Re: [Music] Dream Theater - Awake
« Reply #10 on: June 21, 2009, 07:12:45 AM »
I'm glad someone else caught it.   ::)
Orion....that's the one with a bunch of power chords and boringly harsh vocals, isn't it?
LOOK AT THIS AWESOME SHIT AHHHHHH

Offline BlobVanDam

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Re: [Music] Dream Theater - Awake
« Reply #11 on: June 21, 2009, 07:14:44 AM »
When I'm only skimming the thing and see it call Awake DT's second album, I don't give it a second thought. In my mind I think of it as DT's second album, so I didn't notice until it was half pointed out.
Only King could mis-spell a LETTER.
Yep. I think the only party in the MP/DT situation that hasn't moved on is DTF.

Offline icysk8r

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Re: [Music] Dream Theater - Awake
« Reply #12 on: June 21, 2009, 05:02:54 PM »
I don't know what you guys are talking about. :neverusethis:
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Offline Ultimetalhead

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Re: [Music] Dream Theater - Awake
« Reply #13 on: June 21, 2009, 06:44:05 PM »
You didn't edit fast enough. :neverusethis:
Orion....that's the one with a bunch of power chords and boringly harsh vocals, isn't it?
LOOK AT THIS AWESOME SHIT AHHHHHH

Offline icysk8r

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Re: [Music] Dream Theater - Awake
« Reply #14 on: June 21, 2009, 07:07:04 PM »
You didn't edit fast enough. :neverusethis:
What did you mean  by naming a mind beside itself incorrectly
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Offline Ultimetalhead

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Re: [Music] Dream Theater - Awake
« Reply #15 on: June 21, 2009, 08:32:36 PM »
No. It's obvious of your mistake because it said you edited it.  :biggrin:
Orion....that's the one with a bunch of power chords and boringly harsh vocals, isn't it?
LOOK AT THIS AWESOME SHIT AHHHHHH

Offline icysk8r

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Re: [Music] Dream Theater - Awake
« Reply #16 on: June 21, 2009, 08:57:17 PM »
No. It's obvious of your mistake because it said you edited it.  :biggrin:
edited what?  :biggrin:
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Offline BlobVanDam

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Re: [Music] Dream Theater - Awake
« Reply #17 on: June 21, 2009, 11:51:48 PM »
« Last Edit: Today at 11:07:31 AM by icysk8r »

Great work there, secret agent :hat
(ps. I typo'd secret as secrete, but I fixed it BEFORE I posted. Note. )
Only King could mis-spell a LETTER.
Yep. I think the only party in the MP/DT situation that hasn't moved on is DTF.