Album Rating: 2.5

The Mirror/Lie are amazing

Album Rating: 2.5

Annoying isn't the right word, b/c that exists on pretty much all their albums. Scenes and Images have so much power and impact to them that Awake just lacks in my eyes.



But anyway Kevin Moore is indeed amazing and is probably my favorite keyboardist they ever had.

Album Rating: 3.0

oh okay



well The Mirror, Lie, Lifting Shadows off a Dream, Scarred, and Space Dye Vest is the biggest song combo for me ever, all five of them are life changing songs to me



and then there's 6:00 and Voices which were just huge to me also

Album Rating: 2.5

Awake is among their best and I love it, but it doesn't have as many amazing moments to me, like "LET THE LIIIGGHHHTT SURRROUUND YOOOUUU" *cue best solo ever* in Surrounded, the amazing instrumental sections of Metropolis, and Under a Glass Moon, the insane note LaBrie hits in Learning To Live before that incredible solo, its outro, the atmosphere and slow build of Pull Me Under.



Scenes also has the amazing storyline and epic instrumental passages, they were the first DT albums I had heard from that era, and they changed my musical life so I'm slightly biased haha



Awake I heard much later, and the shorter songs, LaBrie's gravelly voice, and absence of those amazing moments left me slightly let down. Looking back though, they're all fine or great songs, and has some of the band's best songwriting and atmosphere overall, like FII, but better.

Album Rating: 3.0

Surprised you like Surrounded's solo that much, if you can call that a solo

Album Rating: 2.5

The cheese is strong in those three songs between Pull Me Under and Metropolis, and it is glorious.

Album Rating: 2.5

Lloyd and others would back me up on this if they were here.

Album Rating: 3.0

I was just talking about the Surrounded solo, not the other songs. I thought that instrumental bridge was probably the weakest part of the song.

Album Rating: 2.5

Damn, that part always gets my gears rolling!

Seriously, Moore goes at it.

Album Rating: 3.0

Hey I never said it was a bad part, just thought it was the weakest. Been a while since I listened to the song, changing that now

Album Rating: 2.5

Surrounded is perfect. it's cheesy done right

Surrounded is perfect. it's cheesy done right [2]

Album is near perfection.

Album Rating: 3.0

http://prog.teamrock.com/news/2015-08-01/dream-theater-album-now-set-for-2016



Well, that gives us some spare time to keep enjoying life

Album Rating: 3.0

Please. make. them. stop.

I must've missed the memo where it said it was suddenly cool to constantly bitch about Dream Theater.

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

People have been bitching about Dream Theater for years, nothing new.



This album is still good, if nothing new from them. Is it even possible at this point in their career to evolve their sound? Though Rush did it with Clockwork Angels....

Album Rating: 3.0

It's not about the sound of the album. It's just that the compositions are dull. Illumination Theory is just a rip-off of their old self (or off Pink Floyd - Echoes?). The symphonic part is awesome, but the transitions just feel so forced compared to how they used to flow so awesomely one Learning to Live for example.

I always thought it would be cool to hear them go for a complete style shift. Maybe something in the vein of that "An Evening with..." album Petrucci and Rudess released a few years ago. Not a permanent change, just to shake thing up a bit.

"...the transitions just feel so forced compared to how they used to flow..."
I can agree with that, but with the last half dozen albums or so it also seems like their songwriting approach has stagnated, like they've settled into a groove and become too comfortable. I think a departure from their usual formula would be a risk that would benefit them.

Album Rating: 3.5

Agreed