Pretty sure it was one of my first DT purchases as well, alongside I&W and Octavarium. All three of them carry a lot of sentimental value for me, even though Octavarium isn't *quite* as high as it used to be in my ranking
@@CocoonMasterBrendan i think sometimes the timing in which you become a fan is important. I started listening in the mid 90’s, so I’m more of an old school listener. Anything after six degrees and Scenes was less attractive to me. Oh, and falling into infinity is a dud… 😂
Only metrics can be deamed better, highger, etc. Like album sales or demographics of the audience. Tastes can't be argued or demonstrated. It can be fun, we can sure feel it like it's a fact, but it's never true or false. Tastes.
Awake is still their reigning champion best album. To think they could top Images like that! The 7 string songs, truly original songs like 6:00, Lifting Shadows and the greatest song they've ever written imo: Scarred. This is as good as it gets.
And what's crazy is that they could top Images with a substantially longer album. As I said in the video, it's wild that a 75-minute record can fly by so quickly. But I guess that's a testament to just how good the songwriting is
I binged DT's discography very recently alongside Rush, so I feel like I still have to revisit it a few times to fully absorb the records. I hope I can watch this again and appreciate everything more. Who knows, sometimes you immediately find a new favorite artist, and sometimes it can take a few years before realizing how important they have been. I totally understand all those long overdue tattoos. Thank you for your work!
I appreciate the kind words! And it's funny that you mention the tattoo thing, because I have a tattoo of one of my other favorite bands - Opeth - and I got that one about a decade after I first listened to them. I totally agree that it takes a while to fully absorb and appreciate certain bands... in fact, that's currently happening with Nevermore for me right now 🤘
@@ProspectorAl In Cauda is my personal favorite of that era... I was indifferent to it at first, but it's really grown on me over the years. It'll be interesting to see what the next album brings, especially with the return of the growls and what not. But I'm sure it'll be solid at the very least
AWAKE was my first introduction to Dream Theater ("Caught In A Web" specifically and then the whole album) and my first introduction to non-commercial metal (i.e not Metallica). And they were my gateway band to the entire metal genre as a whole. And to this day, I still rate AWAKE as one of the best; the production very much defined the 'sound' that I like the most from metal and there are some killer hooks and melodies on this thing. And, yes, one of the best pieces of album art; I love high concept heavy metal album art because of AWAKE and Paradise Lost's DRACONIAN TIMES.
Nice to see a Draconian Times mention! I believe that was my first Paradise Lost album, and it was one of the experiences that really got me into the more extreme side of doom metal (along with Katatonia's first few albums, as well as Corrupted and Agalloch). I believe Octavarium was my introduction to Dream Theater (and one of my first prog metal albums in general), and then I worked my way back to their earlier albums. In hindsight, it was a good entry point, seeing as it's one of their more accessible records. But yeah, once I finally got around to I&W and Awake, I was quite blown away 🔥
My 3rd favorite album, but actually it feels like Awake has no enemy and it should be ranked at the top of their incredible catalog. Kevin Moore gave shape to the entire album, I always imagine how DT would have continued with Moore..... Awesome video!!!!!!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you! I've often wondered the same thing, as I wouldn't imagine him co-signing a lot of the creative choices DT made on later records. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing, as I do enjoy plenty of the Rudess records as well
When Dream and Day Unite is unique, me, as a big DT fan I know most of us rank this record at the bottom, but let's not forget the big 80's influence this record has, like rush, queensryche and even queen. Charlie's vocals here are magnificent and the dynamics through each song is unbelievable
I will say... the more I listen to WDaDU, the more I believe Dominici was given way too much flak for his vocals. Have you checked out his solo O3 albums? He's absolutely fantastic on those (and the trilogy is just underrated in general) 🔥
I got into DT at this time because of the Rush newsgroup. A lot of people on there were getting into DT. I saw the posts and bought I&W. I liked it a lot, but everyone on the Rush newsgroup told me to get Awake. I did and was completely blown away. Surprising later on to hear fans not be too into Awake. Back then, it was obvious that Awake was superior. For me, it is still the all time best DT ever.
To be fair, I was mostly referring to the critical consensus for the album's initial reception. Then again, that's probably the wrong way to go about it... critics have always been way too hard on prog 😂😂😂
Great video! RIP to Charlie Dominici. I ranked all the Dream Theater albums, and I probably had this one at the bottom. It's cool but it feels like an obscure 80's band that only had one or two albums and not Dream Theater. So it's hard to compare it to their other albums, but its still a great showcase for where they were at the time.
Appreciate it! Yeah, this one definitely sounds the least like DT... not just because of the lack of LaBrie, but also the influences the band were incorporating into their sound. As I said in the video, a lot of Fates Warning, Queensryche, and Watchtower in their sound around that time (albeit less technical and thrashy than Watchtower... that band is absolutely wild)
@@CocoonMasterBrendan It's funny because I don't think they fully shook the Queensryche completely until Awake! "Pull Me Under" sounds heavily inspired by "Revolution Calling" but Images and Words is still much more "Dream Theater" than the debut in my opinion.
For sure, I can definitely hear it as well. Especially when it comes to I&W's clean guitar tone, which often sounds similar to that of Operation Mindcrime or Rage for Order. But yeah, once the heaviness and melancholy of Awake came around, DT had really crafted a new sound all their own
What I wanted, as a fan, is that they could return with the classical pieces disguised in parts of their songs, and the varied time signatures that they used in older songs. That's because this is what made me like their songs, and it worked so well. The newer songs are great, but I miss that unique thing that only symphony x made back then. It blended so well, classic pieces and prog metal, that it was like they invented it.
Yeah, I definitely agree with this. As much I enjoy albums like Underworld and (to an extent) Iconoclast, I'd really like to hear them return to something like Twilight in Olympus (which I'm planning on making a video about) or Divine Wings. The way they combined heavy riffs with serene pastoral sections was absolutely incredible, and their newer stuff just doesn't have the same kind of balance... honestly, the whole macho schtick gets pretty old, especially on Iconoclast
Morning view came out when I was 7 so I grew up on that album as well as make yourself and the others. Never lived in Southern California but I used to visit family there a lot around that time. Listening to incubus in California around 01 - 04 was peak and will always have an impact on me and the way I grew up.
Yeah, I still see Two Against Nature as underrated to this day. Or at the very least, way overhated, given how hostile people were toward Steely Dan at the Grammys
I bought it on import back in the day after hearing about it on the grapevine. I loved it. Didn't love the singer but as a Rush fan I could accept it. When I&W came out (totally catching me by surprise as pre-internet there was no information available in the UK), they became my favourite band. the only issue with it is the vocals not quite fitting, and the mix. Hearing JLB singing these songs on the When Dream & Day Re-unite album and dvd was much better.
Yeah, I prefer the James versions of those songs as well. Especially his 90s performances of A Fortune in Lies, which were elevated so much by his range and power during that era
Yeah, those projects have a lot of the same vibe and atmosphere. I'm kinda sad that Moore isn't active in the music world anymore, but I'm glad that he gave us a few more strong projects before embarking on his medical career
Two different very good album, neither is better than the other imo... It's like, depending on your mood, one is clearly better that the other then vice versa.... AWAKE was less radio friendly and a lot more technical.. Images and Words was the opposite, much easier to digest, but still very very technical
That's a really good point. Images and Words is usually the first DT album I put on when I want something to lift my spirits and brighten my mood. Not exactly something I'd go to Awake for, as much as I adore it... both albums are stylistically similar, but it's the *way* they go about that style that sets them apart from each other
Those lyrics in Space-dye Vest: "And I have no more dreams to defend", as his goodbye from the band. What an epic. My favorite album of DT. What a perfect release. Moore's keeping the acrobatics in check, providing that dark ambience needed to balance the bombastic riffs.
For sure. And to be honest, I think his atmospheric keyboard work also kept the *other* members' acrobatics in check at times. He was really good at taking Petrucci and Portnoy's more virtuosic moments and giving them a greater emotional weight
Awake is the album my friend told me about and that's how I first got into DT and never looked back. Lie, the Mirro, Voices are my faves. One of the best prog / metal bands of all time. So happy MP is back in the band again
Yeah, I was really excited that MP rejoined as well. I'm a pretty ardent Mangini defender, but still... there's just no beating Portnoy's presence in the band
Awake is and has been my favorite Dream Theater album since I first heard it way back in 1994. They’ve had some great follow ups and I am a fan of everything up to and including Systematic Chaos, but they’ve never outdone Awake, though Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory sure came close. Happy to see others agree.
That's Dr. Kevin Moore to you! His leaving left a hole in the band that was never fully replaced. Even though he only wrote the lyrics to a few songs per album, they tended to be great songs. Unfortunately, when he left, his lyric writing duties were taken up by Portnoy, who was never, and still isn't, up to the task.
Funny you mention that, because I'm planning on doing a video on ADTOE at some point. People always look at me funny when I say it's in my top 5 DT albums, but it really is. Such an incredible balance of their older and newer sounds, and Breaking All Illusions and Outcry are among my all time favorite DT songs
That's honestly fair. WDADU has been growing on me a lot over time, and I love the early Fates Warning, Queensryche, and Crimson Glory touches that permeate the whole thing. Still not one of my favorite DT albums, but I do enjoy the hell out of it whenever I put it on Also, side note: love the Bergtatt pic 🤘 I'm a massive Ulver fan in general
I remember being initially disappointed but after spending some time with it I grew to really love it. Images was more immediate, this was a grower. Ultimately I find Metropolis part 2 to be my favorite.
True, and they were influencing so many bands around that time. Even Chuck Schuldiner said the final few Death albums (which happened to be their most progressive material) were heavily influenced by Awake. So this album was even reaching extreme metal circles
Images & Words is a 10/10 for me. Awake a solid 9.5/10. If Images & Words had the tones and production value of Awake then it would easily be an 11/10, ha.
Images And Words was an important album for DT, no doubt, but Awake features stronger (and less noodly - looking at you, Metropolis and Learning To Live) songwriting and vastly superior production.
Awake album is their best ever. Surely better than Images and words. I'm not a fan of DT since SDOIT. It's not dream theater. In addition, DT from Scenes from a memory is totally different band from before. 1st periods : When dream and day unite, Images and words, Awake 2nd periods : A change of seasons, Failling into infinity 3rd periods : Scenes from a memory Garbage periods : Train of thoughts and the latter albums They came back to descent band with self title album for a short periods and they'd gone away again. And they came back to nice band with Distance over time album again but they'd gond away again. I'v thought John Petrucci and Jordan rudess had made bad things about the music. Train of thoughts, systematic ..... what the hell! what have they been doing?? It's just loose music which doesn't have anything to enjoy with delight, awe, hope, tears, fears and more. Now I'm listening to "A mind besides it self". Perfect !!! I really hope a song like that again before I die.
As you see on some of the comments below, many DT fans see this as their favourite. Awake is the first album I heared from them. The Mirror the first track even and when I started listening to the rest of the album, after I bought it, I really was blowen away. Images and Words they defined them selves, but Awake in my opion, perfected it. In my top ten albums of all time.
Yeah, having either album in the #1 spot is perfectly understandable. Both absolute masterpieces, although I think Awake is starting to surpass Images and Words for me these days
Kevin Moore knew classical music and his most contributions in Awake are great counterparts, providing that dark contrast in the album. Kevin Moore is a genius and I wish he could do just one more album with Dream Theater.
