""Awake" is a great progressive metal album, and I think, it contains some of Dream Theater's best songs. It is also a much heavier album than "When Dream and Day Unite" and "Images and Words".
Musically, it continues where "Images and Words" left off, although in a slightly more heavy direction, as mentioned above, with long and complex and genre-transgressing songs and, of course, a complete disregard of the conventions of popular music.
My favorite tracks on this album are the opener "6:00", "Caught in a Web", "The Mirror" (which was probably the "hit" of the album", and "Erotomania" all of which blend technicality and catchy melody.
This is another pivotal progressive metal album that should be included in any progressive metal collection.
(review also posted on metalmusicarchives.com)"