Dream theater lifting shadows cover

1994 studio album by Dream Theater

Awake is the third studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released on October 4, 1994, through East West Records.

Dream theater lifting shadows cover

It is the final Dream Theater album to feature original keyboardist Kevin Moore, who announced his decision to leave the band during the mixing process of the album.

Much of the material for Awake was written in writing sessions between February and April 1994, during which Dream Theater were under pressure from their record label to produce an album as successful as Images and Words (1992) with a single similar to "Pull Me Under".

The label wanted the band to produce a more metal-oriented album, hoping it would be easier to market. John Purdell and Duane Baron produced, engineered and mixed the album. The album's cover, again designed by Larry Freemantle, features numerous references to the album's lyrics.

Released at the height of the popularity of grunge music, Awak