Four years have passed since
"Illumination" was released, and Awake has used the time to grow into a
tighter and stronger unit: everything has taken at least one step ahead.
"Forever More" is all-in-all
a better and more rounded album and sees them moving out the Evergrey shadows
that hung over them in the beginning of their career. They have moved on and
have found a sound of their own on this album. They come across in a heavier and
darker version, where everything falls nicely into place. The foundation is
still a powerful version of progressive metal and the new guitar duo fits right
in like they've always been a part and Simon Shedwell shows that he should be
counted among the up-and-coming young progressive metal vocalists.
"Forever More" is a mature,
well thought out and played album with a good production, but I fear that it
will have a hard time standing up against the massive flow of great progressive
metal releases we see right now, but if you liked "Illumination" then I suggest
you pick this one up because it is simply a better album and a move in the right
direction for Awake.