Issue 2025-010
Round Table Review
Dream Theater — Parasomnia
In progressive metal circles, Dream Theater's Parasomnia might be the most important album of the decade. This band is the gold standard to which all progressive metal gets compared, for good or ill. There's no denying the band's sound changed after Mike Portnoy left in 2010. This record shows how drastic those changes were. Portnoy was never "just" a drummer in this band. He was a lyricist, a producer, a composer, a control freak... When the band sought out a replacement, they made it clear that they were only looking for a drummer. They never allowed Mike Mangini to fill the void left by Portnoy. Instead, Petrucci and LaBrie seemed to fill that role, sometimes for good and other times (The Astonishing) for very bad.
The band's 2013 self-titled album was actually my introduction to them, and I really liked that album. I listened to it a lot when it was released, and while I don't listen to it much any more, I still enjoy it when I do. I hated The Astonishing, but I generally enjoyed everything else the band made since Portnoy left. I think Breaking All Illusions is one of the band's better songs. I also think Myung is their best lyricist, but that's a different conversation.
I liked their previous two albums, but I didn't find anything on them to be particularly memorable, especially on A View From The Top Of The World. In short, the band was getting stale. Parasomnia breathes fresh air into this band, even if some of that freshness is a bit familiar.
In some ways, it feels like we have entered a musical time warp into an alternate reality where Portnoy never left Dream Theater, or one where the band took that hiatus that he wanted 15 years ago. The grittiness of past Dream Theater records returns, eschewing the overly produced outputs of recent years. We have ample use of sound effects, which was long a staple of Dream Theater albums but was missing from recent albums. Also, back are the computerized distortions of Portnoy's backing narrations at points. Essentially, this "feels" like a Dream Theater album, and much of that comes down to production. Yes it has the effects, but the instruments have a rawness not heard on a Dream Theater album in a very long time.
Back cover of the media book edition (artwork by Hugh Syme)
Something that immediately stood out to me on Parasomnia is the metal grit in James LaBrie's vocals. For some reason he turned into a ballad crooner over the last several albums, and that was beginning to grate on me. While we still have to put up with some of that on this album (I'm looking at you, Bend The Clock), for the most part we get LaBrie's metal vocals. A Broken Man is a good example of this, with the very slight distortion of his voice perfectly countering the heaviness of Petrucci's riffs and the pounding of Portnoy's drums.
Parts of this album are as heavy as Dream Theater has been - certainly as heavy as they have been since Train Of Thought. Dead Asleep is particularly heavy, with some huge riffs. Night Terror is in many ways the stand-out track. It is the big single, but that doesn't keep it from being good. At just under 10 minutes, this isn't your grandpa's single. It has one of the catchiest heavy riffs I've ever heard. This song being second on the record does the opening track a disservice, especially considering my relatively short commute to work. I've been skipping the first song just to get to Night Terror to ensure I can blast it on my drive.
Midnight Messiah similarly has a driving riff that could almost be described as thrash metal. I think they were actively trying to reference Metallica (whom I strongly dislike) with the opening guitar tone. They also reference themselves lyrically — "strange deja vu", "constant motion", "it's calling me back to my home", and "this dying soul" find their way into the lyrics. Some might see that as fan service or something, but considering the importance of the album and how subtle these references are, I think they actually serve the album well as another way for Dream Theater to tell us "we are back."
Thematically the record is a concept album dealing with, well, the title gives it away — parasomnia, a category of sleep disorders that involve abnormal behaviors and emotions. The band has dabbled with similar themes in the past, so this fits in well with their back catalog without being overly nostalgic. With that said, some of the stories told here get rather dark, especially Dead Asleep, which tells the story of someone who kills his wife while he's asleep and has to deal with the aftermath.
On an album filled with plenty of long songs, The Shadow Man Incident is the epic at almost 20 minutes. It has a long symphonic metal build up before the vocals kick in. The lyrics tell a dark tale of a shadow man who shows up in the fringes when people think they're awake. In some ways the song is reminiscent of The Count Of Tuscany. It has similar movements in the way the segments are divided and in the way the story is told. Musically it sounds quite different. It has its quieter moments, some of which lost my interest. It drags a little when the lyrics start, leaving me feeling a little lost and bored. At this point the vocals take center stage with a fairly basic wall of sound behind them.
After that first section things kick up a gear moving into a driving metal gallop with heavier slightly distorted vocals from LaBrie and swirling synths from Jordan Rudess. It briefly goes back to a vocal section that reminds me a little too much of The Astonishing with ballad-like vocal soaring and oddly upbeat riffs considering the darkness of the lyrics. The instrumental passages more than make up for this, though. There's one point where the guitar and bass riff reminds me of a machine gun; Petrucci and Myung are so precise, tight, and fast. Add in Rudess and Portnoy as they all show off, and you have for some blistering listening.
Overall I've been enjoying Parasomnia more than anything else I've heard in recent months and certainly more than any other Dream Theater album in years. I wouldn't call it a perfect record, but it is definitely a return to form for the band. I've seen some people on social media describe Portnoy's return as the band getting its heart and soul back. I don't know if I would go that far, but Parasomnia shows how much he influences the band's sound beyond the confines of his drum kit.
Well the time has come, it is February 2025, the planets are aligning at the end of the month and visible in the sky (although you will need a telescope) and Dream Theater have returned with their 16th album — Parasomnia, their first to feature Mike Portnoy behind the kit since Black Clouds And Silver Linings back in 2009. Will the alignment signal the era of the Theater is upon us? Will the return of Portnoy be the silver lining in 2009's black clouds?
Portnoy is certainly here as his trademark style of fills rolls us into the instrumental intro In The Arms Of Morpheus and Petrucci shakes the dust off with some heavy 8-string guitar work before launching into a sublime solo. So far it sounds like a rejuvenated band, with the joy of old friends showing through. Night Terror, the lead single, comes next, starting with an almost 80s heavy metal vibe before the signature fret wizardry from Rudess and Petrucci comes forward. Sure, some of the lyrics are a bit cheesy, but it is nice hearing Portnoy on backing vocals again.
Sing along choruses and blistering solos follow before we delve into A Broken Man with fills and blistering staccato changes and breaks in the drums before we get the obligatory chugging verse (always seems to be the 3rd track for them) and intricate melodies. We get a nice playful interlude where keys and guitar trade off in joyful solos and then its back into the darker realms till the end. Dead Asleep closes side 1. Again, some slightly cheesy lyrics about a sleepwalker who accidentally kills their partner. But musically, it chugs along with fun licks and patterns and key changes. Catchy grooves and a stellar performance from LaBrie help tie it all together.
Side 2 starts with the second single, Midnight Messiah. An interesting one for me, as it sounds a bit like the band tried to write a Megadeth track. It's heavy, quick paced and catchy. The riffs aren't too over the top but still keep a complex nature to them, while the vocals are dark yet still a bit playful in their delivery. Are We Dreaming? is a short interlude that is there, but has little other effect other than as an introduction to Bend the Clock. This fills the role of the ballad on the album. Gentle keywork and a crooning Labrie take us in before the 80s style guitar comes in. This one is likely to be the encore I think for their gigs, the sort of “end-of-the-night-sing-along-crowd-work” type song. Emotional solos, harmonising vocals, “lighters in the air” type stuff.
And then at last, The Shadow Man Incident - the near 20-minute epic closing track. A long and chilling intro, moving through soft atmospheres and heavy weaving musical patterns, we are treated to a seamless showcase of what the band can do. Fast riffing, ferocious drums, keyboard wizardry, dramatic bass lines and soaring vocal delivery. A culmination of the band's 40 years of existence. Here's to many more.
It is a darker album compared to other works, and this is reflected as well in the artwork. It is heavy, emotional, aggressive and raw while retaining everything that makes the band who they are. The guitars and drums take centre stage here, with Petrucci's skill and heavy use of 8-strings adding weight to it all while Portnoy's sheer joy at being back rolls into his technical fills and complex patterns.
In short, if you like Dream Theater, you'll like this. The band sound reborn, with all showcasing their supreme skill. There is little change to the formula — long songs, complex patterns and face melting solos — but they sound alive again. Unfortunately, this maybe proves Portnoy right all those years ago when he asked for a hiatus. And a shame for Mike Mangini, who's contributions and talent got overlooked for the fact he wasn't Portnoy (despite being a phenomenal drummer). Either way, the band sound like they have a new spring in their step.
Now, when is Metropolis Part 3!?
The facts: February 2025 marks the release of Dream Theater's Parasomnia, their 16th album. It contains eight tracks with a duration of 71 minutes. There are three pre-release singles, Broken Man, Media Messiah and Night Terror. Most important to Dream Theater fans is the return of Mike Portnoy. His last collaboration with Dream Theater was the release of Black Clouds And Silver Linings in 2009. In the interim he wasn't short of work playing with for example, Avenged Sevenfold and Twisted Sister among others.
The reuniting of Mike Portnoy with Dream Theater in 2023 coincided with the 40th anniversary tour as well as the recording of Parasomnia. Looking at the dramatic turn of events, it is evident that it was Dream Theater's wish to bring Mike Portnoy back into the fold.
The lead up to rejoining appears to have been managed with band members getting together socially and for holidays. Part of the build-up was Portnoy working on John Petrucci's solo album in 2020. Similarly, a year later working with Liquid Tension Experiment 3 which included Jordan Rudess. Portnoy replaced Mike Mangini who after 13 years was unceremoniously released from the band. There appears to be disappointment within the band about the time it took Dream Theater to reform. Comparing Mancini and Portnoy, the former could be described as one dimensional, whereas the latter is far more multidimensional in his contribution, particularly in the songwriting area.
Opening the album is the haunting instrumental In The Arms Of Morpheus. In Greco-Roman mythology, Morpheus is one of the sons of Hypnos, the god of sleep. This is followed by aggressive guitar and Mike Portnoy's first opportunity behind the drum kit. The second track is Night Terror which has also the distinction of being the first song they wrote together. Night Terror serves to give DT fans their first dose of thrash guitar with powerhouse percussion.
night terror
hysteria
nocturnal trial by fire
eyes open wide, but I can't see
James LaBrie wrote the lyrics for A Broken Man, adopting the perspective of a combat veteran suffering from PTSD and the impact it has on him. Dead Asleep is based on true events whereby a sleepwalker kills his wife and is arrested. He is ultimately exonerated because of his history of sleep disturbances. Portnoy's first foray into a lyrical contribution comes in the track Midnight Messiah. Are We Dreaming? is a short instrumental taking us nicely to Bend The Clock. This provides an uplifting melody and a nice guitar solo. Exploring the lyrics "hellish dream, tormenting scenes shadows looming, I'm paralyzed". The final track is The Shadow Man Incident, a 20-minute epic which lets loose displaying the band's technical ability.
To conclude, there is a lot of excitement in the prog community about the return of Portnoy. There is no doubt about his ability to deliver and contribute particularly in songwriting. During my initial listens to Parasomnia I doubted whether his reinstatement would have the effect that was expected in some quarters. I found that giving Parasomnia the listening it deserves, it will demonstrate how well Portnoy has reintegrated into Dream Theater and the contribution he has made to this album.
Comfort Progressive Metal. CPM?
That's the best encapsulation of the musical experience presented in this spanking new Parasomnia I can think of. Now, that observation is not in the least intended to be perceived as a negative remark (unless what you're seeking is pioneering experimentation and boundary-breaking sonic expressions, that is) because comfort is there to make you feel good and in safe hands. With this new release, rest assured you are in the safe, and technically gifted, hands of Dream Theater's "classic" line-up, with the return behind the drum kit of "long-lost brother" and "prodigal son" Mike Portnoy as the main attraction this time. I never had any issues with Mike Mangini's tenure as "supreme chief membranophonist", and The Astonishing's overambitious pomposity notwithstanding, I thoroughly enjoyed the albums he was in, Distance Over Time and A View From The Top Of The World in particular. All things considered though, the second you hear Portnoy's signature cascading fills and double bass bursts on instrumental overture In The Arms Of Morpheus (Neal Morse's influence there?) it feels like travelling back in time to the early 2000s.
Parasomnia most noticeably shares its DNA with Train Of Thought, Systematic Chaos and Black Clouds And Silver Linings, but there are traces of Scenes From A Memory, Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence and Octavarium to be found as well. This means it is an album which is perfectly coherent with its predecessors, in constant conversation with all of them but undeniably with a particular penchant for all things dark and heavy.
Indeed, this is an intense listening experience, and with the band's fan base split right down in the middle between proggers and metalheads it is the latter who I feel will find plenty of ear candy to cherish. That being said, as unrelenting as it is there's also atmosphere and melody in spades, and it's a lot of fun to listen to. It is also a very well-balanced record, with no patently obvious highlights but with no skippable tracks or filler either.
Favourites? Again, Parasomnia is pretty damn consistent throughout, but I'm sure The Shadow Man Incident (for those of you who love crazy, multi-faceted epics), Dead Asleep (the tense, narrative centrepiece of the album) and Bend the Clock (one of the best ballads DT has ever crafted) will be on repeat on your player of choice for weeks, if not months, to come.
All in all, it's 38 minutes of great music, and the remaining 33 (the singles you are likely to have heard a hundred times already) are nearly as thrilling. Sure, you'll hear a bit of Beyond This Life here, a section of In The Name Of God there and even an echo of A Nightmare To Remember elsewhere, but it all makes sense in the grand scheme of things somehow.
Although Jordan Rudess gets to shine on many instances throughout the runtime (check his Genesis-like undulating lines at the end of Dead Asleep or the lively latin-infused piano solo in the closing epic), not the least thanks to his (for once) tasteful range of keyboard sounds, it is John Petrucci's show first and foremost, and his performance is simply immaculate. From crushing 8-string riffs to soaring emotional solos, there's basically nothing the man can't do. If still in doubt, I refer you to Bend The Clock's last 3 minutes and after that don't tell me Gilmour and Rothery aren't in good company.
James LaBrie is also in good form and delivers some of his best singing in years, clearly benefitting from a more nuanced and expressive approach to his lines. In keeping with the man's personality, I won't say much about John Myung other than him keeping it all together (in more senses than one) and very likely being the band's secret weapon.
The easy thing to say here would be to accuse the band of releasing music they could have written in their sleep (see what I did there?), as they firmly stick to their tried-and-tested formula for the duration of the journey, but it is undeniable how engaged and dynamic they sound, how catchy and memorable all the motifs and recurring themes are, and just how damn enjoyable the whole album is.
You can call it predictable, and in an odd way it sounds like a "best of" without actually being one, but its great replayability value is undeniable, it flows smoothly and the song sequencing is spot-on. Let me reserve my right to refrain from commenting on Hugh Syme's artwork. Don't get me wrong, it looks fantastic and I love what he did in the past with many legendary bands and albums, but I'd like to be a 100% certain that he hasn't resorted to using AI this time to give a substantiated verdict.
There actually have been discussions going on whether Syme used AI to produce his artwork for this album. And in another discussion, it appeared that a licence for using Syme's artwork was bought twice: once for the album The Lightbringers by Orion (on the lyrics page for the song The Ghosts Among Us), and now for Parasomnia (in the deluxe version booklet) as well.
Who knows, maybe this is the album Dream Theater needed to make in order to ease Portnoy back into the fold, and their next move will shatter their own glass ceiling (fortress perhaps?) with unprecedented boldness and left-field creative choices. Until then, I suggest enjoying Parasomnia for what it is: 71 minutes of pure CPM bliss.