The band is officially back together. After over a decade away from DREAM THEATER exploring other projects, Mike Portnoy is back behind the kit and everything feels right in the world again. Their 16th full length album and the first contribution from Portnoy since 2009’s Black Clouds And Silver Linings, Parasomnia is due for release on February 7th via InsideOut Music and it’s arguably one of the band’s most anticipated releases of their career. Will the iconic quintet be able to roll back the years?
In The Arms Of Morpheus sets the stage with the sounds of a closing window and the sighing protagonist preparing for slumber. The track quickly descends into chaos with heavy downtuned riffing and signature snappy drum fills. Dramatic keyboard runs join the rousing cacophony. Night Terror provides some enticing melodies alongside the energetic instrumentation. The pace surges as the guitar work is injected with intricate flourishes. The inviting, theatrical tones of frontman James LaBrie offer an alluring contrast to the crunchy riff sequences. The twisting and turning charm of this track could well become a consistent mainstay in future live performances.
A Broken Man immediately instils an intense mood with its frantic, unpredictable tempo. A wealth of light and dark elements intertwine to construct an immersive soundscape. An ever-transforming wave of impressive virtuosity hits that sweet spot between madness and majestic.
Dead Asleep dishes up some gnarly, groove-filled heaviness betwixt silky smooth lead segments. The haunting narrative is inspired by the true story of Brian Thomas, a man from Wales who accidentally strangled his wife whilst enduring a nightmare about being robbed. The expansive, sprawling sensations that DREAM THEATER can create fall hand in hand with bringing an emotional journey like this to the realms of music. Midnight Messiah continues to delve into darker, moodier tones whilst also possessing a buoyant, energetic stride that feels reminiscent of the Train Of Thought era. The lyrical content cleverly gives a nod back to installments of their catalogue including Constant Motion, Strange Déjà Vu and This Dying Soul.
Are We Dreaming is a brief interlude consisting of chiming bells and various whispers that leads into the calming ballad-like Bend The Clock. As the track gains traction alluring, melodic riff work takes centre stage combined with poignant piano pieces. Meticulously executed sweeping courtesy of John Petrucci provides another chapter for his highlight reel. The Shadow Man Incident reprises the hefty grooves and punchy drum rhythms before transitioning into a procession style beat that resembles the opening of Metropolis Pt. 2’s The Dance Of Eternity.
The ever-shifting soundscape keeps you on your toes, from soaring solo’s to swift, technical riffing the impressive instrumental layering ensures your attention is along for the ride. Portnoy gets put through his paces, navigating a whole host of tempo changes and still managing to cram a ridiculous amount of brilliant fills into the mix. The rapid-fire fingers of Jordan Rudess also play a pivotal role in the finely tuned balancing act.
Parasomnia is the album that everyone has been eagerly anticipating since the news first broke of the ‘classic lineup’ reformation. It certainly lives up to the hype, containing all the hallmarks of a nostalgic DREAM THEATER sound without aimlessly treading old ground. It feels crazy that a band sixteen albums deep into their career can still continue to display such high level innovation and experimentation but this is precisely what has been presented. This is not an album which will be immediately understood and digested in one single sitting so sit back, get comfortable and enjoy revisiting another epic statement piece from progressive metal’s elite outfit.
Rating: 9/10
Parasomnia is set for release on February 7th via InsideOut Music.
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