Review: Dream Theater’s Iconic Lineup is Back with a Vengeance on Parasomnia

There are certain bands for whom extremely high expectations come part and parcel. It can’t be helped; when you spend an entire 35-plus year career setting a gold standard, that’s just how it goes. Dream Theater are a household name at this point, known throughout the world for their airtight mile-a-minute shredding and fearlessly outside-the-box approach to songwriting. Each individual member is a music nerd’s music nerd, a virtuoso unto himself, and they all come together like some kind of musical Voltron to create a very special kind of magic that has kept them at the pinnacle of the progressive metal pantheon from the beginning.

Well, the time has finally come, my friends, and I for one am pleased to report that their brand new album Parasomnia is indeed everything you would want and expect from a band of this caliber. It’s heavy enough to be palatable for today’s modern audience, but still heavily steeped in all of the epic, pensive melodies and jazzy stop-go grooves that a die-hard fan could hope for, ultimately achieving a delightfully satisfying balance.

When legendary founding drummer Mike Portnoy announced that he would be leaving the band back in 2010, it marked a dramatic turn of events (hardy har har), leaving many wondering what the next step would be, if there even was one. It was an astonishing thing, one that many believed would leave Dream Theater falling into infinity, but where there are black clouds there are also silver linings (okay, I’m done), and so the band went on to recruit the extremely talented Mike Mangini, recording five more albums and an EP, touring extensively, and even going on to win a Grammy for the song “The Alien” from their 2021 album A View from the Top of the World. The DT train kept on rolling for a long time, but as always, eventually all good things must come to an end.

In October of 2023, it was announced that Mangini would be leaving the band, but this time around the departure wasn’t so much a disruption as it was a full-circle moment, as it was simultaneously announced that Portnoy himself would be returning to the fold, much to the delight of fans the world over. With the mantle now reclaimed from his successor, the pressure was on, and everyone knew it. Metal fans from all over the world waited eagerly to hear what Dream Theater would sound like with their iconic original drummer back behind the kit for the first time in over a decade.

Right from the start of the opening instrumental track “In the Arms of Morpheus”, the album kicks off with a straight-up djent riff, one that sounds more like something you would hear from a modern deathcore band but still peppered with plenty of that signature flair to keep things grounded and recognizable. Dream Theater have always had heavy, groovy sections at some point or another, but this one is particularly gnarly. It’s a statement, a deliberate flex to show that they haven’t lost any steam, and that they still have what it takes to not only stand toe-to-toe with their contemporaries but to lead the charge.

About halfway through, the proverbial fists begin to unclench and the familiar triumphant melodies take the reigns, but by now the message has been sent loud and clear. Now that the dramatic entrance is out of the way and the door has been thoroughly kicked off its hinges, it’s time for the follow-through. The second song “Night Terror” is, in my personal opinion, a near-perfect representation of everything that this band embodies. It’s got all the usual ingredients: catchy, memorable riffs, unorthodox time signatures and unexpected transitions that keep you guessing but never get too far out ahead of themselves, multiple blistering guitar solos as only John Petrucci can provide, and of course, every single member is firing on all cylinders, marching in perfect lockstep with one another from beginning to end.

It should surprise no one that the musicianship on this album is absolutely stellar, or that every single song has its own distinct sense of personality, from the genuinely creepy and heavy opening track to the kinda-cheesy-but-it-still-rules peak ’80s vibe of “Midnight Messiah”, to the pseudo-ballad “Bend the Clock” towards the end. As I said in the beginning, this thing was always going to come with very high expectations, but that doesn’t make it any less satisfying to have those expectations met.

We all knew that Petrucci was going to shred so fast that lightning would shoot from his fingertips, and that Portnoy was going to lay down some tasteful jazzy beats and fills that make liberal use of those high pitched, tightly tuned toms on the far side of the rack, but one thing that I found particularly exciting was just how much they let Jordan Rudess cook on this one as well. The guy has a sick keyboard solo in just about every song, with a notable example being the almost honky-tonk-like piano shredding during the 19-minute epic closing track “The Shadow Man Incident”. That one came completely out of left field and left a big dumb smile plastered all over my face. Sadly, the only one we don’t really get to hear much of this time around is their inhumanly talented bassist John Myung. You can still hear him following along and even giving a nice little boost to certain riffs or breaks, so it’s not like they pulled a Newsted on him, but still, it would have been nice to hear him unleashed like we have in the past. The guy is an absolute animal, so let him run wild and free, man.

Now, obviously I appreciate the sheer unbridled talent that Dream Theater have dripping out of every orifice as much as the next guy, but I also have a bit of a hot take that I need to get off my shoulders. Start cracking those knuckles and fire up the pitchforks now. Alright, here it goes… I do not like James LaBrie’s voice. I know, I know- shock, horror, pandemonium, riots in the streets, priests holding Bibles aloft proclaiming the end of days.

I’m not saying he’s a bad singer, by any means; that is demonstrably false, and it would be irresponsible of me to try to make that assertion. It’s just that I’ve always found his voice to be a little too nasally for my personal taste. That being said, the guy has excellent breath control, and he does hit some pretty massive notes at the end of “A Broken Man” and during the crescendo of “The Shadow Man Incident”, so I have to give credit where credit is due. It’s just not for me, but if you’re a fan, then you’ll only be getting more of what you love, and plenty of it. None of it was enough to distract me from the rest of the music, and the dude has been an integral part of the Dream Theater machine for decades now, so even though I myself wasn’t totally sold on it, it doesn’t take away from everything else that this album accomplishes. Don’t close down the whole bakery just because I didn’t care for the muffins, that’s all I’m saying.

So, there you have it. Dream Theater never went away, but at the same time it feels like they’re back, somehow. Parasomnia is full of renewed vigor, reflecting the palpable excitement of their dedicated fanbase. It’s tasteful, technical when it needs to be but not overly so, making it accessible for just about anyone but still with plenty there for theory nerds to sit down and dissect. It’s not just great progressive metal, it’s great music, period, and anyone who appreciates music in any capacity will surely find something to enjoy about this album. If your average Joe tried to sit down and play it their fingers would probably fly off and explode, but it’s not exhausting to listen to, either. Quite the opposite, in fact. It’s a ton of fun, and hopefully a portent of many more great things to come.

Only time will tell, but in the meantime, you can catch Dream Theater celebrating the release of Parasomnia as well as their 40th anniversary (Jesus Christ we’re old) on an expansive North American tour starting this Friday and going all the way through to the end of March. If you get in the pit during their set and fall down, be sure to shout, “Pull me under, I’m not afraid.” Trust me, it’ll be hilarious.

Parasomnia drops Friday, February 7 via InsideOut Music, preorder your copy here

Dream Theater 2025 North American Tour Dates

Feb. 07 – Philadelphia, Pa. @ The Met
Feb. 08 – Raleigh, N.C. @ Martin Marietta Center
Feb. 10 – Nashville, Tenn. @ Opry House
Feb. 11 – Atlanta, Ga. @ Coca-Cola Roxy
Feb. 12 – Biloxi, Mo. @ Hard Rock Café
Feb. 14 – Houston, Texas @ 713 Music Hall
Feb. 15 – Dallas, Texas @ Texas Trust CU
Feb. 16 – San Antonio, Texas @ Majestic
Feb. 18 – Phoenix, Ariz. @ Arizona Financial Center
Feb. 19 – Highland, Calif. @ Yaamava Theater
Feb. 21 – Las Vegas, Nev. @ The Chelsea
Feb. 22 – Los Angeles, Calif. @ YouTube Theater
Feb. 24 – San Jose, Calif. @ San Jose Civic
Feb. 25 – Sacramento, Calif @ Safe Credit Union Performing
Feb. 27 – Seattle, Wash. @ Moore Theater
Feb. 28 – Portland, Ore. @ Keller Auditorium
March 2 – Reno, Nev. @ Grand Sierra
March 4 – Salt Lake City, Utah @ Maverik Center
March 6 – Denver, Colo. @ Mission Ballroom
March 8 – Chicago, Ill. @ Chicago Theatre
March 9 – Cleveland, Ohio @ MGM Northfield Park
March 11 – Toronto, Ontario @ Coca-Cola Coliseum
March 12 – Montreal, Quebec @ Place des Arts
March 14 – Wallingford, Ct. @ Oakdale Theater
March 15 – Boston. Mass. @ Boch Center
March 17 – Rochester, N.Y. @ Kodak
March 18 – Wheeling, W.V. @ Capitol Theater
March 19 – Cincinnati, Ohio @ Brady Music Center
March 21 – Washington, D.C. @ The Anthem
March 22 – New York, N.Y. @ Radio City Music Hall