Background and production
Dream Theater's intention to work on their sixteenth studio album was first mentioned about six months after the release of A View from the Top of the World , with keyboardist Jordan Rudess speaking to VW Music about the band's future plans: "After we get back from its last show of the European tour we have a bit of a break. And after I finish my solo shows, Dream Theater will continue on the road with some shows in Japan, South America, and more to be announced as we go. When that settles down, we'll be entering the studio again, and doing a new album, which will be awesome. So, yeah, stuff like that is on the horizon." [4] [5]
In October 2022, guitarist John Petrucci stated that Dream Theater would begin recording their sixteenth studio album in late 2023. [6] Two months later, frontman James LaBrie said that he did not "see [the band] going into the studio until the beginning of '24", adding, "I don't think it would make sense to be in there before then. But don't quote me on that. Some things always change." [7]
On October 25, 2023, Dream Theater announced that drummer Mike Mangini had departed as they reunited with Mike Portnoy after thirteen years, a culmination of reconciliation between Portnoy, Petrucci, Myung, Rudess and LaBrie; LaBrie and Portnoy had not spoken for eleven years until their 2022 show in New York. [8] The band confirmed that it would record its first studio album with Portnoy in fifteen years. [9] Said Portnoy in an interview with Rolling Stone , "I don't want to be over-philosophical about it, but we're all getting older. Here we are in our 50s and 60s. You start to think of the reality of, 'How much time do we have left?' I would hate it if this were to become a Roger Waters–Pink Floyd or Peter Gabriel with Genesis situation where the fans want it, but it never happens." [8]
Progress on the follow-up to A View from the Top of the World had begun by February 2024, when Portnoy posted pictures from DTHQ on his Instagram account, revealing that the album was being recorded. [10] [11] On April 2, 2024, Petrucci and Portnoy announced that all of the writing and the drum tracks were completed, [12] and further recording took place until July of that year. [13] [14] [15]
On October 10, 2024, Dream Theater released "Night Terror" as the first single for the album and announced the title, track list and release date. [2] A second single, "A Broken Man", was released on December 3, 2024, [3] followed by "Midnight Messiah" on January 22, 2025. [16]
Reception
Parasomnia has received mostly positive reviews. Dom Lawson of Blabbermouth.net gave the album a rating of nine out of ten, and wrote, "Dream Theater are back—despite, in truth, never going anywhere—and the magic that informed their early, timeless classics is plastered all over this absolute triumph of a recorded return." [17]
MetalSucks rated the album 4 1/2 stars out of 5, stating: "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." [20]
Rating the album 3 out of 5, Classic Rock magazine's Hugh Felder said, "Although [Mike Portnoy's] stand-in Mike Mangini never really departed from the template that had already been laid down, there's a rejuvenated feel to this reunion album of the 'dream team', which is themed around the impact of sleep disruption from sleepwalking to nightmares." [18]
Sputnikmusic gave a positive review stating that "Despite essentially sticking to the same formula they've been employing since bringing on Jordan Rudess, Parasomnia still feels like a breath of fresh air. Maybe it's because this is their darkest, most guitar-driven album since Train of Thought . Maybe it's the smattering of modern ideas or the way the songs manage to strike a perfect balance—structured enough to feel cohesive yet intricate enough to deliver the prog elements Dream Theater fans love. Maybe it's a little of everything. Of course, Mike Portnoy's return plays a major role, bringing his signature flair to both the drumming and songwriting. After nearly 15 years of middling releases, Parasomnia is a triumphant return to form—possibly their most creative, focused, and engaging work since Metropolis, Pt. 2 ." [21]
Andy Thorley of Maximum Volume Music wrote in his review: "Parasomnia—[Dream Theater's] 16th record—is a journey into the dark, and there's little light at the end of the tunnel, fitting given that its title is a term for disruptive sleep-related disturbances including sleepwalking, sleep paralysis, and night terrors—given the length of the songs, the album feels like a real descent into pain, before a funky section reminds us of their unbreakable spirit—And really, there was only one way this was going to end: a massive, winding 20-minute epic. Parasomnia delivers—yet again—utterly incredibly. You can pay it no higher a compliment than to say it's up there with A Change of Seasons ." [19]
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