Thé big story leading up to Parasomnia was, of course, the return of Mike Portnoy (master drummer and co-founder of the band) after a thirteen-year absence. When Mike played on John Petrucci’s 2020 solo album Terminal Velocity and then joined Petrucci and Jordan Rudess on the third Liquid Tension Experiment album a year later, fans’ hopes for a possible return started to grow. Then, October 2023, the long-awaited announcement finally came: Portnoy was back with the band. But does his return bring back some of that sacred fire that had been missing from the last few albums?
One thing that becomes clear immediately after the first listen of the album is just how integral Portnoy’s signature drumming style is to the sound of Dream Theater. Mike Mangini is, of course, no slouch, he is a fantastic drummer, but Portnoy brings a commanding presence that makes him more noticeable. The first single, Night Terror, already was an excellent example of this with its signature fills after the intro, as if to announce his triumphant return. Parasomnia truly is packed with his unmistakable drumming.
Parasomnia is not a concept album in the sense of telling a single story. The songs rather share a common theme, all revolving around sleep-related disorders. Musically the tracks are also connected, with motifs recurring throughout the album. It all begins with the instrumental opener In The Arms Of Morpheus (named after the god of dreams), which serves as an overture, introducing various musical themes.
Next, Night Terror starts off slow and ominous, but once Portnoy kicks into gear, John Petrucci unleashes a crushing guitar riff, and the band takes off at full speed. What follows is a track where instrumental virtuosity and melodic choruses and verses seamlessly intertwine.
The album’s second single, A Broken Man, opens chaotically and dissonantly, with a barrage of guitar riffs. The song explores sleep disorders caused by PTSD, told from the perspective of a war veteran, and the music perfectly reflects this turmoil.
Next up is Midnight Messiah, an up-tempo rocker with an explosive chorus that radiates sheer joy. Of course, this is never entirely straightforward, but the song is largely in 4/4 time and follows a relatively traditional structure. At just under eight minutes, it’s one of the album’s shorter tracks and is bound to be a fan favorite on the upcoming tour.
By this point, we have already experienced 51 minutes of music, and only then the album’s true highlight begins: The Shadow Man Incident. This twenty-minute epic is, in my opinion, one of the finest long-form compositions in Dream Theater’s career.
Time will tell how this album will be regarded within the band’s rich discography, but with Parasomnia, Dream Theater displays an energy and joy in their playing that I haven’t heard from them in over twenty years. I never thought I’d say this about a new Dream Theater album, but here we go… Album of the year material!
Score:
90/100
Label:
InsideOut Records, 2025
Tracklisting:
- In the Arms of Morpheus
- Night Terror
- A Broken Man
- Dead Asleep
- Midnight Messiah
- Are We Dreaming?
- Bend the Clock
- The Shadow Man Incident
Line-up:
- James LaBrie – Vocals
- John Petrucci – Guitars
- John Myung – Bass
- Jordan Rudess – Keyboards
- Mike Portnoy – Drums
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