DREAM THEATER RE-SIGNS WITH ROADRUNNER RECORDS

[cyberdrummer]

GRAMMY NOMINATED BAND RE-SIGNS WITH ROADRUNNER RECORDS


NEW YORK, NY (December 3, 2012) – Grammy nominated band Dream Theater, one of rock's most musically fearless and adventurous bands, has re-signed with Roadrunner Records. The group first signed with Roadrunner Records in January 2007 and has so far released three critically acclaimed albums with the label. The label first issued Dream Theater's ninth studio album Systematic Chaos in 2007 and went on to release Black Clouds & Silver Linings in 2009 as well as their most recent album, A Dramatic Turn of Events in September 2011. The band will soon begin recording a new album as part of the new agreement with Roadrunner Records.


In 2012 and while with Roadrunner Records, the band received their first-ever Grammy nomination for "On The Backs Of Angels" in the Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance category. The song was the first single from their eleventh studio album A Dramatic Turn Of Events, which had 14 Top 10 debuts around the world including the U.S. where it entered at #8 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart. 2009's Black Clouds & Silver Linings also charted strongly, debuting at #6 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart, the highest charting record of the band's career. They have also won several awards while at Roadrunner Records including Rollingstone.com's readers' poll for "Your Favorite Prog Rock Albums of All Time" (2012), several awards from the leading Japanese rock magazine BURRN! (2012) and the "Spirit Of Prog" achievement award at the 2009 Classic Rock Awards. Overall, the legendary progressive metal masters have sold in excess of 10 million records and DVDs worldwide. A powerhouse live act, they've headlined and sold out shows all over the globe.


The band commented, "We are all very excited to be re-signing with Roadrunner Records! Over the past 5 years from the release of Systematic Chaos to our latest A Dramatic Turn of Events, we've developed strong creative and professional bonds with everyone at Roadrunner as well as many great friendships along the way."


The band adds: "Roadrunner's dedication and commitment to Dream Theater has been evident to all of us from the very beginning, and is consistent in all departments and on all levels, right on through to the top. Roadrunner is a record label that is not only great at what they do but who truly understand what Dream Theater is all about as well as the amazing people who support us all around the world whom we proudly call our fans. They are a record company we relate to as an organization firmly rooted in its ideals and mission, while always pushing the envelope in an effort to keep things moving ever forward. We've reached many career defining milestones while at Roadrunner and are all incredibly pumped in anticipation of our continued future together!"


Dream Theater formed in 1985 under the name Majesty. The lineup has evolved to become John Petrucci (guitar, founding member), John Myung (bass, founding member), James LaBrie (vocals), Jordan Rudess (keyboards and continuum) and drummer Mike Mangini.


Dream Theater recently wrapped up a massive worldwide headline tour in support of A Dramatic Turn of Events and is heading back into the studio to record their next album. The next chapter in Dream Theater's storied career begins in 2013.


www.dreamtheater.net
www.facebook.com/dreamtheaterofficial
www.Twitter.com/DreamTheaterNet
www.myspace.com/dreamtheater

[BlobVanDam]

Doesn't surprise me given that they've done quite well with RR, so I'm glad to hear it.

[cyberdrummer]

It's true - @dreamtheaternet has re-signed with Roadrunner, and will be back in the studio very soon!

[Cedar redaC]

Very cool!

[wasteland]

Very good indeed. I had completely forgotten that the contract between DT and RR had expired with ADTOE, but them re-signing with the label doesn't comes as a surprise to me, at all 

[cyberdrummer]

Back in the studio in January?

[nikatapi]

Seems logical after all the promotion and care RR has given DT.
I wonder for how many albums the new contract is.

[MoraWintersoul]

We've reached many career defining milestones while at Roadrunner...

Such as releasing the fan-favorite DVD Chaos In Motion, recording an original song for a video game soundtrack for the first time, and losing one of the founding members of the band!

Seriously though, I'm happy for them.

Roadrunner is a record label that is not only great at what they do but who truly understand what Dream Theater is all about as well as the amazing people who support us all around the world whom we proudly call our fans.

That's right, Roadrunner, if you mess with Dream Theater, you mess with us.

[SuperTaco]

This is great news. I remember the day when they first signed on to RR, I was really excited to hear what kind of direction they'd go in. A lot of things have happened since then. We've gotten three new albums of steadily increasing commercial success (and, IMO, increasing quality). We witnessed the big change behind the drum kit and saw the band bring an increased sense of maturity and tightness to their live show as well as each member taking on a greater responsibility with the business side of the band. I am ecstatic to see them staying with RR and I'm excited for the next album more than anything.

[philmcson]

Great, hopefully they'll tell us a release date for the upcoming dvd and that would be enough for me....   

[El JoNNo]

Which part of RR was going bankrupt?

[wasteland]

Which part of RR was going bankrupt?

RR UK, I believe. As far as I know, DT was unaffected.

[black_biff_stadler]

I'm pretty damn glad about this. Obviously, anyone can find something they'd like to change if they looked at the SC-present era (myself, definitely included) but this re-signing really puts me at ease since RR is such a good fit for DT. They're big without being too big in that they're a household name to metalheads that aren't just fans of mainstream metal as well as most progheads in general so they can continue to help DT grow and reach new levels of commercial success and exposure without it coming at the expense of watering down their sound for the sake of trying to mold them into something with top 40 appeal.

[Mladen]

I was thinking about this a while ago, having remembered that they had a three album contract. It's nice to know they're continuing to work together, Roadrunner is a great label. 

[SeRoX]

Well I know I can be minority here but I'm not glad that they are going their way with RR. Sure, RR has helped DT to be more popular than ever but I have my own reasons not to like this direction.

In any case, it's been decided and I hope it will be good.

[emtee]

Financial security for quite a few more years. Good for them. Assuming they continue along their historical path of record/tour
approx. every 2 years and assuming it's another 3 album deal, JR will be knocking on the door of 63 years young when this
deal is done.

[ResultsMayVary]

Does anyone know how long this deal is supposed to last? I'm extremely curious. I wonder if they went with the same deal that they had with RR the first time around.

[TheGreatPretender]

Well I know I can be minority here but I'm not glad that they are going their way with RR. Sure, RR has helped DT to be more popular than ever but I have my own reasons not to like this direction.

In any case, it's been decided and I hope it will be good.

Well, who would you have them sign with? I mean, there are plenty of smaller labels out there who put out some terriffic bands, but they're either exclusively European, or are too small for DT regardless. RR gives DT the exposure they deserve, and you can't exactly blame the label for the direction DT's music has taken. Like it or not, I'm fairly certain that DT has as much creative control over their music as ever.

[SeRoX]

This is true. I'm not into their financial matter but it's obvious that RR is the best option for DT. Like I said, I have my own reasons not to like this direction with RR.

But you know, it's not up to me. So best of luck with RR.

[The Letter M]

Great news, and I can only expect that we'll hear news about the upcoming DVD in tandem with news about them going back into the studio, probably later this month into January. My best guess - they'll release the live show sometime before March, which is typically a good month for new releases. This will mean that the live release will be at least 6 months behind the studio album, which, if they follow the same schedule as last time, the 12th album will be released in September. I would think they would want to space these two releases pretty far apart from each other as they could next year.

So, in short, my predictions are:
Live Album - March
First Single of the new album - July
Studio Album - September

-Marc.

[black_biff_stadler]

Well I know I can be minority here but I'm not glad that they are going their way with RR. Sure, RR has helped DT to be more popular than ever but I have my own reasons not to like this direction.

In any case, it's been decided and I hope it will be good.

Not to pick at you but what, in particular, doesn't sit well with you? Obviously there are other labels like Inside Out, etc. that cater to prog bands that may be able to provide DT with similar exposure and support but I don't think there are (m)any labels out there that would give DT a significantly higher level of backing than RR does while still letting DT basically have complete creative control over their material.

[SeRoX]

Guys, it seems I am misunderstood here.

Can't deny how big RR and helps DT to be bigger and popular. What I don't like about RR is the direction DT has to take with them. Good or bad, some loves this and some not like me. It's been debated many times if RR put pressure on DT about the music direction and I'm the one thinks that RR effects DT in a negative way for that matter. This does not mean I *don't* like the DT's musical direction anymore but I have to say they are not *my* humble band anymore.

[DebraKadabra]

RR had nothing to do with the direction of the band.

I could understand your ire if you threw Jerry Cantrell into the mix, though.

[wasteland]

Who's Jerry Cantrell

[black_biff_stadler]

Also, Opeth have gotten continually softer since signing to RR so that pretty clearly debunks the myth of the label forcing the issue since Opeth's last album before signing with RR was Deliverance (widely regarded as their heaviest effort) and their last three albums, Ghost Reveries, Watershed, and Heritage, are their three softest ones ever if you take Damnation out of the equation.

[Zydar]

And DT had already written and recorded SC before they signed with RR.

[DebraKadabra]

Who's Jerry Cantrell

Seriously?

He's the geetar player for Alice in Chains.  Released his second solo album on RR, and his tour for it ended abruptly December 2002 in Houston - RR wasn't backing him for any further shows after that point.

[SeRoX]

I'm really impressed when some of you say "RR has nothing to do with the direction...bla bla...". No matter what, like it or not, every label effects the bands in some way.

Just to be clear, majority can be OK what's been done with RR to this day and that's cool. I'm OK with that as well, there are some reasons for me not to like. As it's been said, there is no alternative and the RR is the best option so here we go.

[Lolzeez]

And DT had already written and recorded SC before they signed with RR.

This.

[Implode]

Yup. From what I can see, RR has nothing to do with DT's music. All they do is put them out there and give them a little bit of a spotlight. And that's been very good for them in the past year. I'm excited for more.

[wasteland]

Who's Jerry Cantrell

Seriously?

He's the geetar player for Alice in Chains.  Released his second solo album on RR, and his tour for it ended abruptly December 2002 in Houston - RR wasn't backing him for any further shows after that point.

Sorry, but I never listened to AiC. I only know them by name, that's it. Good to knowa, and not so good for Mr. Cantrell! 

[Elite]

We've reached many career defining milestones while at Roadrunner...

Such as releasing the fan-favorite DVD Chaos In Motion, recording an original song for a video game soundtrack for the first time, and losing one of the founding members of the band!

[DebraKadabra]

Sorry, but I never listened to AiC. I only know them by name, that's it. Good to knowa, and not so good for Mr. Cantrell! 

Not really - so much so that he prompted everyone at the show to go to RR's website and express their displeasure.  This was in 2002, mind...

[N4Player]

I see this as a really good thing for Dream Theater. It gives them stability and allows them to focus on the music as opposed to worrying about the business side of things. RR has done a great job with marketing Dream Theater and they have shown that they understand what the band is about. Dream Theater has specific demands in terms of how long they are willing to tour away from their families, and RR has been supportive of that. RR also released an unedited video of OTBOA and that shows me they value their music and aren't compromising Dream Theater's art. Given the alternatives, this is great news.

[Chino]

Great news.