Parasomnia Timeline Thread

[Wim Kruithof]

thanks Scotty, such bad news, looks like we have to wait a little longer...

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

Sorry to see the confirmation that I wasn't wrong about this months ago :/ Wish we got the album sooner but it was pretty clear it was never coming in 2024 right from the start. Hopefully we don't get all wrapped up in excitement next time

[gborland]

it was pretty clear it was never coming in 2024 right from the start.

No it wasn't

[Dream Team]

Sorry to see the confirmation that I wasn't wrong about this months ago :/ Wish we got the album sooner but it was pretty clear it was never coming in 2024 right from the start. Hopefully we don't get all wrapped up in excitement next time

You love yourself a lot, don't you?

[Glasser]

Sorry to see the confirmation that I wasn't wrong about this months ago :/ Wish we got the album sooner but it was pretty clear it was never coming in 2024 right from the start. Hopefully we don't get all wrapped up in excitement next time

 

[Dream Team]

And by the way, I predicted weeks ago that you'd be patting your awe-inspiring self on the back, so thanks for fulfilling MY prediction. Guess we're both omniscient.

[cramx3]

No it wasn't

I always thought it was unlikely to be released this year but 2024 seemed possible when things started. Especially since DT usually don't take so long in the studio.  Once people started dropping out of the studio for other commitments, it started to feel like this wasn't going to make the cut for 2024.

[hefdaddy42]

1+1=2 ?

they made a documentary about MP leaving, everything's very tight lipped about the new album with how the studio updates have been. Nothing like we're used to from MP, and they said there was a reason for them being very tightlipped about the whole thing.

What other conclusion would you make?

No conclusion whatsoever, based simply on speculation.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

No it wasn't

I laid out a few compelling reasons (that were eviscerated and mocked at the time) at the time (or so I thought )

[HOF]

I'm still not sure why it matters if the album comes out this year or before the tour. They should take as much time as they need to make the album they want to make. The tour isn't going to feature much if anything from the album anyway.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

I'm still not sure why it matters if the album comes out this year or before the tour. They should take as much time as they need to make the album they want to make. The tour isn't going to feature much if anything from the album anyway.

Completely agree. Some were saying there was no chance it wouldn't be out and this wouldn't be a tour for the album (even though they clearly said it was an anniversary/reunion tour)

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

I'm still not sure why it matters if the album comes out this year or before the tour. They should take as much time as they need to make the album they want to make. The tour isn't going to feature much if anything from the album anyway.

I think people are just really excited about this album and next year seems so far away.

I don't think all of the extra time that is elapsing between day 1 and release is being spent by the band agonizing over the perfect note placement or the right amount of chocolate cake tone shaping around JP's guitar. The difference between predicted release date and 2025 is likely just being thought of as dead weight by those who are disappointed.

[Setlist Scotty]

I think people are just really excited about this album and next year seems so far away.

I can't speak for anyone else, but while I'm excited, it's not because next year is so far away. As I've stated previously, both SFaM and ADToE were started at similar times in the year and were released about 8 months later. Both albums were also crucial in the band's history as well. Plus they're jumping the gun by a year in starting their 40th anniversary tour this year, which doesn't make sense. On top of that, if we look at their 20th anniversary tour, it was simultaneously a tour in support of an album. And from comments in the Rolling Stone interview, it sounded like they wanted to start the tour with a bang - in other words, no warm up shows that traditionally have stripped down production - which at least to me implied that they'd have the new album out by then to start the supporting tour at that time. So that's the reasoning for why I was of the belief that the album would be out before the start of the tour.

[KevShmev]

I'm still not sure why it matters if the album comes out this year or before the tour. They should take as much time as they need to make the album they want to make. The tour isn't going to feature much if anything from the album anyway.

Agreed.  It's better than they take a little extra time and get it right rather than rushing it to get it out in time for the tour.  U2 did that with Pop and many think the album suffered a bit for it (although I like that album a lot, warts and all).

[Peter1960]

I take all the points about the band taking time to get the album completed and if is then released in 2025, so be it. However, when will the band tour to support it ?

The European 40th anniversary tour takes place Oct/Nov, with South American dates at the end of the year. I assume North American dates will then happen Jan / Feb 2025, with the album possibly released around the same time.

So, will the North American setlist then be changed from the 2024 setlist, to accommodate tracks from the new album, which will probably be out ? Or will it be the same as the 2024 shows ?

Will the band then do another European tour later in 2025 where the album is heavily featured ?

Will they also do another North American leg featuring songs from the new album, as well as shows in other territories ?

Will there therefore be 2 legs – the 40th anniversary tour (late 2024 / early 2025) and a tour promoting the album (mid 2025 until the end of the year) ?

For those of us that went to shows on the View tour (2022 and 2023), it was very apparent that attendances for the 2023 shows were well down on those the previous year; a lot of people may have decided not to attend the 2023 shows as they felt they would be too similar to the previous year, or just couldn't afford to go to both.

This time around, the anniversary shows and then the album promotion shows are likely to be significantly different. However, the cost issue may still apply -  can people afford to see DT possibly twice in the same year ? (North American fans – early 2025 and late 2025 ?).

Or will the band be playing shows in 2026 ?

[TAC]

This remains the question on their minds.

[illusionist]

2 points i want to make.
The band wrote the album in February -March 2024.
When it is released, it will be almost a year from the writing sessions.
Which means, at least to me, that we will get an 'old' album. It won't be as fresh as it would be if it were released sometime this fall.
And by fresh i mean that the band will have evolved in the meantime, which in turn it means that if the band were to write a new album in early 2025, at the time of DT16 release, it would be completely different from it.
I don't know how many of you will understand my logic, but that's one thing i consider in anticipation of the new album.

And the second thing is this.
Since they will probably want to promote the new album heavily, and with MP back, I predict DT17 won't be out till 2028.
I hope it won't take that long but i guess with DT this deep in their career touring is -and will be - the number 1 priority for them.
We will get an album here and there but we can't expect them to be as productive as they were until now.
That's my guess at least.

PS. I have a good feeling about the new album because they take their time this time.
And with DT16 being the crucial album it is, they all want it to be something really special, so they could tell to their fans 'See? We told ya MP was the best choice for us now, we couldn't write this masterpiece without him. Enjoy!'

[Stadler]

2 points i want to make.
The band wrote the album in February -March 2024.
When it is released, it will be almost a year from the writing sessions.
Which means, at least to me, that we will get an 'old' album. It won't be as fresh as it would be if it were released sometime this fall.
And by fresh i mean that the band will have evolved in the meantime, which in turn it means that if the band were to write a new album in early 2025, at the time of DT16 release, it would be completely different from it.
I don't know how many of you will understand my logic, but that's one thing i consider in anticipation of the new album.

And the second thing is this.
Since they will probably want to promote the new album heavily, and with MP back, I predict DT17 won't be out till 2028.
I hope it won't take that long but i guess with DT this deep in their career touring is -and will be - the number 1 priority for them.
We will get an album here and there but we can't expect them to be as productive as they were until now.
That's my guess at least.

PS. I have a good feeling about the new album because they take their time this time.
And with DT16 being the crucial album it is, they all want it to be something really special, so they could tell to their fans 'See? We told ya MP was the best choice for us now, we couldn't write this masterpiece without him. Enjoy!'

I'm not sure why we're worried about DT17 at this point; with all respect, the album is going to be good, or it's not. When it's released has NO bearing on that whatsoever.  Iron Maiden sat on Senjutsu for over a year at least (maybe more, I have no idea when they ACTUALLY finished it) and it's at times my favorite reunion era album.   The "freshness" of what they WOULD write if they start the process again has no bearing on that. 

I mean, you do you, I can't tell you what to think, but I know for me, I'm not going to worry about variables that do not in any way, shape or form impact my absorption of the record.   

(And you didn't mention any of this, but this post - worrying about things that don't have any bearing on the immediate material - makes me dread the inevitable posts when they release the titles/times of the songs... and all the "Oh my GOD, the longest song is 14:12 long; this is the best song on the album!!!" nonsense starts.) 

[Dream Team]

 The thing is, it's not exactly going out on a limb when you have a 50/50 chance of being correct. But maybe they don't teach things like probability on all planets. 

[gborland]

The thing is, it's not exactly going out on a limb when you have a 50/50 chance of being correct. But maybe they don't teach things like probability on all planets. 

There's a 50% chance of winning the lottery! You either win or you don't!

[the_silent_man]

A lot of speculation here... but has it actually been CONFIRMED (aside from JLBs comment that it MAY be early 2025) that this album won't be released before the tour?

Granted, time is running out, but if JLB is finished in the next few weeks it's certainly still possible they can announce it and get the promotion train rolling and a single mixed and ready by late August, right?

[gborland]

has it actually been CONFIRMED (aside from JLBs comment that it MAY be early 2025) that this album won't be released before the tour?

Nothing has been confirmed.

[hunnus2000]

2 points i want to make.
The band wrote the album in February -March 2024.
When it is released, it will be almost a year from the writing sessions.
Which means, at least to me, that we will get an 'old' album. It won't be as fresh as it would be if it were released sometime this fall.
And by fresh i mean that the band will have evolved in the meantime, which in turn it means that if the band were to write a new album in early 2025, at the time of DT16 release, it would be completely different from it.
I don't know how many of you will understand my logic, but that's one thing i consider in anticipation of the new album.

And the second thing is this.
Since they will probably want to promote the new album heavily, and with MP back, I predict DT17 won't be out till 2028.
I hope it won't take that long but i guess with DT this deep in their career touring is -and will be - the number 1 priority for them.
We will get an album here and there but we can't expect them to be as productive as they were until now.
That's my guess at least.

PS. I have a good feeling about the new album because they take their time this time.
And with DT16 being the crucial album it is, they all want it to be something really special, so they could tell to their fans 'See? We told ya MP was the best choice for us now, we couldn't write this masterpiece without him. Enjoy!'

Well, the writing is done, they've all laid down their parts so my guess is that the album is in the mixing stage and taking MP's comments to heart, there's a good chance the album will be available for digital download like Taylor or Beyonce and follow-up with a CD. I don't think that it takes THAT long to  press  or 50k or 75k cd's but the question would be, which retailers would you distribute to? Yes you could mail-order it but I don't think you'd find DT at mainstay stores like Best Buy or Target or Walmart, least not around these parts. The first show is in London so they have time to release the product.

BTW, their are plenty of critics of MM on this board that prefer MP and they are ecstatic that he is back in the band but remember, MM was in the band when they won a grammy! 

[hefdaddy42]

I don't know how many of you will understand my logic

No offense, but none of that is logic.  It might be your thought process, but it isn't logic.

[Awaken]

Nothing has been confirmed.

I get that it wasn't an official press release but I have to take a member of the band's comments at their face value.  Even though James didn't specify an exact date, the amount of time between the tour kickoff and his estimate for the album's release is a bit wide to still believe that you'll get the full album before they're playing live.  The timing of everything has been odd, though, so who knows.

[gzarruk]

A lot of speculation here... but has it actually been CONFIRMED (aside from JLBs comment that it MAY be early 2025) that this album won't be released before the tour?

Granted, time is running out, but if JLB is finished in the next few weeks it's certainly still possible they can announce it and get the promotion train rolling and a single mixed and ready by late August, right?

I used to be this optimistic too, but I don't think we'll realistically get the album this year anymore. Why? Well, they haven't even finished recording everything (that we know of), vocals are still supposedly being recorded now. Then it needs to get to the mixing stage with back and forth between the band/producer and whoever is mixing the album. Then it gets to mastering and once that is approved, it goes to the label for the promotion cycle. Inside Out usually has a 3 month promotional schedule before the album release, at least that's the model they followed for DOT and A View.

I'm quoting a post from Marc with Neal Morse's newsletter talking about a new album he just (a few days ago) delivered to Inside Out as reference:

A couple updates from Neal's latest IC Newsletter regarding his newest studio album projects:

The album has been delivered... actually, it was delivered last night!

...The release date is November 7th.

So, an album delivered in very early July has an early November release date. With DT's album not being done until early August at best, and with labels not usually releasing things like these in December, early 2025 is what seems most probable, sadly.

Also, I don't really buy the "they're taking longer than usual because they want to give us the best album they can" mindset either. There's absolutely no indicator that they're using all this extra time for any tweaking whatsoever. Rather, it seems (just speculation either way) that they're just taking their time to finish recording at their own pace and not being worried too much about rushing things for a certain deadline.

Having said that, I'm quite positive we'll have at least one single out before the start of the tour.

[The Letter M]

I used to be this optimistic too, but I don't think we'll realistically get the album this year anymore. Why? Well, they haven't even finished recording everything (that we know of), vocals are still supposedly being recorded now. Then it needs to get to the mixing stage with back and forth between the band/producer and whoever is mixing the album. Then it gets to mastering and once that is approved, it goes to the label for the promotion cycle. Inside Out usually has a 3 month promotional schedule before the album release, at least that's the model they followed for DOT and A View.

I'm quoting a post from Marc with Neal Morse's newsletter talking about a new album he just (a few days ago) delivered to Inside Out as reference:


So, an album delivered in very early July has an early November release date. With DT's album not being done until early August at best, and with labels not usually releasing things like these in December, early 2025 is what seems most probable, sadly.

Also, I don't really buy the "they're taking longer than usual because they want to give us the best album they can" mindset either. There's absolutely no indicator that they're using all this extra time for any tweaking whatsoever. Rather, it seems (just speculation either way) that they're just taking their time to finish recording at their own pace and not being worried too much about rushing things for a certain deadline.

Having said that, I'm quite positive we'll have at least one single out before the start of the tour.

Well, if they're going by the typical Inside Out release strategy, there will be three pre-release singles, and I'd probably guess that the album will come out in January as the big Inside Out release for that month. They could slap some "Dream Theater's 40th Anniversary" hype stickers on it as well. This probably means the first single will come out 12-13 weeks prior to the album's release, if we use Riverside's ID.entity as an example, which release on Jan 20 2023. Their second single was then released 7.5 weeks prior to release, and then a third and final one 10 days beforehand.

If DT16 comes out in mid-to-late January, we can probably expect the first single in late October, so probably just as the tour starts. Then the second single in late November once the European leg ends, which means they'd probably debut the second single in South America if they decide to play it live.

All speculation, of course, based on Inside Out's previous release strategies with albums released in a similar time-frame, but given the dates of their tour, this makes the most sense to me.

TL:DR - First single just before the tour starts in mid-to-late October, second single between the European and South American tour legs, third single a week or two before release, then full album in mid-to-late January.

-Marc.

[cramx3]

The band wrote the album in February -March 2024.
When it is released, it will be almost a year from the writing sessions.
Which means, at least to me, that we will get an 'old' album. It won't be as fresh as it would be if it were released sometime this fall.

Stopped reading after this, it makes no sense.  The album will not be old or fresh.  It will be the exact same thing as they have written. 

[Glasser]

I hope they surprise drop the entire album. No singles, teasers etc.... Release the fucker in one shot. It has plenty of hype already. 

[Setlist Scotty]

So, an album delivered in very early July has an early November release date. With DT's album not being done until early August at best, and with labels not usually releasing things like these in December, early 2025 is what seems most probable, sadly.

Also, I don't really buy the "they're taking longer than usual because they want to give us the best album they can" mindset either. There's absolutely no indicator that they're using all this extra time for any tweaking whatsoever. Rather, it seems (just speculation either way) that they're just taking their time to finish recording at their own pace and not being worried too much about rushing things for a certain deadline.

I was thinking that perhaps part of the reason for the push back is because of manufacturing, but perhaps because of other preparation on the promotional end of things, too. And the band might not be sweating it too much since it will allow them more to work out the kinks of how they'll perform tracks from the new album live, plus more time for lights and video for the new songs. Depending on what older songs end up on the master setlist, they could fall back on using previous light programming and videos from previous tour to buy Wayne Joyner or whoever more time for the new songs as well as new video for a few of the older songs.

Well, if they're going by the typical Inside Out release strategy, there will be three pre-release singles, and I'd probably guess that the album will come out in January as the big Inside Out release for that month.

If the new album has only 6 or 7 tracks, I can't see them actually releasing 3 singles before the album is released as that would be theoretically almost half the album taking some of the excitement out of the actual release. Didn't Steven Wilson do something like that? Of course it was during the pandemic and the tour was canceled, but I seem to remember reading that people were a bit surprised that almost half the album was released as singles before the proper album release. Of course with DT, I expect they'd save most of the lengthy songs for the album release so it wouldn't be half the actual album, but 3 singles would be half (or almost half) of the songs on the album.

That said, I could see them releasing 2 songs beforehand and both would end up in the setlist of all the shows right from the beginning of the tour. I could also see them releasing snippets of the other songs ahead of time to whet the fans' appetite too, just as they did with all the tracks on ADToE.

[cramx3]

I hope they surprise drop the entire album. No singles, teasers etc.... Release the fucker in one shot. It has plenty of hype already.

I do agree that the band has some hype just from MP being back, but I doubt it would be enough to make this a good decision.  If the band was younger, maybe I'd be cool with it but if DT somehow has a flop album in sales, I think it could be very bad for the band.

[Glasser]

I do agree that the band has some hype just from MP being back, but I doubt it would be enough to make this a good decision.  If the band was younger, maybe I'd be cool with it but if DT somehow has a flop album in sales, I think it could be very bad for the band.

I don't expect them to do that, I just think it would be cool to hear it all in one shot. I'll go out on a limb here and say it will be one of their best albums yet. They know what fans want, especially with MP back. I expect a masterpiece.

[Jamesman42]

The Warning released half of their songs off the new album and listening to the whole thing has been just as fine, IMO.

[The Letter M]

If the new album has only 6 or 7 tracks, I can't see them actually releasing 3 singles before the album is released as that would be theoretically almost half the album taking some of the excitement out of the actual release. Didn't Steven Wilson do something like that? Of course it was during the pandemic and the tour was canceled, but I seem to remember reading that people were a bit surprised that almost half the album was released as singles before the proper album release. Of course with DT, I expect they'd save most of the lengthy songs for the album release so it wouldn't be half the actual album, but 3 singles would be half (or almost half) of the songs on the album.

That said, I could see them releasing 2 songs beforehand and both would end up in the setlist of all the shows right from the beginning of the tour. I could also see them releasing snippets of the other songs ahead of time to whet the fans' appetite too, just as they did with all the tracks on ADToE.

Well looking back at their two previous albums, also released via Inside Out, DOT had three singles totaling 17:35 of the album's 56:57 length (⅓ of the 9 songs, but about 30% of the runtime), while AVFTTOTW had two pre-release singles, totaling 16:03 out of the album's 70:19 (about 22 8% of the runtime), so they could've easily released another single and kept about ⅔ of the album saved for release.

I think if my proposed timeline of releases is accurate, they'd probably pick the three shortest songs on the album as pre-release singles and save the bulk for release. At the very least, two singles in October and November would work well, and the third one could be closer to release, which seems to happen to a lot of Inside Out releases. Still not sure why AVFTTOTW didn't get a third single, but they did eventually release videos for three more songs after "The Alien" and "Invisible Monster".

-Marc.

[Stadler]

Also, I don't really buy the "they're taking longer than usual because they want to give us the best album they can" mindset either. There's absolutely no indicator that they're using all this extra time for any tweaking whatsoever. Rather, it seems (just speculation either way) that they're just taking their time to finish recording at their own pace and not being worried too much about rushing things for a certain deadline.

No judgment, I love the discussion as much or more than the next guy/gal, but gzarruk, you've been around here long enough.   ALL of this is just one form or another of "this is what I want to see" or "this is what I FEAR we'll see".  We have, in fact, VERY little actual fact to base any of these suppositions on.  We are Jon Snow at the end of the day: we know NOTHING.