Dream Theater announces 16th Studio Album - Parasomnia

[The Curious Orange]

I dream of them releasing the ACOS encore from the IW&B in Japan show. Why they didn't put it on the ...And Beyond disc I'll never know.

Has the LNF series died a death now? We never did get that Tokyo Awake show.

[gzarruk]

I dream of them releasing the ACOS encore from the IW&B in Japan show. Why they didn't put it on the ...And Beyond disc I'll never know.

Has the LNF series died a death now? We never did get that Tokyo Awake show.

I've been wondering the same things for long time now. I'm not too hopeful anymore, sadly.

[cramx3]

I dream of them releasing the ACOS encore from the IW&B in Japan show. Why they didn't put it on the ...And Beyond disc I'll never know.

Has the LNF series died a death now? We never did get that Tokyo Awake show.

You'd think MP would keep that alive.  My guess, they have a lot going on right now and it's not a priority. 

[TheOutlawXanadu]

A few pages back, someone shared a review where I felt as though the reviewer was writing to me personally because his perspective was so similar to mine. This review is pretty much the opposite: https://wallofsoundau.com/2025/01/31/dream-theater-parasomnia-album-review/

I find it interesting how he characterizes Mangini as being simply "rock steady" when for a decade people have been giving Mangini a hard time for being too crazy, being too technical, and wanting him to rein things in.

I'm also not a huge fan of statements like "The energy is back. The life is back." I just find it a bit hard to fathom someone listening to the last couple of records and thinking there was an "energy" problem.

That said, I understand everyone has a different perspective and there are many people who may feel the same way about this review as I did the last one. I'm glad there are different flavors of reviews floating around.

[Glasser]

A few pages back, someone shared a review where I felt as though the reviewer was writing to me personally because his perspective was so similar to mine. This review is pretty much the opposite: https://wallofsoundau.com/2025/01/31/dream-theater-parasomnia-album-review/

I find it interesting how he characterizes Mangini as being simply "rock steady" when for a decade people have been giving Mangini a hard time for being too crazy, being too technical, and wanting him to rein things in.

I'm also not a huge fan of statements like "The energy is back. The life is back." I just find it a bit hard to fathom someone listening to the last couple of records and thinking there was an "energy" problem.

That said, I understand everyone has a different perspective and there are many people who may feel the same way about this review as I did the last one. I'm glad there are different flavors of reviews floating around.

Interesting review. I love the diverse opinions of the band, he says it might be there best album since Systematic Chaos.

[Northern Lion]

A few pages back, someone shared a review where I felt as though the reviewer was writing to me personally because his perspective was so similar to mine. This review is pretty much the opposite: https://wallofsoundau.com/2025/01/31/dream-theater-parasomnia-album-review/

I find it interesting how he characterizes Mangini as being simply "rock steady" when for a decade people have been giving Mangini a hard time for being too crazy, being too technical, and wanting him to rein things in.

I'm also not a huge fan of statements like "The energy is back. The life is back." I just find it a bit hard to fathom someone listening to the last couple of records and thinking there was an "energy" problem.

That said, I understand everyone has a different perspective and there are many people who may feel the same way about this review as I did the last one. I'm glad there are different flavors of reviews floating around.

Yeah, some people just don't know how to read their potential audience.  Especially since, DT have been nominated 3 times for grammys while MM was in the band and won once.  They never had any grammy nominations while MP was in the band.  And that's not to disparage MP.  Personally, I'll never understand why On the Backs of Angels was DT's first grammy nomination.  Not that that song didn't deserve it, it did.  But how did they not get one before that?  Oh well. 

At any rate, DT got a lot of success and notoriety while MM was in the band.

[bosk1]

This thread has gotten SO long.  I think we'll start a new one once the album drops.

[ZirconBlue]

Agreed! I wish they released CoS on I&W as they originally planned. The label didn't want it to be a double album.

It wouldn't have needed to be a double album (at least not on CD).  I&W is only 57 minutes long, and the original arrangement of ACoS wasn't as long as the final version.

[durga2112]

I think we ended up getting the best of all worlds here - Images and Words is a damn near flawless album, and the version of "A Change of Seasons" that we eventually got was a superior version. Having ACOS circulate on bootlegs for a few years allowed it to attain an almost legendary status, which wouldn't have happened had it been released on I&W.

[faizoff]

Interesting review. I love the diverse opinions of the band, he says it might be there best album since Systematic Chaos.

Yikes, Systematic Chaos is my least favorite DT album. 

[Max Kuehnau]

This thread has gotten SO long.  I think we'll start a new one once the album drops.

welcome to my life    (whenever I'm doing the album timelines)

[Madman Shepherd]

Yikes, Systematic Chaos is my least favorite DT album.

And here's what's strange. SC is a top 3 album for me. Parasomnia seems like it might be bottom 3. I get the similarities but I do feel that the, shall I say "spirit" is a lot different. I think SC is dark but diverse. Parasomnia is dark and samey...until the last two tracks. 

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

People seem to really love BTC so I am very much looking forward to that in particular.

[TAC]

People seem to really love BOC so I am very much looking forward to that in particular.

Don't Fear The Reaper is awesome.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

New review from Metal Injection:

https://metalinjection.net/reviews/album-review-dream-theater-parasomnia

[HOF]

I think we ended up getting the best of all worlds here - Images and Words is a damn near flawless album, and the version of "A Change of Seasons" that we eventually got was a superior version. Having ACOS circulate on bootlegs for a few years allowed it to attain an almost legendary status, which wouldn't have happened had it been released on I&W.

While I think the production on the version of ACOS that we got is a bit wonky, I too am glad it was separated from I&W. It is strong enough to stand alone, and I think it would have clogged up I&W a bit. Like, that album didn't need to be 78 minutes long.

[Logain Ablar]

New review from Metal Injection:

https://metalinjection.net/reviews/album-review-dream-theater-parasomnia

From that review:

Similarly, closer "The Shadow Man Incident" is their second-most uninteresting side-long composition (next to "Illumination Theory.")

Ouch!

[Revenge319]

From that review:

Similarly, closer "The Shadow Man Incident" is their second-most uninteresting side-long composition (next to "Illumination Theory.")

Ouch!

So you're saying The Shadow Man Incident will be one of Dream Theater's greatest songs ever? Sweet!

[SeRoX]

You can argue if IM is their best or one of the best epics but to me, it surely is most interesting epic song composition wise.

[cramx3]

Album is pretty good. It's definitely Dream Theater.  Might not be that different than their recent output although maybe comparing it to BCSL or SC is more appropriate.  Basically feels like the band continued where they left off.  Bend the fucking clock.  That's the song though. An instant hit for my ears.  The Shadow Man is probably their best epic since The Count, not Illumination Theory. Dead Asleep so far is the downer for me. It just hasn't clicked. Back half of the album is stronger than the front half. Not sure where it lands, but I've had at over 10 listens and it's probably middle of the pack.  Looking forward to Philly in one week! 

[Glasser]

Don't Fear The Reaper is awesome.

 

[HOF]

Don't Fear The Reaper is awesome.

Needs more cowbell.

[Glasser]

Needs more cowbell.

Absolutely.

[bosk1]

@Glasser:  Dude, you can't just keep indiscriminately handing out bacon like that.  It's been constant.  You need to slow your roll, dude.  We can't have a situation where we are seen by the powers that be as contributing to any sort of bacon shortage.

[TAC]

So...a bacon AND egg shortage??

[bosk1]

Exactly! 

[BeatriceNB]

Most reviews seems to agree the ballad and epic (except for Metal Injection) are the album standouts.
I hope those are good, as I have no intention to really revisit any of the singles, unless in context suddenly they're great

[DTiwbwMP]

I'm going to wait for the album to drop before giving a full review. BUT, I'll say this....I've listened to PARASOMNIA for about 3 weeks basically 3 times a day. I can't get enough of it! So much so, that I've basically listened to nothing else since I got my proggy little hands on it. It's NOT the direction I hoped they'd go with MP's return, BUT, what they gave us IS F'ing AWESOME, IMO.

[bosk1]

********* IN ALL SERIOUSNESS THOUGH, PLEASE STOP DISCUSSING SPECIFICS ABOUT THE ALBUM THAT ARE NOT YET AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE *********

Thus far, people have been pretty good about not going too far and posting details that are too specific.  Of the few that have heard it and have posted that they have, some of you are authorized to have it and some of you are not.  I just remind you all that posting about leaks is blatantly against the forum rules, so let's avoid any further discussion for the next week or so.  If you preordered the album and it arrives before the official release date, you can post generally about it, but keep it general until 2/7.  I will start a new thread at that time (or someone else can if they beat me to it). 

Please remember and keep in mind that it has always been the band's desire to have fans be able to enjoy the entire, finished product when it is available to all, and they really put a lot of themselves into that "whole album experience."  It is important to them, and we try to honor that here.

For those that have posted things, thanks for keeping it fairly generalized, and, if this description happens to fit YOU, for not highlighting that you have a leak or have heard it when you are not authorized to. 

That said, carry on with discussion of the singles, speculation about the album, the reviews, etc.

[SeRoX]

Almost every time when new album is about to drop it's like everyone on the forum listens the album before release date but me. 

[bosk1]

Most reviews seems to agree the ballad and epic (except for Metal Injection) are the album standouts.

True, but thinking back on most release cycles, most reviewers who are familiar with Dream Theater generally say that the epics are standout tracks (if there is an epic on the given album--otherwise, they make a point of saying how unusual it is that there isn't a grand epic).   

I hope those are good, as I have no intention to really revisit any of the singles, unless in context suddenly they're great

I'm usually in the camp that reserves judgment on singles because they usually don't immediately fully grab me, and it takes me a long time to digest everything that is going on, and I start to really appreciate them WAY after their release.  But this time around, the singles are really grabbing me right off the bat (especially the first two).

Almost every time when new album is about to drop it's like everyone on the forum listens the album before release date but me. 

  Yeah, I know how you feel.  In this day and age, you almost feel left out if you don't go find something before it is officially released just because so many people know how to find those things and can't keep from talking.  But just one more week to go!

[wolfking]

Almost every time when new album is about to drop it's like everyone on the forum listens the album before release date but me. 

I read Marc's post and instantly checked the date thinking I might have been a week behind. 

[King Postwhore]

My friend's review of the new DT album.

https://metalinjection.net/reviews/album-review-dream-theater-parasomnia?fbclid=IwY2xjawIKQH1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHfvyMP3BZ3KERedILSrDRW4vdFAgYnQg0j79W6QooVI3TwevgqfEewtYFw_aem_IaAZGknY0smcUVOWky5EGw

[bosk1]

4/10

[TAC]

In case nobody saw this, here's another review..

https://metalinjection.net/reviews/album-review-dream-theater-parasomnia