Dream Theater announces 16th Studio Album - Parasomnia

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

Eddie Trunk briefly mentioned the new album on yesterday's show, and said that he texted MP "Congrats, the song and video are cool". Mike replied "Yeah, we had to lead with a ten minute song to give the Dream Theater faithful some "red meat", but we've got another song that's even more metal coming as the next single".

Thanks! Any other nuggets?

[MinistroRaven]

That's The Shadow Man

Oh, you might be right.

[durga2112]

I just noticed a large shadow in one corner of the artwork, and it appears to have a hat. I'm curious about what or who that shadow could be.

Wait, really? I noticed it the first time I saw the artwork. I have a strong feeling we will be hearing more about an "incident" involving that "shadow man" in a few months. 

[Stadler]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I do not need or want my Metal to come from DT.

Well, bear in mind that Eddie Trunk is the self-proclaimed steward bearer for all things metal.  That's as much Mike pandering to that particular personality (I was going to say "journalist", but I'll refrain) as anything else.

[durga2112]

Eddie Trunk briefly mentioned the new album on yesterday's show, and said that he texted MP "Congrats, the song and video are cool". Mike replied "Yeah, we had to lead with a ten minute song to give the Dream Theater faithful some "red meat", but we've got another song that's even more metal coming as the next single".

Any bets on which song will be the next single? I'm going with "Bend the Clock" for now, with said bending being represented in the song as some extreme tempo shifts. 

[Progmaniac1988]

You want surprises?

The last song, the epic-length one, is straight country, brother.

Hey atleast that would shut up the "do something fresh" bitching 😂

[Ayeegit]

Thanks! Any other nuggets?

No, that was it - other than Eddie mentioning that he liked what he heard/saw of the new song/video...

[illusionist]

Eddie Trunk briefly mentioned the new album on yesterday's show, and said that he texted MP "Congrats, the song and video are cool". Mike replied "Yeah, we had to lead with a ten minute song to give the Dream Theater faithful some "red meat", but we've got another song that's even more metal coming as the next single".

I guess that would be the 8 string song

[HOF]

"Even more metal" are not words I want to read, but that's what I have anticipated based on the concept and track titles.

[Wukong]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I do not need or want my Metal to come from DT.

I'm so confused by this...

Is Dream Theater not a "metal" band? Never in my life have I heard them discussed in any other context.
Even your picture shows them opening from perhaps the most famous metal band ever.

Not trying to pick and prod, and I haven't been a fan for that long, but I would describe pretty much all of their albums as "metal" albums except for maybe Falling Into Infinity. Otherwise, it seems like they have always been pretty metal?

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

A song under 2 minutes and "The Shadow Man Incident" are the most alluring to me. "Dead Asleep" is a badass name too.

TSMI tho makes me instantly think of TCOT, both similar length, four letter acronyms and start with the and end an album. I can't think of any other reason it makes me think of that, in comparison to, sat AVFTTOTW.
Also do we know if TSMI has any movements or is it a single movement epic like TCOT?

Welcome to the forums!

[cramx3]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I do not need or want my Metal to come from DT.

I love when DT leans into the metal side.  Of course I like variety on the album and they are still a prog band, but DT without metal might not necessarily by my thing.

I'm a bit confused about why MP felt to make the point about more metal to Eddie though.  I guess Eddie isn't a prog guy, but he isn't much of a metal guy either, more like 80s hard rock and classic metal.  Eddie is completely out of touch with modern metal or what is considered metal these days.  I've also never truly gotten the feeling that Eddie likes DT, it always felt like he likes MP moreso than DT's music. That's just my opinion though.

[TAC]

So, what I like about AVFTTOTW (the album) is that it's heavy, but it's not metal.

[cramx3]

So, what I like about AVFTTOTW (the album) is that it's heavy, but it's not metal.

hmmm, not sure I would agree with that. I don't think I would classify it as anything other than progressive metal.

[SeRoX]

I'm so confused by this...

Is Dream Theater not a "metal" band? Never in my life have I heard them discussed in any other context.
Even your picture shows them opening from perhaps the most famous metal band ever.

Not trying to pick and prod, and I haven't been a fan for that long, but I would describe pretty much all of their albums as "metal" albums except for maybe Falling Into Infinity. Otherwise, it seems like they have always been pretty metal?

My take on this is...

Starting with Constant Motion from SC DT've made several songs like CM showing their "heavy metal" side with some progressive elements. Some of the fans don't like this including me. I don't like DT's metal side that much.

For example, The Glass Prison is metal as hell but its progressive side makes it balanced for me. TGP is so
experimental. I can't find this balance on Constant Motion or other heavy songs. They are just pure metal songs. They are just there for me.

[emtee]

Wondering (hoping) if the short piece will be a solo grand piano piece by JR and maybe some sparse vocals.

[Max Kuehnau]

Are We Waiting For Sleep?    (seriously though, are you expecting something in that vein?)

[illusionist]

Wondering (hoping) if the short piece will be a solo grand piano piece by JR and maybe some sparse vocals.

Double post

[Progmaniac1988]

Glad I preordered my special art box and colored vinyl early, sold out on many locations already lol

[macneil]

My take on this is...

Starting with Constant Motion from SC DT've made several songs like CM showing their "heavy metal" side with some progressive elements. Some of the fans don't like this including me. I don't like DT's metal side that much.

For example, The Glass Prison is metal as hell but its progressive side makes it balanced for me. TGP is so
experimental. I can't find this balance on Constant Motion or other heavy songs. They are just pure metal songs. They are just there for me.

I get what you're saying, I personally enjoy the "metal" stuff as well but DT are usually at their best when it's more of a mix of progressive elements and metal, and other bands are just more natural at the purely heavy stuff.

I also feel like it's mostly just marketing to appeal to the more casual fans who are only interested in that kind of stuff,which is probably a decent chunk of the audience. Like how bands always say "our new album is the heaviest one yet"

[Shooters1221]

But Dream Theater are a Progressive Metal band. If you're not in it for the "Metal" part, are you in it for the "Progressive" part, cuz you can just go to Flo for that if you want.

-Marc.

Dream Theater IS a Progressive Metal band, so there yay have it.

[Setlist Scotty]

The whole door is different too...What the???

And honestly it looks worse than the original, because of the quality of the image, but also because the lighting and shadows on the door go the wrong way based on the light source in the room. It would've been better to have just moved the door knob over to the right side of the door instead of replacing the whole thing with something worse. 

[Wim Kruithof]

Since they released the album-info and new single I dived into a cave where I was able to digest all I've been longing for. First of all, despite most of this forum continually 's pissing all over their covers, I love this one. I love the reflection on the girl from Images and Words, I love the style and I think it's wonderful.

Parasomnia is a beautiful album name and the song titles are very promising. This has to be a piece of art, right from the first tone of In the Arms of Morpheus until the epic The Shadow Man Incidents fades at 71 minutes.

I have listened to Night Terror at least fifteen times already and I do think it's a marvelous piece. In one way it totally fits the line from Selftitled, to Distance Over Time and A View and feels like a very natural follow-up... but then again there's the tremendous amount of Portnoy's influence, just by playing his superb kit. I definitely get an Enter Sandman vibe, mixed with some' Systematic Chaos and all of a sudden Paradigm Shift comes into play.

Bottom line, I am overwhelmed and can't wait to see them within two weeks in Köln, Germany. I preordered the deluxe boxset with green vinyl and also a gatefold sleeve with dark grey vinyl. This album could top all I've ever heard before and I thank God for them being still able to make such wonderful music.

[Bardic Tortoise]

That's The Shadow Man

It's obviously The Shadow Man, but did anyone else immediately think of The Babadook when they saw him on the cover?

[TAC]

What in the fuck is a Babadook?

[Progmaniac1988]

Since they released the album-info and new single I dived into a cave where I was able to digest all I've been longing for. First of all, despite most of this forum continually 's pissing all over their covers, I love this one. I love the reflection on the girl from Images and Words, I love the style and I think it's wonderful.

Parasomnia is a beautiful album name and the song titles are very promising. This has to be a piece of art, right from the first tone of In the Arms of Morpheus until the epic The Shadow Man Incidents fades at 71 minutes.

I have listened to Night Terror at least fifteen times already and I do think it's a marvelous piece. In one way it totally fits the line from Selftitled, to Distance Over Time and A View and feels like a very natural follow-up... but then again there's the tremendous amount of Portnoy's influence, just by playing his superb kit. I definitely get an Enter Sandman vibe, mixed with some' Systematic Chaos and all of a sudden Paradigm Shift comes into play.

Bottom line, I am overwhelmed and can't wait to see them within two weeks in Köln, Germany. I preordered the deluxe boxset with green vinyl and also a gatefold sleeve with dark grey vinyl. This album could top all I've ever heard before and I thank God for them being still able to make such wonderful music.

I'm with you man, I love the song, and the more I listen to it the more I love it. I also love the artwork. It fits the theme well, and is very DT. I really should of done the same thing as you and hid away for a bit, because as much as I love this forum there was so much focus on negativity and it just kind of ruined the whole single release for me. So it's nice to see your positive post!! I am just so happy with the single, and I am so happy about the album release coming, about this reunion tour, about this beloved line up, and that after 40 years these guys are still writing the most beautiful progressive metal on earth. So I couldn't be fuckin happier! I've preordered my art book edition and vinyl and I'm so excited to dig into this album from start to finish. Long live DT!

[Progmaniac1988]

What in the fuck is a Babadook?

A "modern" horror movie lol

[twosuitsluke]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I do not need or want my Metal to come from DT.

Tim, I kinda understand where you're coming from. It's not that I dislike metal, or when DT lean more into metal as such. It's just that I have plenty of good metal to scratch that itch, and personally the more straight up metal DT go, the less I like it generally.

Reading Portnoy say "we've got another song that is even more metal" makes me feel less interested in it, personally. I'm happy to be proven wrong, but "more metal" is not what I am looking for from DT in 2024.

[CodyWanKenobi]

A "modern" horror movie lol

I remember thinking it was a decent flick.

[Progmaniac1988]

I remember thinking it was a decent flick.

It's actually not bad, psychological horror. The artwork def has that vibe a bit. I just needed to really point out "modern" for TAC because even tho I haven't been here much more than a year I've learned enough that a modern horror movie he probably does not know 😂

[ganpondorodf]

Digging the new song. Love that MP more or less immediately lets loose that big fill from The Count of Tuscany to let you know he's back haha. Not a fan of the artwork but that's ok. Looking forward to hearing the rest of the album, and seeing the show next year. Gonna be a nostalgic good time.

[TAC]

Tim, I kinda understand where you're coming from. It's not that I dislike metal, or when DT lean more into metal as such. It's just that I have plenty of good metal to scratch that itch, and personally the more straight up metal DT go, the less I like it generally.

Yeah, that's exactly how I feel.

The main reason that I'm not into prog like Yes or Kansas is that it's not heavy enough even though I do like a lot of what they do. Dream Theater incorporates those styles into a heavier style that I like.

It's actually not bad, psychological horror. The artwork def has that vibe a bit. I just needed to really point out "modern" for TAC because even tho I haven't been here much more than a year I've learned enough that a modern horror movie he probably does not know 😂

This is true.

I'm so confused by this...

Is Dream Theater not a "metal" band? Never in my life have I heard them discussed in any other context.
Even your picture shows them opening from perhaps the most famous metal band ever.

Not trying to pick and prod, and I haven't been a fan for that long, but I would describe pretty much all of their albums as "metal" albums except for maybe Falling Into Infinity. Otherwise, it seems like they have always been pretty metal?

I have never considered Dream Theater a metal band, although when I try to explain what they are, I usually call them a heavy metal version of Yes.
Maybe that's at odds I guess.
 

[wolfking]

DT doing their style of prog metal is one thing, but DT trying to do Metallica is not needed.  I love the metal but I get where Tim is coming from.  This is a band that gave us I&W and ACOS, so when they are purposely trying to hone in on their metal influences, at times it seems like a waste.  I agree with A View being a heavy thick sounding record without really being metal, because it's not trying to be, if that makes sense.

Will be interesting to see where the rest of the album goes.  If they are liking doing the metal though and it reinvigorates this new era of the band, I'm okay with it.

[Jamesman42]

Dream Theater work better when they incorporate metal into their music, rather than try to be a metal band. It's a limiting factor IMO. Train of Thought is the exception.

[wolfking]

Dream Theater work better when they incorporate metal into their music, rather than try to be a metal band. It's a limiting factor IMO. Train of Thought is the exception.

100%.