It’s fitting that I’m writing this on the day that Bill Ward was reunited with Sabbath, because the news that Dream Theater had reunited with Mike Portnoy was similarly exciting. Just as it had been a shock when he left in the first place. He and guitarist John Petrucci had seemed like the beating heart, the unbreakable pair, and so it is that the imperceptible chemistry is in place once more.
“Parasomnia”—their 16th record—is a journey into the dark, and there’s little light at the end of the tunnel, fitting given that its title is a term for disruptive sleep-related disturbances including sleepwalking, sleep paralysis, and night terrors.
“In The Arms Of Morpheus” sets the tone from the cinematic opening. It’s absolutely clear that this is Dream Theater at their most grandiose, and John Petrucci’s guitar sound confirms it. To have the stones to kick the record off with an instrumental is quite something.
“Night Terror” is darker, eerie, and heavy. Petrucci’s riff is relentless, and it takes a couple of minutes before we hear James LaBrie. The song itself is a near ten-minute statement, and it feels—in all honesty—like the kings are back to reclaim their crown, because no one does it like these four. Each member gets a moment in the sun, from Jordan Rudess to the rhythm section of John Myung and Portnoy.
The latter two drive the astonishing energy of “A Broken Man.” Given the length of the songs, the album feels like a real descent into pain, before a funky section reminds us of their unbreakable spirit.
“Dead Asleep” leans into the classic Dream Theater sound—ominous, eerie, slightly oppressive. You know it’s them when a song has a cinematic plot.
“Midnight Messiah” begins side two, as it were, and Portnoy slams here. The track is wonderful, a true masterclass in progressive metal.
“Are We Dreaming” serves as a prelude to the ballad, “Bend The Clock.” And although LaBrie is a fine singer, these types of songs with a greater harmonic emphasis are where he truly excels.
And really, there was only one way this was going to end—a massive, winding 20-minute epic. “Parasomnia” delivers—yet again—utterly incredibly. You can pay it no higher a compliment than to say it’s up there with “A Change of Seasons.”
“The Shadow Man Incident” is an album in itself. The strings, then the heaviness, and Jordan Rudess at his dazzling best on the keys.
And then, just like that, the dream ends. The alarm clock sounds, and this world vanishes. We must return to this one—a nightmare of its own, perhaps—but for 71 glorious minutes, the world belonged to Dream Theater.
In every sense of the word, it feels like they are back.
Rating: 9.5/10
