Dream Theater – Parasomnia
"In The Arms Of Morpheus". Introductory note in instrumental form. The first part of it is banging in the atmosphere of the album, which is a concept. Insomnia is the condition against in which the body does various things while sleeping (sleepwalking, eating, having sex). Now, the first half of this intro? Meh, it kinda came and went without leaving much of a mark. Feels uninspired, lacking flow, with the only real "selling point" being the signature fills from the newly arrived Portnoy. Sure, he sprinkles some flair in there, but let’s be real—there’s nothing here we haven’t heard before.But hold up—that's just the first half. Midway through, it shifts into this cinematic vibe, moving in a 12/8 rhythm that’s straight-up mind-blowing. Like, why didn’t y’all start with this? Oh, right—because you do what you wanna do. Fair enough, respect. The instrument work here is off-the-charts heavenly, with the guitars and keys leading the way. Especially the guitars—they’re dripping with Vai-Satriani vibes, turning pure sweetness into notes. Petrucci’s production is top-tier, as expected, with the legendary Andy Sneap handling the mix and mastering like a boss. Oh, and he’s also credited as the sound engineer, teaming up with the amazing James “Jimmy T” Meslin—who’s practically family in the Dream Theater camp.
Next up is "Night Terror", which dropped as the first single and, let’s be real, by now everyone’s heard it. It’s a XNUMX-minute track, super melodic, and LaBrie absolutely kills it on vocals. The song’s packed with constant rhythm and time signature changes, loads of intricate work on the instruments, and a vocalist who nails every single shift like a pro. Now, let me speak from my own perspective here. Personally, I think LaBrie is the best thing DT could’ve ever had on vocals. Period. Plus, his solo albums? Man, those are even more lovable because he’s got full creative freedom there—he’s not sitting around for five years waiting to sing the next verse or chorus. Dream Theater has always had this little "flaw," though—they tend to play their studio tracks like they’re performing live. They cram in, like, XNUMX extra things just because they can. And yeah, technically, the song is flawless. But whether it leaves a lasting impression? That’s a whole different story. A diehard fan might say, "C’mon, man, push it further. I’ve already memorized this track and the whole damn album." And honestly, I gotta respect that. But for me? I’m moving on to the next one.
"A Broken Man"—the second single/video. Clocking in at over eight minutes, it kicks off in 4/4 with, like, ten different “outfits” the band throws on it to dress it up. The switch from 6/8 to XNUMX/XNUMX? Straight-up chef’s kiss. Anyone who’s heard that part will probably agree with me—the band sounds straight-up cinematic here. Then it’s back to XNUMX/XNUMX, and LaBrie? Dude handles it like he’s just chillin’ on a weekend getaway. The ease he has is unreal. At some point, the song just takes off instrumentally (and yeah, I’m owning it—I’m coining that term). It dives into all kinds of subgenres and hybrids, flexing the band’s creative energy and passion. When the vocals come back in, I can’t help but think—man, if these tracks were trimmed down to, like, six minutes each, we’d be talking about an absolute masterpiece here.
"Dead Asleep"—a solid 3 minutes long. It kicks off crystal clear, with keys, piano, and this celluloid-like effect that sets the mood. Then the riff comes in, and oh man, it wrecks. There’s some playful flirting with 4/6 and 8/XNUMX time, with a flanger gently brushing over everything, until this killer guitar theme steps in and keeps us company for a good few seconds. It’s not until a little over three minutes in that we finally hear the vocals. Yeah, yeah, I know—I’m a bit of a complainer. Maybe I am, maybe I’m not. But here’s the thing: the rest of the band just amps up every little detail, going all-in on anything that could’ve been played more simply. Musicians of this caliber? They’ve got zero problem bringing any idea they’ve got to life. Portnoy and Myung? They’re vibing together like magic, while Rudess? He’s out here picking the flashiest sounds and playing them in a way that perfectly matches the vibe of each musical scene.
Next up is the eight-minute "Midnight Messiah". It rolls in with a 12/8 groove (they’re really leaning into those galloping rhythms on this album), chant-like vocals, and that full-on cinematic vibe building up. Then they shift into 3/4 and later slide into 4/4. The transitions? Smooth as butter—almost invisible. That’s what happens when you’re a master of your craft. We hit a bridge in 3/4 again, and the drum accents? Straight-up genius. Then, outta nowhere, this lightning-fast riff drops in, giving our necks a little workout. Wanna know my guilty little secret? Dream Theater sounds here like what Deep Purple wished they could’ve sounded like when they put out "Made In Japan"! Yeah, I know—it might sound weird, maybe even nuts or totally out there, but all these little touches and embellishments in their songs? That’s the vibe I’m getting. And honestly? If it wasn’t Purple, it’d have to be King Crimson.
"Bend The Clock" picks up the introspective vibe left behind by the XNUMX-second "Are We Dreaming". It starts off mellow, with slightly dark guitar tones and Rudess’s keys hitting harder emotionally than anywhere else on the album. It’s like Queen meets Savatage and Porcupine Tree, and honestly, this might just be the most intriguing track on the record. I know, I know—what comes next is the beast itself, but I can’t not give props to this gorgeous ballad-like piece. It’s got this incredible outer shell made up of two sections—one in XNUMX/XNUMX and the other in XNUMX/XNUMX. The vocals? Man, they’re everything. It’s like a stunning love letter to both movie soundtracks and rock history. And let me just throw this out there—have you ever heard Petrucci sound this much like Vai? Dude’s absolutely phenomenal here! But man, what a shame this masterpiece has to end with a fade-out. Brutal.
And here we are—the beast itself. "The Shadow Man Incident." For the next 12 minutes and 8 seconds, this track’s gonna be our companion. The guitar work? Straight-up theatrical and dripping with thriller vibes. The rest of the band backs it up with sharp, staccato themes, until it all bursts into this massive, majestic tutti. Honestly, it could easily score something like Ben-Hur, El Cid, or any of those old-school Hollywood epics. And then… what’s next? You already know—XNUMX/XNUMX, jumping from the past to the present. A reprise of the album’s opening? Yep, in spirit. DT wander through the landscapes of the record, tying it all together in a way only they could dream up. Then the vocals come in. Boom. Suddenly, we’ve stepped into the Floyd dimension of these Americans—and their Canadian buddy. Vocal effects everywhere, bursts of emotion, and some seriously beautiful harmonies layered in. And then, another shift. They crank up the speed, throw in some Hammond organ, and—get this—it’s like King Diamond if they were writing his music. And just when you think you’ve got it figured out, they hit you with this musical theater vibe that leaves you wondering, where the hell do they even come up with this stuff? Endless night… endless ideas… And no, I refuse to wake up!
I guess I went over a thousand words, huh? Imagine if I were actually a die-hard fan… The new offering from Dream Theater is seriously interesting. No, it’s not gonna bring in a whole new crowd, and no, it’s not gonna make any of their followers walk away either. The legend’s gonna roll on, the band will keep bouncing between the studio and the stage, and now—man, I just need to see them play this stuff live. Especially, you know, that one. Welcome back home, Mike!
Costas Koulis
8/10