In my opinion, yes. It should be reiterated, though, that I liked the Mangini era, plus I never thought that the first Portnoy era significantly dropped off in quality. Essentially, then, I like every Dream Theater album - so I had no hopes that Parasomnia would be some magical return to form. I just wanted it to be more of the Dream Theater I love - and Parasomnia certainly is that. I must admit, though, that it is a treat to hear Portnoy's drumming on another Dream Theater album. His drum sound is so distinct and his style is instantly recognisable - so there is something of a nostalgia about Parasomnia. It is easily the heaviest album the band have done since he was last in the band, too, with shades of 2003's Train of Thought, 2007's Systematic Chaos, and the aforementioned Black Clouds & Silver Linings present throughout. There remains some of the smoothness of their most recent releases, too, so Parasomnia still feels like a natural continuation despite the twinge of nostalgia. The album opens in relatively rare fashion, though, with an instrumental piece. The band have done this before, but they do not often have scene-setters on their albums - which is essentially what In the Arms of Morpheus is. In true Dream Theater style, though, it is no brief intro - and is instead a weighty and riffy full-bodied instrumental which re-introduces that heaviness from the mid-2000s. It takes a little while to get going, though, with atmospheric sounds such as traffic and footsteps setting a realistic tone - before a distant piano melody is heard. There is a loose concept running throughout the album relating to sleep disorders, so the ticking and the eventual brash alarm clock help to create this vibe - with the latter accompanying the first big riff of the album. By this point the piano has faded away, following a creepy twist, and Petrucci crashes in with a muscular mid-paced riff - which Portnoy backs up with some busy tom fills and a bass drum pattern which is reminiscent of A Nightmare to Remember. There is something overture-esque about the piece, though, and it moves through a few different riffs before Jordan Rudess' keyboards take on a more prominent role - adding growling organ before he launches into a lengthy synth solo, the first real instrumental workout of the album. This then morphs into a melodic guitar solo, over a much more expansive and lighter backing. This solo really shines, in classic Petrucci fashion, and it carries the latter portion of the album opener to new heights - perfectly setting the tone for some of the more cinematic moments to follow.
The next big riff marks the transition into Night Terror - the album's first song proper. This song was released before the reunion tour kicked off last year, and was featured in the setlist, so the fans are familiar with it by now. Its slow-burning opening is slightly doomy and more mid-paced than much of the song, with hanging riffs and lengthy drum fills - but the song kicks off proper once Petrucci's riffing speeds up to create a headbanging pattern. This riff forms the basis of the verse, with a simplified version sitting behind frontman James LaBrie's voice - whilst Rudess again utilises some organ for depth. LaBrie sounds great throughout the album. He might not have the range he used to but his tone is still intact - and the later chorus is a real earworm thanks to his melodies, Rudess' busy piano, and Portnoy's distinctive backing vocals. As is typical of the band, though, the song takes many twists and turns. An off-kilter version of the main riff later takes over for a different verse arrangement, which allows Portnoy to throw in a few interesting grooves - and there is a really groovy riff which kicks in after the second chorus which sees the band change tack immediately. This riff feels like it could have come from one of the band's more recent albums - and it is great to see the overall sound still reflecting their recent work. Parasomnia is not a pure throwback, then, but I think when it comes to the approach to drum fills it is. Portnoy loves to throw in chaotic and lengthy drum fills - and that is very much evident during the song's lengthy solo section, which is packed with some of Petrucci's fastest shredding, Rudess' excellent synth work, and a later bluesy guitar solo which showcases something a bit different. All of these sections are filled with intense drum fills - and it is very much clear that Portnoy is back just by listening to this part of the song. The discordant opening to A Broken Man also feels very Portnoy. He was often behind many of the band's heaviest moments in the past, and the intense riffing and drumming during the opening seconds of this second vocal-led piece do not sound like they could have sat on the last few albums. Despite this opening, though, the song as a whole probably reins in some of the more overt heaviness of the previous track - and actually, ironically, ends up sounding like something from the recent albums. The lengthy instrumental intro feels a bit more cinematic overall following the chaos subsiding, with strings and subtle keyboards backing Petrucci's riffing-come-melodic playing which dominates early on. LaBrie gets to really showcase some of his vocal power and diversity on this track, too. The less intense arrangement gives him plenty of space in the mix to breathe - and the verses feature a mix of more melodic singing and a more urgent delivery which sees his range being pushed. The chorus here is not as strong as it could be melodically, particularly following the previous earworm and some which are to follow, but the song has grown on me quite a bit despite it being one of my least favourites at first. The cinematic approach is welcome, showcasing that this is not just an all-out metal album, and the later solo section is one of the most bombastic on the album - with Rudess delivering a great organ solo and the band then moving through some different vaudeville-esque grooves.
Dead Asleep is the album's second longest song and one of two that breaches the 10 minute mark. Its opening returns to the ambient noises from the album's intro - before some distant piano melodies and what sounds like a mournful violin fade in, creating an unsettling tone. This vibe continues on for a minute or so, but it is not long before Petrucci takes over with another big riff - which is thunderous, mid-paced, and one of the heaviest on the album. Parts of the album may feel faster and more chaotic, but the opening riff to Dead Asleep is pure heavy metal goodness - and there is nothing to really spice it up groove-wise as nothing is needed. The song moves onto other vibes as it progresses, but this Black Sabbath-esque opening is a big nod in the direction of their metal fans - before Petrucci changes tack entirely and launches into another lengthy, floaty guitar solo against a spacey backdrop. This sees the band turn and nod to their prog fans - and this track is one that scratches both itches. It retains plenty of weight, with the verses featuring a repurposed version of the intro riff, Deep Purple-esque organ, and LaBrie's gritty vocals - before piano joins the fray for a pretty memorable chorus which sees LaBrie sounding a little smoother and aided by some subtle harmonies. Those who prefer something a little more retro-sounding will love a later instrumental section, which sees Petrucci soloing without a rhythm guitar backing. John Myung's bass playing really shines here, as he backs Petrucci's 1970s-esque fluid leads - and there is also some more organ from Rudess to add depth. This raw instrumental section feels different from many of the other solos here which tend to sit against big riffs - and normal service soon resumes once Rudess starts to lay down a busy and flashy keyboard solo with another big riff in the background. This instrumental section is pretty lengthy, though, with both Petrucci and Rudess really stretching out - but no time appears to have passed before LaBrie returns with another reprise of the song's chorus and the track then closes out on a lengthy riff-led workout which takes on a slightly gothic edge. Midnight Messiah is easily the heaviest song here, despite the piano-led intro and the haunting clean guitar melodies which open things up. It might take a little while to build fully to the heaviness, but an early spiky riff and some discordant passages create some tension - before a groovy and driving riff takes over the song never looks back. This is Dream Theater showcasing their Metallica influence during some of the muscular passages here - and LaBrie also goes for a gritter approach throughout. The song could have easily sat on Train of Thought and it rarely lets up. There is some piano added to the pre-chorus which does add a lighter touch, but the riffing still remains - and the chorus ups the pace and goes all-out for a thrash approach. This is one of the fastest and most potent sections on the whole album - and LaBrie delivers Portnoy's lyrics with real venom. He has not sounded this snarling on a Dream Theater album for quite some time, and the chorus is one of the album's best and most memorable moments. Funnily enough the later soloing is not as high-octane as it could have been - but the grooves remain and there is still plenty of melodic shredding. Due to its energy and thrashy riffing, this song is sure to become a real live favourite going forward.
Following the true metal of Midnight Messiah, the album then follows its heaviest cut with its mellowest. The brief, atmospheric Are We Dreaming? essentially acts as an extended intro for the song which follows - and the interlude again returns to some of those real-world noises from before. Chiming clocktower bells add to the album's overall themes, before some dense horn-like synths, which could have come from a Roger Waters album, create this low-key soundscape as whispering creeps around the edges of the speakers. Once Petrucci's clean guitars join in, though, Bend the Clock starts - and the album's ballad gets underway. Dream Theater have often written great ballads in the past and Bend the Clock is no different. In fact, this is likely their best ballad for quite some time - and it is an overall album highlight for a number of reasons. The main reason, though, is LaBrie and his fantastic vocal performance. His performances are always under so much scrutiny, and he has come in for quite a lot of unfair criticism over the years for just getting older - but there is no-one else out there who could sing Bend the Clock with the emotion and control that he does. The first verse and chorus are quite low key, and are filled with that breathy, floaty vocal style which characterises his ballad delivery - but the track does grow in stature as it moves along which necessitates a more full-bodied delivery. By the time the second chorus is reached, then, LaBrie is singing in a different way - and the second chorus hits with a different sort of power. It helps that the vocal hooks during the chorus are real earworms. It is easily the best chorus on the album overall, behind the thrash snappiness of Midnight Messiah, and it is a truly classic Dream Theater moment - which is later built on by Petrucci's heroic guitar solo which is packed full of melody. He solos a couple of times during the song, but the main one is my favourite due to its real focus on melody - with the second one being much lengthier and acts, David Gilmour-esque, as a closing motif.
The album then comes to a close with the 19 minute-plus epic The Shadow Man Incident - which does not stand on ceremony and opens with a memorable mid-paced riff which repeats whilst it is subtly changed and different drum accents are utilised. Marching drums then take over, and Rudess creates a few different soundscapes - but the song then really feels like it gets going with a snappier riff that follows and another lengthy, cinematic guitar solo. Despite the song's length, many of the vocal-led sections throughout are actually quite low key. It is a few minutes before LaBrie starts to sing, but following three big riffs and a lengthy solo the heaviness drops away and LaBrie once again utilises that breathy vocal delivery during a slow-burning verse filled with atmospheric guitars and occasionally creepy, effects-heavy vocal additions. Unlike many of the band's epics, though, this one feels like it evolves more organically. It is not as bombastic as many longer Dream Theater cuts, then, which gives the song a slow-burning feel - but this makes it interesting in my opinion. Given how heavy much of this album is, and how the song starts, the plentiful slower moments, spoken word interjections, and more plaintive overall feel work well - and the chorus which reappears a few times throughout is a rare moment of urgency in a song which feels more interwoven and expansive than ever. It is not a song which reveals all at first, then, but over repeated listens I feel that I have a good handle on it - despite it remaining the song here I am the least familiar with. Despite what I have said, though, it is not a 19 minute ballad. There is noticeably a lot of atmosphere here but there are still heavy moments. The instrumental moments really stretch out, too, with one around the 11 minute mark seeing plenty of guitar and keyboard back and forth before Portnoy lays into his double bass pedals and the heaviness returns with some high-octane shredding. In fact, this instrumental section is easily the album's longest and its most progressive expression - and by the time LaBrie returns to sing an expansive last few lines the song is almost over. This last vocal section perfectly caps off the song's themes, though - and it is left to Petrucci to close things out definitively with one last soaring solo, coming full circle with atmospheric noises and an alarm clock the last things heard. To circle back around, then, for me Parasomnia very much lives up my expectations. It looks to the past and the present, fusing some the band's older heaviness with their more recent approach - and the songwriting is tight despite the lengthy arrangements. Some of the band's best choruses for a while are here and the riffing throughout is some of Petrucci's heaviest to date. Portnoy sounds great back in the saddle, too, and it is clear that this era of the band is just getting started - so I imagine there is only more to follow.
The album was released on 7th February 2025 via InsideOut Music. Below is the band's promotional video for Night Terror.
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