Time for me to give Dream Theater another chance.
Active for 40 years (from 1985 to 1988 under the name Majesty), the band led by John Myung (bass, The Jelly Jam), John Petrucci (guitar/vocals, Liquid Tension Experiment), James LaBrie (vocals) and Jordan Rudess (keyboards, Liquid Tension Experiment) reunites with legendary drummer Mike Portnoy (Liquid Tension Experiment, The Winery Dogs, ex-Adrenaline Mob…) and unveils its sixteenth album, Parasomnia.
It’s not unusual for me to explain on request why I don’t like Progressive Metal, and it turns out that Dream Theater ticks absolutely all the boxes: introductions that are too long, a complexity that’s certainly assumed but sometimes wheezy, and above all lead parts that aren’t really useful in my eyes. And yet, although the first track, In The Arms Of Morpheus, is a textbook case of this… I was immediately interested. Although the intro is rather slow, the heavy riffs find favor with my ears despite the changes of pace that allow the instruments to place their solos before giving way to the anguish of Night Terror, a track that the cover seems to represent perfectly. The vocal parts arrive and find their way effortlessly into the jolting rhythm, bringing them a certain diversity, whether in the mystery or the more soothing passages, but the length of the track also allows the instruments to deliver their technicality before joining A Broken Man where the rhythm once again ignites. Sampled vocal parts surreptitiously appear, but the five musicians return to develop their intriguing approach which – without any real explanation – will captivate me for a while, then lose me again during the jazz-oriented breaks and leads before the final acceleration to Dead Asleep, where the gloomy atmosphere returns. The first riffs become thick again, but are softened again by the vocals, which try to guide us through the sometimes majestic instrumental that stretches out very naturally, then finally gives way to Midnight Messiah, where airy notes welcome us. The track seems to focus on ghostly sounds, but also a few bursts of very heavy energy that remind me of King Diamond between the leads, but the band is finally determined to give us a respite with Are We Dreaming, a rather minimalist interlude. Bend the Clock then enters the fray with a gentle, almost ballad-like quality, which steers its worked riffs quite differently before unleashing the nineteen minutes of The Shadow Man Incident, and although the band is known for its extreme concepts, the track progresses on its own between haunting passages, faster rhythms and always those heady, unexpected additions from all the musicians.
Although the band’s music always leaves me breathless, Parasomnia managed to hold my attention at times. Dream Theater have nothing left to prove, and their new concept will undoubtedly strike a chord with their fans, who recognize, as I do, their extreme technicality.
70/100