It took me a little while to dig into the latest DREAM THEATER record, Parasomnia, but when I was finally able to, it reminded me of why they’re the best at what they do.
Is it a bit ostentatious and over the top at times? Yes!
But Hell, Mike Portnoy is back, dammit! So why the Hell not?
Right from the start “In the Arms of Morpheus” takes us on a journey that will have you buckling your seatbelts lickety-split!
Now, that was just for openers like Chet demanding Wyatt’s VCR all those years ago. John Petrucci weaves a sonic tapestry like a blanket our nanas made for us with “Night Terror,” vocalist James LaBrie swinging the bat like Negan in The Walking Dead.
“A Broken Man” is next up, the whole band coming on like an advancing army, hell-bent for leather. Meanwhile, let’s talk about “Dead Asleep,” my runaway favorite from listen No. 1! My love of epics is well-known, and this one clocks in at 11 minutes!
Now, “Midnight Messiah” was interesting because, for a while, I didn’t know where it was going. Then they floored it and gave you two choices: A. Jump in or B. Get the fuck out of the way, savvy? This is one that live audiences will no doubt go apeshit for.
I was not thrilled with “Bend the Clock,” though. It just didn’t hit the way the previous tracks had. That said, the 19-minute closer “The Shadow Man Incident” was like the hero in the movie beating the bully. When all was said and done, I was laid out on my living room floor!
All told this new DREAM THEATER album is fantastic! And it really sucks I couldn’t catch the tour opener in Philly. But by all means, you should check out Parasomnia as soon as you can. You won’t be disappointed. Welcome back, Mr. Portnoy.
STANDOUT TRACKS: “Dead Asleep,” “Midnight Messiah,” “The Shadow Man Incident”
– THE MAESTRO
