Dream Theater
Dream Theater’s brand new, self-titled opus is a
masterpiece of ambition, adventure and redefined purpose. Dream Theater heralds
an exceptionally energized and profoundly dynamic emergent chapter for the
melodic, progressive and consistently heavy masters of hard rock invention. Dream
Theater is a name synonymous with the penultimate synthesis of studied
expertise and relentless creative passion. It is an album that at once recalls
the brilliant hallmarks that have made the band icons to fellow musicians and
hard rock fans alike, while simultaneously a bold declaration of a future yet
to come.
The mountain of awards and accolades from guitar, drum and
keyboard publications rightly bestowed upon the band over the course of their
storied career shouldn’t overshadow the most important thing Dream
Theater has always offered: engaging, deeply resonant and undeniably
catchy songs. For all of the progressive instrumentation and time signatures
that have caused heads to spin since before the band’s gold-selling sophomore
set Images and Words through 2011’s A Dramatic Turn of Events, Dream
Theater have consistently proven their proficiency with songwriting
itself. It’s no surprise that “On the Backs of Angels,” released just two years
ago, earned the veteran band their first-ever Grammy nomination.
“We have a great history. We’ve made a lot of albums that we’re
incredibly proud of and that are special to us. Self-titling this album was a
way to illustrate that we remain in a constant state of evolution,” explains
co-founder, guitarist and producer John Petrucci. “We are striving
to move forward, to do better. This is an album that both new listeners and
longtime fans can point to and say, ‘If you want to know what Dream
Theater is all about, this is the album to get.’ Dream Theater is
alive, vibrant, moving forward, constantly.”
Dream Theater fixture James LaBrie’s
supernaturally compelling and instantly identifiable vocals soar within the
framework of Petrucci’s unmistakable guitar wizardry and steadfast co-founder John
Myung’s rhythmic yet brightly expressive bass playing. The keyboard and
atmospheric work of multi-instrumentalist Jordan Rudess has
become essential and integral to Dream Theater’s sound, while
formidable and near-unbelievable drum giant Mike Mangini pounds
a territorial stamp upon the album, his second since joining the band in 2010.
Dream Theater delivers all things Dream Theater in
every sense of the phrase, including a return of their mind-bending
instrumentals: cinematic album opener “False Awakening Suite” and “Enigma
Machine.” There are also epic storytelling centerpiece songs, like the multi-dimensional
album closer, “Illumination Theory,” taken from the playbooks of Dream
Theater spiritual forefathers like Yes andRush.
“Along for the Ride” is emboldened by a free-spirited, inspired vibe. The
lyrics are incredibly optimistic and the song itself is uplifting. Dream
Theater boasts the band’s heaviest production sound ever, courtesy of Petrucci
and engineer/mixer Richard Chycki, whose resume includes work with Rush, Aerosmith, Skillet and Mick
Jagger.
“It’s unusual for a band like ours, doing our own
progressive metal mixture, to have stayed focused, to still be producing music
that’s as vital and energetic as ever,” observes Rudess. “This is our strongest
point since I joined the band, where the personalities are really united and
creating a large statement with a lot of power. This album has all of the
crucial elements of Dream Theater. This is us saying, ‘Okay, this
is Dream Theater. This is our mark, right here.’ It’s bold.”
The minimalist, modernized version of the Dream
Theater symbol, as internationally recognizable as the Misfits'
Crimson Ghost,HIM's Heartagram or the Black Flag bars,
is the bold anchor of the album artwork for a reason. It’s a mere taste of what
lies beneath, within the music itself.
“This record is loaded with very passionate, simple grooves
that drive people, but it’s also loaded with an outlandish sense of deep
musicianship at the highest possible level we can offer,” promises Mangini.
“LaBrie has got one of the most beautiful voices on Earth. “The guys in this
band are no novices. The album has a very congruent feel, an organic mix of
passion and nurtured songwriting.”
Dream Theater serves as both entry-point for curious
newcomers and shining beacon to longtime devotees. It is a landmark statement
befitting of not only the band’s multiple milestones, but of their increasing
prowess, perseverance and overall fulfillment from creating diverse, nuanced
and atmospheric compositions. Evocative, transcendent, genre-defining and as
hungry as ever, Dream Theater’s music is as timeless as the
dozen-album strong discography and more than 25 years of performing would
suggest, while alternately ever-advancing toward new horizons.
Dream Theater has sold over two million albums
in the United States alone and over ten million albums around the world, thanks
to astoundingly important records like Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory
(1999) and Systematic Chaos (2007). Sharing stages with musical titans Deep
Purple, Iron Maiden, Porcupine Tree, Megadeth and Emerson,
Lake & Palmer (to name a few) has contributed to the rightful
perception of Dream Theater as one of rock’s greatest live
acts. Petrucci and Myung have known each other since before they were in high
school. They assembled what would become one of the world’s most impressive
musical collectives together with fellow Berklee College of Music student Mike
Portnoy. Many fans became exposed to Dream Theaterthrough the MTV
staple “Pull Me Under,” from the band’s mammoth second album, the first to
feature LaBrie.
Mike Mangini, who beat out many impressive candidates
for the drum position in 2010 and who has set five World’s Fastest Drummer
records, was on the faculty at Berklee College of Music in Boston.
The band worked on material at sound checks while touring
behind A Dramatic Turn of Events, which debuted in the Billboard Top 10. The
drum parts for A Dramatic Turn of Events were already mapped out before Mangini
joined the band. With Dream Theater, much of the material was composed in the
rehearsal room, as a unit. “We knew Mike was a great guy, a talented drummer
and did an amazing job in the studio and onstage,” Petrucci says. “But we
hadn’t really worked with him creatively before. He exceeded what we imagined
and put this energy into the album.”
Rudess concurs. “Mangini’s personality is all over the new
record. You can’t help but smile when you hear it. He’s so present. He’s so
there. He's got this exuberant personality that has become part of Dream
Theater. It’s been a real joy having somebody who is as focused and music crazy
as all of us. It’s additional incentive to keep Dream Theater really
strong, really alive and moving forward.”
Mangini has had a chance not only to gel with his band mates
but to integrate into the worldwide Dream Theater community.
He’s been just as impressed by the Dream Theater faithful as
they have been with him. “Dream Theater fans are an extremely
educated bunch for the most part, they are very smart,” he says. “They know
their details. They know their music. They don’t mess around. When they hear
this album, they are going to realize just how important they really are.”
That Dream Theater is creating their most
inventive, invigorating and satisfying material on album twelve is testament to
the continued creative drive and commitment to excellence they’ve always
maintained. For many bands, fans will cling to this or that touchstone record.
A Dream Theater fan can celebrate the catalog and newcomers
can get a comprehensive look by starting right here. “This is album number
twelve, there’s no reason why a band can’t continue to evolve and top what
they’ve done before in a positive way,” Petrucci reasons. “It’s nothing
rehashed, it’s not the same old thing, it’ not lazy. A new album, for us, is
always an opportunity to put our best foot forward, to try to break new ground
and try to be a better band.”
Classics will always remain classics, but nobody is running
around saying they’d like to trade in their latest iPhone for the original
model. Metallica’s Kill ‘Em All is uncompromisingly badass. But it
was their fifth album (which was self-titled) that sold over 30 million copies.
From Rush to Pink Floyd to The
Beatles to Black Sabbath, a number of legendary bands
continued to unleash pivotal albums at multiple points along their creative
journeys. With Dream Theater, this band solidifies a place amongst the greats,
whose work will always inspire.
James joined Dream Theater in 1990 and has placed fifteenth
on Music Radar's list of "The Greatest Vocalists of all Time".
Throughout his career with Dream Theater, LaBrie has lent his voice to many
other artists (including Fate's Warning, Trent Gardner, Tim Donahue and
Frameshift), as well as to Rush, ELP, and Queen tribute recordings.
Since 2004, LaBrie has been working with the True Symphonic
project along with Thomas Dewald, Vladimir Grishko, Dirk Ulrich, Christopher
Jesidero, Sandro Martinez, Paul Mayland, Marvin Philippi and Igor Marin. Their
album "Concerto In True Minor - 3 Rock Tenors" was released in 2008.
Throughout his musical career, James has become one of the
most well-respected and admired vocalists in progressive rock. In 2010 his
James LaBrie band released Static Impulse, brilliantly dynamic and melodic
extreme metal mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Paradise Lost).
James' musical influences include Metallica, Aerosmith, Van
Halen, Journey, Queen, Yes, Rush, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, as well as
classical composers Mozart, Vivaldi and Beethoven as favorites. Influential
vocalists include Steve Perry, Freddie Mercury, Sting, Paul Rodgers and Nat
King Cole.
John Petrucci is the guitarist and a founding member of
Dream Theater. He attended the Berklee College of Music, where the nucleus of
Dream Theater was formed. As the band's producer, main lyricist and backing
vocalist, his side projects include the Liquid Tension Experiment with Tony
Levin. As well, John is a veteran of Joe Satriani's prestigious G3 tours along
with Steve Vai, Eric Johnson and Paul Gilbert.
John's awards include the 2007 "Guitarist of the
Year" as named by the readers of Total Guitar magazine, and "Best
Metal Guitarist" in the 2010 and 2011 Reader's/Player's Choice Awards
polls in Guitar Player magazine. In 2011, John was named one of the 20
greatest-ever metal guitarists in Total Guitar's poll as well as "Best
Guitarist" in Classic Rock Presents Prog Magazine's 2011 readers poll.
First released in 1995, John's instructional video
"Rock Discipline" continues to be held in high regard by guitar
players around the world as both an influential and comprehensive guide to
modern-day guitar techniques. John's book, entitled "Guitar World Presents
John Petrucci's Wild Stringdom", is a compilation of columns he wrote for
the magazine.
Some of John's early influences include Steve Morse, Al
DiMeola, Steve Howe, Allan Holdsworth, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Randy Rhoads, Joe
Satriani, Steve Vai, Alex Lifeson, Yngwie Malmsteen, Rush, Yes, Iron Maiden,
The Dixie Dregs and Metallica.
John Myung
and his high school friend John Petrucci enrolled together at the Berklee
College of Music where they met their future bandmate, Mike Portnoy and, with
two other friends, formed the band Majesty. This early band would later undergo
more changes to the lineup, and change its name to Dream Theater.
John's outside projects include the Jelly Jam, along with
Rod Morgenstein and Ty Tabor. In 2010, John was inducted into the Long Island
Music Hall of Fame and impressively, in 2010, was named the Greatest Bassist of
All Time in Music Radar's reader's poll.
John's early influences include Chris Squire, Steve Harris,
and Geddy Lee, and their respective bands Yes, Iron Maiden, Rush.
Jordan
Rudess is Dream Theater's keyboardist/multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire. In
addition to playing in Dream Theater, Jordan has worked with many other artists
including Liquid Tension Experiment, David Bowie, Steven Wilson, the Dixie
Dregs, Enrique Iglesias, Tony Williams, Jan Hammer and the Paul Winter Consort.
In late 2010, the world-renowned keyboardist and Juilliard graduate premiered
his first live orchestral composition "Explorations for Keyboard and
Orchestra" in Caracas, Venezuela.
Jordan is the author of Total Keyboard Wizardry: A
Technique and Improvisation Workbook. He also owns the successful App
development company Wizdom Music, creators of MorphWiz, SketchWiz, SampleWiz,
and Geo Synthesizer. A mere four months after the release of MorphWiz (the
first release from Wizdom Music), it was named "Best Music Creation App"
in the first-ever Billboard Music App Awards, produced by Billboard Magazine.
In 2011, Jordan toured as a special guest for select dates
on Blackfield's summer tour, opening for them in Seattle, Portland, San
Francisco, Los Angeles and Mexico City.
Mike Mangini
joined Dream Theater in 2010; to do so, he gave up a coveted position as
faculty member at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. A
highly-respected session musician as well, Mike has jammed and played with a
variety of musicians and bands including, among others, Annihilator, Extreme,
James LaBrie, Steve Perry, Godsmack, Steven Tyler, Dale Bozzio, Skunk Baxter,
and Steve Vai.
Mike is well-known for setting five World's Fastest Drummer
(WFD) records and appeared on the Discover Channel show "Time
Warp", displaying his drum skills for high-speed cameras. He remains
proudest however, of being ranked/rated by his students in the top 1% of
college professors in America by Online Course Evaluators. A natural teacher, Mike
has written two books entitled Rhythm Knowledge; these describe his unique
practice method, designed for deconstructing and simplifying complex
polyrhythms and time signatures.
Mike has garnered multiple Grammy nominations, and won
accolades for his jazz, progressive, and rock drumming.
About playing with Dream Theater, Mike says "I consider this
opportunity the absolute pinnacle of my career. Playing with these guys…it's
the mountaintop. This is where I want to be."
