New Jersey’s premier collective of Progressive Music moguls DREAM THEATER’s new album, “Parasomnia,” is one of the most highly anticipated albums of 2025. 15 years after the departure of Mike Portnoy, he is back in the band again. Some people feel that his presence, which is much more than a simple drummer and percussionist, was the missing ingredient and one of the reasons why the albums released since “Black Clouds and Silver Linings” weren’t as memorable as earlier works. The band has been around now for 40 years, and it’s impossible for a band with that amount of longevity to keep the fires of creativity burning. One thing that I will say about the band unequivocally is that they have always been, and remain, the most talented quintet in the business.

“In the Arms of Morpheus” is the first song, and it’s an unusual opening song. It fades in slowly, and the sonority gradually increases. The first distorted note is filthy, and Portnoy is given free range on the kit to push as many fills as he wants. The main riff isn’t anything overly creative, but it does showcase the heavier side of the band, and the melodies that follow are strong. “Night Terror” is a slow grind at first, with more drum fills. It picks up, and LaBrie’s vocals are excellent. 40 years later, he might not have the glass-shattering range he once did, but who could possibly expect that? I have always found his voice to be both soothing, and menacing when it calls for it. He is one of my favorite vocalists. I hate to say it, but although the vocal harmonies are nice in the chorus, the instrumental passages meander.

“A Broken Man” has firmer tones, but the riffs are just too simple compared to earlier albums. There are some meter shifts here among the aggressive riffing however, but again, the song meanders. It’s almost as if the band is trying to unnaturally extend these songs. “Dead Asleep” is a moody piece, and I connect with this song a little better. Although the riffs are fairly simple once again, the atmosphere from the keyboards helps to round out the sound. The best part of the song is the vocal harmonies in my opinion. “Midnight Messiah” is another moody song with a bite, and I can finally hear Myung’s strong bass lines. He has to be the most under- appreciated musician in the band. It sounds a bit too close however to the song from “Train of Thought” called “As I Am.”  

“Are We Dreaming” is a short segue, connecting to the final two songs. “Bend the Clock” is the song I was waiting for on the album, because it has a genuine emotional quality. These softer, more introspective and pensive songs are the ones that the band does so well. The nineteen-minute opus titled “The Shadow Man Incident” closes the album, and it shifts too and fro like only DREAM THEATER can do. Like some of the other songs on the album, it too meanders. Close to the half-way mark, they tear it up, like they are known for, but the song is fairly forgettable.

In sum, their fire and passion are still there, but their songwriting efforts have gone a little stale. Maybe they rushed the new album a bit? Or maybe, after 40 years, this is the best that one can expect. As a long-time fan, it’s safe to say I was disappointed with the album, and therein lies one of the issues, I expect too much from the band, admittedly. There were some memorable moments as always, but too many of the songs didn’t excite me enough, and it just sounds tired.