Dream Theater have long been known for their intricate, boundary-pushing music, and Parasomnia – their latest studio album that heralded their reunion with drummer and founder Mike Portnoy – is no exception. But, as the band’s guitarist John Petrucci recently shared in an interview with Guitar World, the road to this album wasn’t without pressure.
“There was pressure, but I think it was self-inflicted. You’d have to be dumb not to be aware of the anticipation that the announcement created in our fans, and we knew people would be looking forward to hearing what we could come up with,” Petrucci explained. Despite this looming expectation, he believes the pressure also acted as a catalyst for the band, pushing them to create something truly special.
“But thinking about all of that before we even walked into the studio was inspiring and pushed us to want to do our best,” Petrucci added. “There was a real incentive to figure out how we could take this album to a level that’s going to be undeniable. And when I say undeniable, it’s not only how other people perceive it but how we perceive it as a band when we’re working on it.”
From the moment the band entered the studio, Petrucci and his bandmates knew they were creating something heavy and intense. “From the moment we started writing it, we knew it was going to be a heavy, aggressive album,” he recalled. “Having Mike Portnoy back, and all of us being together in the studio made us feel like we were 18 again. We just wanted to write super-heavy riffs and rock out.”
Part of that energy came from revisiting early influences that helped shape the band’s distinctive sound. “It was so exciting to draw back on some of my early influences. I’m a huge Metallica fan and majorly influenced by James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett. I infused that style of fast, chuggy rhythmic playing into my sound, and you can clearly hear it on the first Dream Theater album. It was great to bring some of that stuff back,” Petrucci shared.
While Parasomnia certainly has all the heavy, intricate layers that Dream Theater is known for, it also marked a milestone for the band in their long career. Asked if the album felt like a “musical rebirth,” Petrucci responded with enthusiasm: “In a way, it does. It’s our 16th album, and it comes after our 40th year as a band. Those benchmark moments have created new enthusiasm and renewed energy, and we’re all vibing on the anticipation that those moments bring. We’re thinking, ‘Man, this is an amazing time in our career. Let’s make sure we rise to the occasion.’”
Petrucci’s admiration for Portnoy’s return to the fold is clear. “As soon as Mike Portnoy was back on the kit, everything started taking shape for the whole band. I met him when we were 18, and we were always together for so long, so as soon as we started playing again, it was like having my buddy back. We were all inspired and felt so creative. “Night Terror” was the first thing we wrote.”
Dream Theater has certainly earned its reputation as pioneers of progressive metal. And though they’ve been at it for four decades, Petrucci shared that the band remains as fearless as ever when it comes to pushing boundaries. “We’re not afraid to do stuff some other bands won’t try. We’ve earned the license to do anything. There are no rules, so you don’t have to worry about how long a song is, how many styles you play, or whether it’s going to be a hit or not,” he said.
Reflecting on their journey, Petrucci revealed that the band’s ambition was set from the very beginning: “We had lofty goals from the very beginning. We looked up to bands like Iron Maiden and Rush, who had long careers and were always putting out records. We wanted to do the same thing.”
