Progressive Rock
The band has officially announced it.
Here’s the message:
GRAMMY Award-winning progressive music titans Dream Theater announce the return of drummer Mike Portnoy to the band. Portnoy reunites with guitarist John Petrucci and bassist John Myung, the trio who founded the band at Berklee College of Music in 1985, alongside longtime members vocalist James LaBrie and keyboardist Jordan Rudess. Dream Theater will enter the studio to begin work on their sixteenth studio album, and their first with Portnoy since 2009’s «Black Clouds & Silver Linings».
«I understand Dream Theater’s decision to bring Mike Portnoy back at this time,» says Mike Mangini. «As was said from day one, my place was never to fill every role Mike had in the band. I was there to play drums to help keep the band going. My main job of keeping our live show running strong every night was an intense and rewarding experience. Fortunately, I got to experience playing music with these iconic musicians, as well as some fun, humorous moments. I also really enjoyed spending so much time with the crew. And then there’s the GRAMMY® win, which was incredibly gratifying. To the fans: thank you so much for being amazing to me. I love the footage I have of all of you losing your minds and having a blast. Lastly, I love the band, crew and management very much, and I wish them and the whole organisation the very best.»
«Mike Mangini’s drumming is out of this world, and I’m so grateful for the time he spent with us in Dream Theater. I’m incredibly proud of all the amazing music we made together, which culminated in our first-ever GRAMMY win last year, and of the countless magical moments we’ve shared on stage over the past 13 years. I wish him nothing but success in his future musical endeavours,» explains John Petrucci. «I’m incredibly excited to welcome Mike Portnoy back to Dream Theater! As an original founding member, longtime friend, and an incredibly talented and creative drummer, I know his return will bring a renewed spirit, passion and energy to DT that all of us, including our fans, will joyfully embrace. I can’t wait to roll up our sleeves and get back in the studio together!»
«It’s wonderful to have our original drummer Mike Portnoy back with us. We started playing together as Majesty almost 40 years ago, and I’m excited to see what this next chapter of Dream Theater creates for the future. I wish Mike Mangini nothing but the best for all the blood, sweat and tears he put into DT during his 13-year tenure with the band,» adds John Myung.
«Having Mike Mangini with us all these years has simply been a fantastic journey. He’s one of the most astonishing and naturally gifted drummers I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. Thank you, Mike. Life is a very strange journey, and I suppose that’s what makes it all the more interesting and compelling forever. Having Mike Portnoy back in the band is exactly where we and things should be. Things have a way of coming full circle, and in this case it makes total sense. I’m thrilled at the prospect of this classic DT line-up coming back together. I can say with absolute confidence that this will be DT’s final incarnation, with many chapters still to be written well into our future. Onward and upward, guys!! Welcome back, mate,» states James LaBrie.
«Mike Mangini is one of the most exceptional drummers in the world, and I feel privileged to have created a whole body of work with him. I’ll always be grateful for the time we shared within the Dream Theater universe,» continues Jordan Rudess. «We’re incredibly excited to reunite Dream Theater’s core family. There’s a resonance of spirit and vision with Mike Portnoy that’s unique and goes beyond words. On stage and off, there’s no denying the magic that happens when we’re together. I’m grateful for the chance to work together again as Dream Theater, and I can’t wait to share our excitement and passion with our amazing fans for a long time to come.»
«I’m overwhelmed with joy to come home and reunite with my brothers! There’s so much shared history between all of us… so many memories, so much music… to think we’re closing in on 40 years since this journey began! The idea of creating new music together is so exciting, and I can’t wait to hit the road and play live for a new generation of fans who never got to see this line-up before… There’s no place like home!!» exclaims Mike Portnoy.
Progressive metal pioneers Dream Theater share a unique bond with one of the most passionate fan bases anywhere in the world, reflected in their three GRAMMY® nominations, their 2022 GRAMMY® win for Best Metal Performance for “The Alien”, and 15 million records sold worldwide. 1992’s «Images & Words» earned a gold certification and landed on Rolling Stone’s coveted “100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time”. Guitar World placed the follow-up, «Awake», at number 1 on “50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994”. 1996’s «A Change of Seasons» soundtracked NBC’s mountain skiing coverage at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Fans voted 1999’s «Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory» the “Greatest Progressive Rock Album of All Time” in a 2012 Rolling Stone poll, not to mention it was ranked the “15th greatest concept album” by Classic Rock. In 2009, «Black Clouds & Silver Linings» crashed the Billboard Top 200 at number 6, while «A Dramatic Turn of Events» [2011] and «Dream Theater» [2013] kept up a three-album run in the chart’s Top 10. As a