Dream Theater is an American
progressive metalProgressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
band formed in 1985 under the name
Majesty by
John PetrucciJohn Peter Petrucci is an American guitarist and songwriter best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. Along with his former bandmate Mike Portnoy, he has produced all Dream Theater albums since their 1999 release, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory...
,
John MyungJohn Ro Myung is an American bassist, Chapman Stick player and a founding member of the progressive metal group Dream Theater. He is considered a virtuoso player who is widely recognized for his technical proficiency....
, and
Mike PortnoyMichael Stephen "Mike" Portnoy is an American drummer primarily known as the former drummer, backing vocalist, and a co-founder of the progressive metal band Dream Theater, as well as the temporary drummer for the hard rock band Avenged Sevenfold. Known for his drumming prowess and technical...
while they attended
Berklee College of MusicBerklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
in
MassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would ultimately become Dream Theater. Though a number of lineup changes followed, the three original members remained together along with
James LaBrieKevin James LaBrie is a Canadian vocalist who is best known as the lead singer of the American progressive metal band Dream Theater.-Early life:...
and
Jordan RudessJordan Rudess is an American keyboardist best known as a member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater and the progressive rock supergroup Liquid Tension Experiment.-Biography:...
until September 8, 2010 when Portnoy left the band. In October 2010, the band held auditions for Portnoy's replacement drummer.
Mike ManginiMike Mangini is an American drummer, and the current drummer for the progressive metal band Dream Theater. He has played for Annihilator, Extreme, James LaBrie, and Steve Vai, among others. He lectured at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and is also known for his work as a session musician...
was announced as the new permanent drummer on April 29, 2011.
The band is well known for the technical proficiency of its instrumentalists, who have won many awards from music instruction magazines. Guitarist John Petrucci has been named as the third player on the
G3G3 is a concert tour organized by guitarist Joe Satriani featuring him alongside two other guitarists. Since its inception in 1996, G3 has toured most years and has featured many guitarists, including Steve Vai , Eric Johnson, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Yngwie Malmsteen, John Petrucci, Robert Fripp,...
tour six times, more than any invited players. In 2009 he was named the No. 2 best metal guitarist by
Joel McIverJoel McIver is a British author. The best-known of his 20 books to date is the bestselling Justice For All: The Truth About Metallica, first published in 2004 and selling close to 50,000 copies in nine languages since then. McIver's other works include biographies of Black Sabbath, Slayer, Ice...
in his book
The 100 Greatest Metal GuitaristsThe 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists is a book by British author Joel McIver, published in 2009 by Jawbone Press and featuring a foreword by Glen Benton of Deicide. Foreign-language editions appeared shortly after the original English language version. It contained a list of 100 guitar players in...
. He was also named as one of the "Top 10 Greatest Guitar Shredders of All Time" by
GuitarOne magazine. Former drummer Mike Portnoy has won 23 awards from
Modern DrummerModern Drummer is a monthly publication targeting the interests of on drummers and percussionists. The magazine features interviews, equipment reviews, and columns offering advice on technique, as well as information for the general public...
magazine and is also the second youngest person (at the age of 37) to be inducted into the Rock Drummer Hall of Fame. His replacement Mike Mangini has also previously set 5
WFDWFD World's Fastest Drummer Extreme Sport Drumming describes the sporting event that surrounds self proclaimed speed drummers and a mechanical instrument called the Drumometer, an electronic device invented by Boo McAfee and Craig Alan that is used to count drum strokes...
records. John Myung was voted the greatest bassist of all time in a poll conducted by
MusicRadarMusicRadar is a website for musicians. It covers information pertaining to artists and music, special features, product news and reviews, music lessons and a social network service in the style of Facebook and Myspace...
in August through September 2010. The band was inducted into the
Long Island Music Hall of FameThe Long Island Music Hall of Fame is an organization whose office is located in Port Jefferson, New York. It was incorporated in July 2005 under the New York State Board of Regents as a non profit organization and holds a provisional charter to operate as a museum in the state of New York...
in 2010.
The band's highest-selling album is the gold-selling
Images and WordsImages and Words is currently ranked #2 on Digital Dream Door's list of the top 100 progressive metal albums of all time. Music critic Piero Scaruffi includes the album at number 8, just after Fear Factory's Demanufacture and before Sepultura's Roots, in his classification of the best metal albums...
(1992), which reached #61 on the
Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart. Both the 1994 release
AwakeAwake is the third studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released on October 4, 1994 by East West Records. It was the last Dream Theater album to feature keyboardist Kevin Moore, who announced his decision to leave the band during the recording of the album.Much of the...
and their 2002 release
Six Degrees of Inner TurbulenceSix Degrees of Inner Turbulence is the sixth full-length studio album by progressive metal band Dream Theater. It was released as a double-disc album on January 29, 2002 by Elektra Records...
also entered the charts at #32 and #46 respectively and received mostly positive reviews.
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence also led to Dream Theater becoming the initial band reviewed in the music section of
Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
during its opening week of release, despite the magazine generally preferring more mainstream music. In 2007,
Systematic ChaosSystematic Chaos is the ninth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater. Released on June 4, 2007 in the United Kingdom and June 5, 2007 in the United States, Systematic Chaos was the band's first release through Roadrunner Records, which was sold to their previous label...
entered U.S.
Billboard 200 at #19. By 2008, Dream Theater had sold over 2.1 million albums in the U.S. and over 10 million records worldwide.
The band's eleventh studio album,
A Dramatic Turn Of EventsA Dramatic Turn of Events is the 11th studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released on September 13, 2011 through Roadrunner Records...
, was released on September 13, 2011. It entered the U.S.
Billboard 200 at #8, two positions lower than their previous release
Black Clouds & Silver LiningsBlack Clouds & Silver Linings is the tenth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released on June 23, 2009 through Roadrunner Records. It is the band's last album to feature drummer and founding member Mike Portnoy before his departure on September 8, 2010. The album was...
and entered the UK Rock Chart at #1. The album is the band's first with Mike Mangini, since Mike Portnoy's departure. On November 30, 2011 it was announced that "On the Backs of Angels" has been nominated for a
Grammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
in the "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category, the first Dream Theater song ever to do so.
Formation
Dream Theater was formed in Massachusetts in 1985 when guitarist John Petrucci, bassist John Myung, and drummer Mike Portnoy decided to form a band while attending the
Berklee College of MusicBerklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
. The trio started by covering
RushRush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
and Iron Maiden songs in the rehearsal rooms at Berklee.
Myung, Petrucci, and Portnoy joined together on the name Majesty for their newly formed group. According to the
The Score So Far...-Disc two:-Disc three:-DVD:Tracks 1 through 8 feature Dream Theater alone. Tracks 9 through 14 feature Dream Theater and The Octavarium Orchestra.-Disc one:#"The Root of All Evil" – 9:32#"I Walk Beside You" – 4:10#"Another Won" – 5:40#"Afterlife" – 7:28...
documentary, they were waiting in line for tickets to a Rush concert at the Berklee Performance Center while listening to the band on a boom box. Portnoy commented that the ending of the song "
Bastille Day"Bastille Day" is the first song from Rush's third album Caress of Steel. The music was written by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, and the lyrics were written by Neil Peart...
" (from the album
Caress of SteelCaress of Steel is the third studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released in 1975. The album shows more of Rush's adherence to hard progressive rock, as opposed to the blues-based heavy metal and hard rock style of the band's first two albums. Long pieces broken up into various sections and...
) sounded "majestic". It was then decided that Majesty would be the band's name.
The trio then set out to fill the remaining positions in the group. Petrucci asked his high school band-mate
Kevin MooreFor the blues singer, see Keb' Mo'.Kevin Moore is a keyboardist, vocalist and composer and founder of the Chroma Key music project. He is also a former member of the American progressive metal band Dream Theater, co-founder of the progressive rock supergroup O.S.I. and has composed film soundtracks...
to play the keyboard. After he accepted the position, another friend from home,
Chris CollinsChris Collins is an American guitarist and songwriter best known as the first vocalist of the progressive metal band "Majesty" that later became Dream Theater.-The Majesty Days:...
, was recruited as lead vocalist after band members heard him sing a cover of "Queen of the Reich" by
Queensrÿchethumb|250px|right|Queensrÿche's classic line-up performing at the [[Sauna Open Air Metal Festival]] 2011 in [[Tampere]], [[Finland]]. Left to right: bass Eddie Jackson, lead vocals Geoff Tate, drums Scott Rockenfield and guitars Michael Wilton....
. During this time, Portnoy, Petrucci, and Myung's hectic schedules forced them to abandon their studies to concentrate on their music, as they did not feel they could learn more in college. Moore also left his college,
SUNY FredoniaThe State University of New York at Fredonia is a four-year liberal arts college located in Fredonia, New York, United States; it is a constituent college of the State University of New York...
, to concentrate on the band.
The beginning months of 1986 were filled with various concert dates in and around the New York City area. During this time, the band recorded a collection of demos, titled
The Majesty Demos- Ytsejam Records re-release track listing :- Personnel :* Chris Collins – vocals on tracks 18-23* Kevin Moore – keyboards on tracks 18-23* John Myung – bass* John Petrucci – guitars* Mike Portnoy – drums; keyboards on track 6...
. The initial run of 1,000 sold out within six months, and dubbed copies of the cassette became popular within the progressive metal scene. The
Majesty Demos are still available in their original tape format today, despite being released officially on CD, through Mike Portnoy's YtseJam Records.
In November 1986, after a few months of writing and performing together, Chris Collins was fired. After a year of trying to find a replacement,
Charlie DominiciCharlie Dominici is a singer for progressive metal band Dominici.Perhaps he is best known as the second vocalist for the progressive metal band Dream Theater, having replaced Chris Collins and later being replaced by James LaBrie.-Biography:Dominici originally came into prominence as a member of...
, who was far older and more experienced than anyone else in the band, successfully auditioned for the group. With the stability that Dominici's appointment brought to Majesty, they began to increase the number of shows played in the New York City area, gaining a considerable amount of exposure.
Shortly after hiring Dominici, a Las Vegas group also named Majesty threatened legal action for intellectual property infringement related to the use of their name, so the band was forced to adopt a new moniker. Various possibilities were proposed and tested, among them Glasser, Magus, and M1, which were all rejected, though the band did go as Glasser for about a week, though fans reacted poorly to this decision. Eventually, Portnoy's father suggested the name Dream Theater, the name of a small theater he ran in
Monterey, CaliforniaThe City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
, and the name stuck.
When Dream and Day Unite (1988–1990)
With their new name and band stability, Dream Theater concentrated on writing more material while playing more concerts in New York and in neighboring states. This eventually attracted the attention of Mechanic Records, a division of MCA. Dream Theater signed their first record contract with Mechanic on June 23, 1988 and set out to record their debut album. The band recorded the album at Kajem Victory Studios in
Gladwyne, PennsylvaniaGladwyne is a suburban community in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States along the Main Line. The population was 4,050 at the 2000 census...
. Recording the basic tracks took about 10 days, and the entire album was completed in about 3 weeks.
When Dream and Day Unite-The Killing Hand:The lyrics of the song describe a man who wakes up unaware of where he is. He looks around to see walls covered in names of people who have died. He wants to find out why, and travels back in time to find out...
was released in 1989 to far less fanfare than the band had anticipated. Mechanic ended up breaking the majority of the financial promises they had made to Dream Theater prior to signing their contract, so the band was restricted to playing around New York City. The promotional tour for the album consisted of just five concerts, all of which were relatively local. Their first show was at Sundance in Bay Shore, New York opening for the classic rock power trio
ZebraZebra is a hard rock band founded in 1975 in New Orleans, Louisiana. It features Randy Jackson , Felix Hanemann and Guy Gelso . Their mainstream debut on Atlantic Records was in 1983 with their eponymous album, highlighted by the singles "Tell Me What You Want" and "Who's Behind The Door"...
.
After the fourth show, Charlie Dominici was let go because the band was starting to feel the limitations of his voice based upon the vocal style they wanted. The band was looking for more of a Bruce Dickinson/Geoff Tate type of singer. And his stage presence was not what they wanted for a front man. Shortly after, however, the band
MarillionMarillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, England in 1979. Their recorded studio output comprises sixteen albums generally regarded in two distinct eras, delineated by the departure of original vocalist & frontman Fish in late 1988, and the subsequent arrival of replacement Steve...
asked Dream Theater to open for them at a gig at the Ritz in New York, so Dominici was given the opportunity to perform one last time. It would be another two years before Dream Theater had a replacement vocalist.
Images and Words and the addition of James LaBrie (1991–1993)
Following Dominici's departure, Dream Theater fought successfully to be released from their contract with Mechanic, and set about auditioning singers and writing material for their next album. In their search for a new singer, they auditioned over 200 people, among them former
Fates WarningFates Warning is an American progressive metal band, formed in 1982 by vocalist John Arch, guitarists Jim Matheos and Victor Arduini, bassist Joe DiBiase, and drummer Steve Zimmerman in Hartford, Connecticut. Fates Warning has experienced numerous line-up changes...
front man
John ArchJohn Arch is an American progressive metal singer of partial Native American descent, most notable for his work with his band Fates Warning.-Fates Warning:...
; all were turned down. In mid-1990, at a gig in New York, Dream Theater introduced Steve Stone as their new singer. They had successfully recorded demos with him, which can be seen on the
Images and Words Demos, though he only performed one live show with them that ended up disastrous, and Stone was fired immediately. The band says he had been dancing around the stage in a rather odd manner, seemingly doing a bad impression of
Bruce DickinsonPaul Bruce Dickinson is an English singer, songwriter, airline pilot, fencer, broadcaster, author, screenwriter, actor and marketing director, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden....
. Also, he had infamously shouted 'Scream for me Long Beach!' several times throughout the show, although they were actually performing in Bayshore, embarrassing the band further. It was five months before Dream Theater played another show, this time all-instrumental (under the name YtseJam). Until 1991, the band remained focused in an attempt to hire another singer and writing additional music. It was during this period that they wrote the majority of what would become 1992's
Images and Words.
In January 1991,
Kevin James LaBrieKevin James LaBrie is a Canadian vocalist who is best known as the lead singer of the American progressive metal band Dream Theater.-Early life:...
, of
glam metalGlam metal is a subgenre of hard rock and heavy metal that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene...
band
Winter RoseWinter Rose was a Canadian glam metal band who were active in the 1980s. They released a self-titled album in 1989, which was re-released ten years later by InsideOut Music. It was their only album....
, was flown from Canada to New York for an audition. LaBrie jammed on three songs with the band, and was immediately hired to fill the vocalist position. Once recruited, LaBrie decided to drop his first name to avoid confusion with the other Kevin in the band. For the next few months, the band returned to playing live shows (still mostly around NYC), while working on vocal parts for the music written before acquiring LaBrie.
Derek ShulmanDerek Shulman is a British musician and singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record executive...
and
Atco RecordsATCO Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, currently operating through WMG's Rhino Entertainment.-Beginnings:Atco Records was founded in 1955 as a division of Atlantic Records. It was devised as an outlet for productions by one of Atlantic's founders, Herb Abramson, who...
(now EastWest), a division of
Elektra RecordsElektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
, signed Dream Theater to a seven album contract based on a three song demo (later made available as "The Atco Demos" through the Dream Theater
fan clubA fan club is a group that is dedicated to a well-known person, group, idea or sometimes even an inanimate object . Most fan clubs are run by fans who devote considerable time and resources to supporting them. There are also "official" fan clubs that are run by someone associated with the person...
).
The first album to be recorded under their new record contract was 1992's
Images and WordsImages and Words is currently ranked #2 on Digital Dream Door's list of the top 100 progressive metal albums of all time. Music critic Piero Scaruffi includes the album at number 8, just after Fear Factory's Demanufacture and before Sepultura's Roots, in his classification of the best metal albums...
. For promotion, the label released a CD Single and
video clipA music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the song "Another Day", but neither made significant commercial impact. The song "
Pull Me Under-Personnel:*James LaBrie - vocals*John Petrucci - guitar, backing vocals*Kevin Moore - keyboards*John Myung - bass, chapman stick*Mike Portnoy - drums, backing vocals-External links:* http://rateyourmusic.com/release/single/dream_theater/pull_me_under/...
", however, managed to garner a high level of radio airplay without any organized promotion from the band or their label. In response, ATCO produced a video clip for "Pull Me Under", which saw heavy rotation on
MTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. A third video clip was produced for "Take the Time", but it was not nearly as successful as "Pull Me Under".
The success of "Pull Me Under", combined with relentless touring throughout the U.S. and
JapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, caused
Images and Words to achieve gold record certification in the States and platinum status in Japan. A tour of
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
followed in 1993, which included a show at
LondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's famed
Marquee ClubThe Marquee was a music club first located at 165 Oxford Street, London, England when it opened in 1958 with a range of jazz and skiffle acts.It was also the location of the first ever live performance by The Rolling Stones on 12 July 1962....
. The show was recorded and released as
Live at the Marquee-Japanese release:-Personnel:*James LaBrie - vocals*Kevin Moore - keyboards*John Myung - bass*John Petrucci - guitars*Mike Portnoy - drums...
, Dream Theater's first official live album. Additionally, a video compilation of their Japanese concerts (mixed in with documentary-style footage of the off-stage portion of the tour) was released as
Images and Words: Live in TokyoImages and Words: Live in Tokyo is the first home video release from American progressive metal band Dream Theater. It contains most of the band's performance from their August 26, 1993 show at Nakano Sun Plaza in Tokyo, Japan...
.
Awake and Kevin Moore's departure (1994–1995)
Eager to work on fresh material, Dream Theater retreated to the studio in May 1994.
AwakeAwake is the third studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released on October 4, 1994 by East West Records. It was the last Dream Theater album to feature keyboardist Kevin Moore, who announced his decision to leave the band during the recording of the album.Much of the...
, Dream Theater's third studio album, was released on October 4, 1994 in a hail of controversy among fans. Shortly before the album was mixed, Moore announced to the rest of the band that he was simply no longer interested in touring, nor did he favor the style of music Dream Theater performed and would be quitting Dream Theater to concentrate on his own musical interests. As a result, the band had to scramble to find a replacement keyboardist before a tour could be considered.
Jens JohanssonJens Ola Johansson is a Swedish power metal keyboardist and pianist. He is notable for his high-speed neoclassical and fusion style.-Biography:...
, who would go on to become a member of
StratovariusStratovarius are a Finnish power metal band that formed in 1984. Since their formation they have released 13 studio albums and one live album. Along with Helloween, Blind Guardian, Rhapsody of Fire and Gamma Ray, Stratovarius are considered one of the leading groups of the power metal and symphonic...
, was among the biggest names to audition, however the band members were eager to fill the position with keyboardist
Jordan RudessJordan Rudess is an American keyboardist best known as a member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater and the progressive rock supergroup Liquid Tension Experiment.-Biography:...
. Portnoy and Petrucci had come across Rudess in Keyboard Magazine, where he was recognized as "best new talent" in the readers' poll. The two invited him to play a trial gig with the band at the
ConcreteConcrete Marketing is an independent marketing company based in New York, USA, founded by Bob Chiappardi and Walter O'Brien in 1984. is known mainly for its work with cutting edge rock and heavy metal, having amassed a client roster that features bands such as Metallica, Megadeth, Korn, Limp...
Foundations ForumFoundations Forum was the first exclusively heavy metal music industry convention, held annually from 1988 - 1997 in Los Angeles. The convention was set up by Concrete Marketing who had in January 1988 created the first industry trade magazine for the heavy metal world - Foundations...
in
Burbank, CaliforniaBurbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
. For the members of Dream Theater, the show went incredibly well, and Rudess was asked to fill the keyboardist position permanently, however Rudess opted to tour with The
Dixie DregsThe Dixie Dregs are an American band formed in the 1970s. Their mostly instrumental music fuses jazz, southern rock, bluegrass and classical forms in an often unique style.-Formation and early years:...
instead, since it granted him more personal latitude. Dream Theater hired fellow Berklee alumnus
Derek SherinianDerek Sherinian is a rock keyboardist who has toured and recorded for Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, Yngwie Malmsteen, Kiss, and Alice In Chains. He was also a member of Dream Theater and is the founder of the instrumental metal-fusion band Planet X...
, who had previously toured and recorded with
Alice CooperAlice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
and
KISSKiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
, to fill in for the
Awake promotional tour. By the conclusion of the tour, the band decided to take Sherinian on as Moore's full-time replacement.
A Change of Seasons, Falling into Infinity (1995–1998)
Once again finding themselves with a new member, Dream Theater did not immediately start working on new material. Fans around the world, united on the YtseJam
Mailing ListAn electronic mailing list is a special usage of email that allows for widespread distribution of information to many Internet users. It is similar to a traditional mailing list — a list of names and addresses — as might be kept by an organization for sending publications to...
(the most popular form of communication between Dream Theater fans at that point), had started placing pressure on the band to officially release the song "A Change of Seasons". It had been written in 1989 and was intended to be a part of
Images and Words, but at almost 17 minutes, it was deemed too long for studio placement. However, the band did perform it live on occasion while continuing to revise it in the years leading up to 1995.
The petition was successful, and the group entered
BearTracks StudiosBearTracks Recording Studio was a recording studio complex in Suffern, New York, owned by Jay Beckenstein of Spyro Gyra and built in the early 1980s. However, the studio is now closed...
in New York in May 1995 to rewrite and record the 23 minute song with Sherinian contributing significantly to the final product. To disseminate "A Change of Seasons", the band released it as an
EPAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
along with a collection of cover songs recorded live at a show they played at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London earlier that year.
After a short run of small concerts to promote
A Change of Seasons-Credits:* James LaBrie – Vocals* John Myung – bass* John Petrucci – guitars* Mike Portnoy – drums* Derek Sherinian – keyboards-Chart performance:Billboard 200:* A Change of Seasons – #58UK Albums Chart...
, Dream Theater took a break for a few months. To keep busy, however, the band released a special Christmas CD through their official fan club, consisting of rare live tracks recorded during the band's early years. They continued releasing a new CD each Christmas until 2005. Also during the break the individual members set out to write compositions for their upcoming collaborative writing sessions.
Meanwhile, there were several changes at EastWest, and Dream Theater's main contact within the label was fired. As a result, the new team at the company were unaccustomed to the relationship Dream Theater had with former EastWest personnel, and they pressured them to write an album that was more accessible. In mid-1997, they entered the studio to write their next album. In addition to pressuring the band to adopt a more mainstream sound, EastWest recruited writer/producer
Desmond ChildDesmond Child is an American musician, songwriter, and producer. He is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.-Career:...
to work with Petrucci on polishing the lyrics to his song "You or Me". The whole band substantially reworked the music to the song, and it appeared on the album as "You Not Me" with a chorus that was barely reminiscent of the original. Child also had a noticeable impact on the album, with a shift towards compositions that were less complex and more radio-friendly.
The band wrote almost two
CDThe Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
s worth of material, including a 20 minute long follow-up to the
Images and Words song "Metropolis Part 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper". The label, however, did not allow the release of a double album because it felt that a 140-minute record would not be digestible by the general public. James LaBrie also felt that the CD should be a single disc. The unused songs were later released in the Ytsejam Records release
The Falling into Infinity Demos.
The material that made it onto the album proper was released as
Falling into Infinity-Personnel:* James LaBrie – vocals* John Myung – bass, Chapman Stick* John Petrucci – guitars, backing vocals* Mike Portnoy – drums, backing vocals* Derek Sherinian – keyboards, backing vocals-Chart performance:Billboard 200:* Falling Into Infinity - #52...
, which received a mixed reception from fans who were more familiar with the band's earlier sound. While the album was moderately progressive-sounding, tracks such as "Hollow Years" and "You Not Me" prompted some to believe it was the dawn of a new, mainstream-sounding Dream Theater. Overall, the album was both a critical and commercial disappointment. Although Portnoy did not speak out publicly at the time, many years later, in the 2004 DVD commentary for
5 Years in a Livetime5 Years in a LIVEtime is the second home video release by Dream Theater. The video contains a mix of concert footage, promotional video clips, and behind-the-scenes and interview footage from the five years in between the release of their previous home video, Images and Words: Live in Tokyo, and...
, he revealed that he had been so discouraged during this period he'd considered disbanding Dream Theater altogether.
During the European leg of the
Touring into Infinity world tour, two shows were recorded for a live album entitled
Once in a LIVEtime-Disc two:-Covers and tributes:Dream Theater have often placed riffs or parts of other band's songs into their songs when playing live. On this album, there are several examples of this....
, in
FranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and The
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. The album was released at around the same time as the video
5 Years in a Livetime5 Years in a LIVEtime is the second home video release by Dream Theater. The video contains a mix of concert footage, promotional video clips, and behind-the-scenes and interview footage from the five years in between the release of their previous home video, Images and Words: Live in Tokyo, and...
, which chronicled the time from when Kevin Moore left the band up to the
Falling into Infinity promotional tour.
Addition of Jordan Rudess and Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory (1999–2000)
In 1997,
Magna Carta RecordsMagna Carta Records is an independent record label located in Rochester, New York. Magna Carta was formed in 1989 and is owned by Peter Morticelli and his partner Mike Varney. The label has a diverse line-up consisting of musicians from many different genres, but is best known for many of its...
' Mike Varney invited Portnoy to assemble a progressive 'supergroup' to work on an album, which would become the first in a long string of side-projects for the members of Dream Theater. The lineup consisted of Portnoy on drums, Petrucci on guitar,
Tony LevinTony Levin is an American progressive rock musician, specializing in bass guitar, Chapman stick and upright bass ....
on bass, and keyboardist Jordan Rudess, who had finished with the Dixie Dregs. The band assumed the name
Liquid Tension ExperimentLiquid Tension Experiment is an instrumental progressive rock/metal supergroup, founded by Dream Theater's former drummer Mike Portnoy in 1997. The band has released two albums through Magna Carta Records...
, and would act as a medium through which Portnoy and Petrucci could once again court Rudess to join Dream Theater. In 1999, he accepted an offer to become the third full-time Dream Theater keyboardist, replacing Sherinian.
With yet another new member, Dream Theater entered BearTracks Studio once again to write and record their next album. As a result of an ultimatum from Portnoy, the label gave the band complete creative control. The follow-up to "Metropolis Part 1", which was written during the
Falling Into Infinity sessions (but not used on that album), was taken off the shelf for reworking. They decided to expand the 20-minute song into a complete
concept albumIn music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
, with a story revolving around themes such as reincarnation, murder and betrayal. To avoid stirring up the fan base, a tight veil of secrecy enveloped the writing and recording process. The only things fans were privy to prior to its release were a track list that had been leaked against the band's wishes, and a release date. In 1999,
Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a MemoryMetropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory is the fifth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released in 1999. It is a concept album that deals with the story of a man named Nicholas and the discovery of his past life, which involves love, murder, and infidelity as Victoria Page...
was released to high critical acclaim. It was hailed as Dream Theater's masterpiece by many fans and critics alike, despite only reaching #73 on the US album chart.
The album was mixed by
David BottrillDavid Bottrill is a Canadian record producer. He has won three Grammys. Currently, he owns Rattlebox Studios in Toronto, Ontario with producer Brian Moncarz...
, but only a few of his mixes made it on the final album. The bulk was remixed by
Kevin ShirleyKevin Shirley is a music producer and mixer for many artists, such as the bands Journey, Iron Maiden, Rush, Led Zeppelin, Joe Bonamassa, Marya Roxx, Dream Theater, Tyler Bryant, Mr. Big, and Europe.-Biography:...
. The rest of the mixes can be heard in the band's official bootleg "The Making of Scenes from a Memory".
A massive world tour followed recording the album, taking over a year to complete, by far their largest to that point. The concerts reflected the theatrical aspect of the album. They played the entire
Scenes From a Memory album from start to finish, with a video screen on the back wall of the stage showing a narrative companion to the story of the album. In addition to playing the album in its entirety, the band also played a second set of Dream Theater songs, as well as a few covers and improvisations of old Dream Theater material.
For one extra special show, at the
Roseland BallroomThe Roseland Ballroom is a multi-purpose hall, in a converted ice skating rink, with a colorful ballroom dancing pedigree, in New York City's theatre district, on West 52nd Street....
in New York City, actors were hired to play characters in the story, and a gospel choir was enlisted to perform in some sections of the performance.
This show, the last North American date of the tour, was recorded for the band's first DVD release. After many technical delays, the DVD, titled
Metropolis 2000Metropolis 2000: Scenes from New York is a VHS/DVD release by American progressive metal band Dream Theater. It was released on April 21, 2001 by Elektra Records...
, was released in early 2001. Shortly after, the band announced that an audio version of the concert, with the entire four-hour long set-list (some of which had to be cut from the DVD to save space), would be released.
The cover for the CD version of the concert, titled
Live Scenes from New York-Disc two:-Disc three:-Personnel:* James LaBrie – vocals and percussion* John Myung – bass guitars* John Petrucci – guitars and backing vocals* Mike Portnoy – drums and backing vocals* Jordan Rudess – keyboards-Additional Personnel:...
, depicted one of Dream Theater's early logos (the
Images and Words-era burning heart, modeled on the
Sacred HeartThe Sacred Heart is one of the most famous religious devotions to Jesus' physical heart as the representation of His divine love for Humanity....
of Christ) modified to show an apple (as in "
Big Apple"The Big Apple" is a nickname for New York City. It was first popularized in the 1920s by John J. Fitz Gerald, a sports writer for the New York Morning Telegraph...
") instead of the heart, and the New York skyline, including the twin towers of the
World Trade CenterThe original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
, in the flame above it. In an unfortunate coincidence, the album was released on the same date as the September 11 attacks. The album was quickly recalled by the band and was re-released with revised artwork later, though some copies were sold, and have since become rare collectors items for fans.
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (2001–2002)
Putting the whole ordeal behind them, Dream Theater once again entered BearTracks Studios to record their sixth studio album. Four years after they first petitioned EastWest to allow them to release a double album, they finally got their chance with
Six Degrees of Inner TurbulenceSix Degrees of Inner Turbulence is the sixth full-length studio album by progressive metal band Dream Theater. It was released as a double-disc album on January 29, 2002 by Elektra Records...
. The first disc consisted of five tracks of 7–13 minutes in length, and the second disc was devoted entirely to the 42-minute title track, which is to date the longest song Dream Theater has written. The genesis of that song came when Rudess wrote what would become the "Overture" section of "
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence"Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" is the sixth song and title track on the album of the same name, written and performed by progressive metal band Dream Theater...
", and the band took some different melodies and ideas contained within it and expanded them into chapters of a complete story.
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
ended up being received very well by critics and the press. It was the most publicized of Dream Theater's albums since Awake
, debuting on the Billboard charts at #46 and the Billboard InternetThe Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
charts at #1. Throughout the next year and a half they toured the world once more, with an expanded live show including a select few special "album cover" gigs (see Cover songs section, below), in which they played Metallica's Master of Puppets-Personnel:Metallica* James Hetfield – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar on track 1, first solo on tracks 2 and 7* Cliff Burton – bass, backing vocals* Lars Ulrich – drums* Kirk Hammett – lead guitarProduction...
and Iron Maiden's The Number of the BeastThe Number of the Beast is the third studio album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 29 March 1982 through EMI and on its sister label Capitol the US. The 1998 re-issue was released by EMI and Sanctuary/Columbia in the US...
in their entirety.
Train of Thought
(2003–2004)
During 2003, Dream Theater entered the studio to write and record another album. Since Scenes from a Memory was written and recorded simultaneously in the studio, in the spirit of change, the band took a different approach by setting aside three weeks for writing prior to recording. In the middle of the recording sessions for the album, a special tour with two other progressive metal bands, Queensrÿche and Fates Warning, was undertaken in North America. The "Escape from the Studio American tour", as it was referred to in Dream Theater's promotional material, featured Queensrÿche and Dream Theater as co-headlining acts with Fates Warning performing supporting act duties. As a finale for each concert there was an extended encore in which both Dream Theater and Queensrÿche performed together on stage simultaneously, often playing cover songs.
At the completion of the tour, Dream Theater returned to the studio to finish the recording of their seventh album,
Train of Thought-Chart performance:* Billboard 200: Train of Thought - #53* Billboard Top Internet Albums: Train of Thought - #53* UK Album Charts: Train of Thought - #146* Norwegian Album Charts: Train of Thought - #9-Personnel:* James LaBrie – lead vocals...
, the follow-up to sixth double disc album Six Degrees of Inner TurbulenceSix Degrees of Inner Turbulence is the sixth full-length studio album by progressive metal band Dream Theater. It was released as a double-disc album on January 29, 2002 by Elektra Records...
. They concentrated more on writing a great song-oriented album, a mindset inspired by covering Master of Puppets
and Number of the Beast
on their previous concert tour. As a result, the more straight-forward metal sound of those two albums seemed to creep into Train of Thought. The album was a critical success, but it alienated a fair proportion of Dream Theater's fans who preferred traditional
progressive rockProgressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
, such as
YesYes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
or
King CrimsonKing Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
. Regardless, it seemed to expand Dream Theater's fan base into new territory, capturing many more metal fans.
Another world tour followed, during which Dream Theater performed support act duties for one of their major influences, Yes. A modest North American tour was completed by the two bands, after which Dream Theater continued to tour the world with their so-called "An Evening With Dream Theater" shows.
Their next move was to release another live CD/DVD combination, this time recorded at the famous Nippon Budokan Hall in
Tokyo, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan on their Train of Thought World Tour. Live at Budokan
was released on October 5, 2004.
Octavarium (2005–2006)
Upon the completion of their Train of Thought
promotional tour, Dream Theater entered the Hit FactoryThe Hit Factory was a recording studio in New York City famous for its clientele. It was officially closed for business April 1, 2005 whereas other Hit Factory studio locations remained open, such as in Miami, Florida.-History:...
studios in NYC to record their eighth album. As it turned out, they would be the last group ever to record in that famous studio, and after they wrapped up their final session, the lights were turned off at the studio forever.
OctavariumOctavarium is the eighth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater. Released on June 7, 2005, it was the band's final release with Atlantic Records. Recorded between September 2004 and February 2005, the album holds the distinction of being the last album ever recorded at The...
was released on June 7, 2005, and took the band's sound in yet another new direction. Among its eight songs is a continuation of Portnoy's "Twelve-step" saga ("The Root of All Evil", steps 6-7 in the 12-step plan), as well as the title track, a musically versatile 24 minute epic rivaling "A Change of Seasons". Octavarium
received mixed reviews from fans and has been the subject of spirited debate. Octavarium was the last album under their seven-album deal with
Elektra RecordsElektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
, which had inherited the contract upon its absorption of EastWest Records.
Dream Theater toured extensively throughout 2005 and 2006 to celebrate their 20th Anniversary as a band, including a headlining spot on
GigantourGigantour is the name of a sporadically organised traveling heavy metal music festival organized by Megadeth's Dave Mustaine. The tour was founded in 2005 with dates across North America, and the 2006 and 2007 line-ups also traveled to Australia...
alongside
MegadethMegadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
and put together by frontman
Dave MustaineDavid Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
, also featuring
Fear FactoryFear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...
,
NevermoreNevermore is an American heavy metal band from Seattle, Washington. Formed in 1991, they are known to incorporate elements from styles such as thrash, power, progressive, and neo-classical metal into their songs, and also makes use of acoustic guitars and a wide range of vocal styles.-Early years...
and
Symphony XSymphony X is an American progressive metal band from Middletown, New Jersey.Founded in 1994 by guitarist Michael Romeo, their albums The Divine Wings of Tragedy and V: The New Mythology Suite have given the band considerable attention within the progressive metal community...
. During a show on August 2, 2005 in Dallas, the band paid tribute to
PanteraPantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
's late guitarist
Dimebag DarrellDarrell Lance Abbott , also known as Diamond Darrell and Dimebag Darrell, was an American guitarist. He was best known as a founding member of the heavy metal bands Pantera and Damageplan. Abbott also contributed to the album Rebel Meets Rebel, a collaboration between Pantera and David Allan Coe...
by performing the song "
Cemetery Gates"Cemetery Gates" is a song by heavy metal band Pantera. The song is the fifth track from Cowboys from Hell, the band's fifth album and second with lead singer Phil Anselmo...
" as an encore. In addition was the unexpected appearance of fellow musicians
Russell AllenRussell Allen is the singer of the American progressive metal band Symphony X.-Biography:Before working with a rock band, he was a jouster at a Medieval Times Dinner Theater. He was introduced to the band Symphony X by former singer Rod Tyler...
(Symphony X vocalist),
Burton C. BellBurton Christopher Bell is an American musician. Bell is best known as the frontman of the metal band Fear Factory where he is the only consistent member. His singing style mixes clean vocals with death growls.-Fear Factory:...
(Fear Factory vocalist) and
Dave MustaineDavid Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
(Megadeth vocalist/guitarist), who joined the band on stage to perform parts of the song.
Dream Theater later departed from Gigantour a few dates before it ended and continued on with their own series of concerts. Several concerts were recorded and released for the Fanclubs. The 20th anniversary tour concluded with a show at
Radio City Music HallRadio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...
in New York City on April 1, 2006. Though the show had minimal promotion, it was sold out days after tickets were made available. This show, which was recorded for a CD/DVD called
Score-Disc two:-Disc three:-DVD:Tracks 1 through 8 feature Dream Theater alone. Tracks 9 through 14 feature Dream Theater and The Octavarium Orchestra.-Disc one:#"The Root of All Evil" – 9:32#"I Walk Beside You" – 4:10#"Another Won" – 5:40#"Afterlife" – 7:28...
released on August 29, 2006 through Rhino Records, was the band's first concert accompanied by an orchestra (the "Octavarium Orchestra").
Systematic Chaos
and Greatest Hit (2006–2008)
After the show at Radio City Music Hall, the band decided to take the summer off for the first time in the band's career. Dream Theater later entered Avatar Studios in September 2006 to record their follow up to 2005's
OctavariumOctavarium is the eighth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater. Released on June 7, 2005, it was the band's final release with Atlantic Records. Recorded between September 2004 and February 2005, the album holds the distinction of being the last album ever recorded at The...
, once again being self produced by John Petrucci and Mike Portnoy, with legendary Studio Engineer,
Paul NorthfieldPaul Northfield is a prolific record producer and sound engineer, who has worked on albums by bands like Dream Theater, Queensrÿche, Rush and Suicidal Tendencies.-Selected discography:-External links:* * *...
handling engineering and mixing duties. Dream Theater's 9th studio album,
Systematic ChaosSystematic Chaos is the ninth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater. Released on June 4, 2007 in the United Kingdom and June 5, 2007 in the United States, Systematic Chaos was the band's first release through Roadrunner Records, which was sold to their previous label...
was released on June 5, 2007. The record marked their first with new label Roadrunner RecordsRoadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
, a subsidiary of the band's previous label Atlantic RecordsAtlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
. Roadrunner implemented increased promotion for the album, and as a result, Systematic Chaos
reached number 19 on the Billboard 200
. It also saw the release of a video for "Constant Motion" on July 14, the band's first music video since Hollow Years in 1997. An authorized book entitled Lifting ShadowsLifting Shadows is a biography book detailing the complete story of progressive metal band Dream Theater, written by Rich Wilson and published by Essential Works...
, detailing their first twenty years, was also released in 2007, with an updated and expanded edition released in 2009 Systematic Chaos contains eight tracks, but technically only seven songs. The album contains an epic titled "In the Presence of Enemies", bookending the album as tracks 1 and 8, Portnoy's continuing AA Saga with the song "Repentance", and a song of political nature, "Prophets of War".
The 2007/2008 Chaos In Motion World Tour started off in Italy. Dream Theater played in the
Gods of MetalGods of Metal is the biggest Italian metal festival, held annually since 1997. It takes place in early summer, usually on the first or second weekend of June...
concert on June 3, 2007. Dream Theater also appeared at the Fields Of Rock Festival in the Netherlands on June 17, 2007. They also played at various other European festivals including the UK's
Download FestivalThe Download Festival is a three day rock music festival held annually at Donington Park, England . It usually takes place in June...
and the French festival
Hellfest Summer Open AirHellfest is an annual music festival which takes place in Clisson, France in mid-June. It is held within the Val de Moine sport complex in Clisson, approximately 35 km south-east of the city of Nantes, and approximately 400 km south-west of the nation's capital Paris. Billed as an "extreme music...
with other bands such as
MegadethMegadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
,
KornKorn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
,
MastodonMastodon is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 1999. The band is composed of bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders, guitarist/vocalist Brent Hinds, guitarist Bill Kelliher and drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor...
and
SlayerSlayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
.
Dream Theater returned to perform the North American leg of the tour on July 24 in San Diego,
CaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and wrapped up on August 26 in Philadelphia,
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. They played with opening acts
RedemptionRedemption is an American progressive metal band.- History :Redemption is composed of former and current members of Fates Warning and Prymary. Early incarnations of the group featured members of Symphony X and Steel Prophet...
and Into Eternity. The "Chaos In Motion" tour continued for the rest of the year and into 2008, playing shows in
AsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
,
South AmericaSouth America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and, for the first time,
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
On April 1, 2008, a two-disc
compilation albumA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
entitled
Greatest Hit (...and 21 Other Pretty Cool Songs)Greatest Hit is a compilation album by progressive metal band Dream Theater released by Rhino Records on April 1, 2008. The title alludes to their only top 10 radio hit, "Pull Me Under". It features three songs from their breakthrough album Images and Words remixed by Kevin Shirley: "Pull Me...
was released by the band. The title jokingly references the song "Pull Me Under-Personnel:*James LaBrie - vocals*John Petrucci - guitar, backing vocals*Kevin Moore - keyboards*John Myung - bass, chapman stick*Mike Portnoy - drums, backing vocals-External links:* http://rateyourmusic.com/release/single/dream_theater/pull_me_under/...
", the band's only significant radio hitA hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
. It also includes three song re-mixes from their second album, Images and Words
, five edited versions of previously released songs, and a track from a single B-sideA-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
. Unlike most greatest hitsA greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
compilations, Dream Theater was actively involved with the album, coming up with the tracklisting that they felt best represented their musical careers.
Mike Portnoy, after the release of Greatest Hit, organized a new tour called Progressive Nation 2008. Unlike previous Dream Theater tours, performances were held in cities that they had not visited before in the past (such as
VancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, Canada) or cities they had not played in for several years. This tour also marked the first time, since the release of Images and Words, where the group performed in small venues and performance halls.
After this tour, the band released a DVD set called Chaos in Motion 2007–2008
, a compilation of songs from the tour supporting their 9th album, Systematic Chaos
. There were two sets of DVDs released. One was a regular two disk set while the Special Edition set contained three CDs of music that went along with the DVDs. It was released on September 30, 2008.
Black Clouds & Silver Linings
and Mike Portnoy's Departure (2008–2010)
On October 7, 2008, Dream Theater again entered Avatar Studios to begin work on their 10th album, resuming their relationship with Paul NorthfieldPaul Northfield is a prolific record producer and sound engineer, who has worked on albums by bands like Dream Theater, Queensrÿche, Rush and Suicidal Tendencies.-Selected discography:-External links:* * *...
to engineer and mix the record. The album, titled Black Clouds & Silver LiningsBlack Clouds & Silver Linings is the tenth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released on June 23, 2009 through Roadrunner Records. It is the band's last album to feature drummer and founding member Mike Portnoy before his departure on September 8, 2010. The album was...
, was released on June 23, 2009. In addition to the standard CD, the album is available on vinyl LP, as well as a 3-disc Special Edition CD that includes the full album, a CD of instrumental mixes of the album and a CD of six cover songs from artists such as
QueenQueen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
and
RainbowA rainbow is an optical and meteorological phenomenon that causes a spectrum of light to appear in the sky when the Sun shines on to droplets of moisture in the Earth's atmosphere. It takes the form of a multicoloured arc...
. On July 1, 2009, the album debuted at #6 on Billboard's Top 200 album chart, with first week sales totalling 40,285, making their highest entry on the chart.
Mike Portnoy spoke to Metal Hammer about the new album and commented the song 'The Shattered Fortress' was the last in
a series of songsThe Twelve-step Suite , is a series of five songs by progressive metal band Dream Theater...
about his 12 Steps recovery from alcoholism, 'The Best of Times' "is a real heavy personal subject about my dad who passed away during the making of the album," adding, "He was battling cancer throughout its making."
The band also embarked on a second Progressive Nation tour, including the tour's first performances in Europe.
OpethOpeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. Though the group has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force throughout the years...
,
UnexpectUnexpect is an avant-garde extreme metal band from Montreal, Canada featuring a unique amalgamation of different styles of music, including black metal, death metal, thrash metal, progressive metal, melodic heavy metal, classical music, dark cabaret, opera, medieval music, jazz, funk, electro,...
and
BigelfBigelf is a progressive rock/progressive metal band formed in Los Angeles, CA in 1991. They have since released three studio albums.-Biography:...
supported Dream Theater in Europe, while
Zappa Plays ZappaZappa Plays Zappa is an American tribute act led by Dweezil Zappa, the eldest son of the late American composer and musician Frank Zappa, devoted to performing the music of Frank Zappa.- History :...
,
Pain Of SalvationPain of Salvation is a Swedish progressive rock band featuring Daniel Gildenlöw, who is the lyricist, chief composer, guitarist, and lead vocalist. Their sound is characterised by powerful, accentuated guitar work, broad vocal range, abrupt switching between heavy and calm passages, intense...
, and
BeardfishThe beardfishes are a small family of deep-sea marine ray-finned fish named for their pair of long hyoid barbels. They have little economic importance....
were slated to perform on the North American leg. However, Pain of Salvation and Beardfish were unable to tour with Dream Theater and Zappa Plays Zappa because of financial troubles within their respective record labels. The two new bands that filled the vacated slots for the Progressive Nation 2009 tour in North America were
BigelfBigelf is a progressive rock/progressive metal band formed in Los Angeles, CA in 1991. They have since released three studio albums.-Biography:...
and
Scale The SummitScale the Summit is an American instrumental metal band based out of Houston, Texas. It formed in 2004 and signed to Prosthetic Records.The band draws influences from other progressive acts such as Cynic and Dream Theater. However, unlike most other progressive metal bands, they have no vocalist...
with Bigelf performing on both European and North American legs.
After the Progressive Nation Tour, Dream Theater entered the studio right after New Year's eve to write and record a brand new instrumental track for inclusion on the
God of War IIIGod of War III is an action-adventure video game released by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division for the PlayStation 3 in March 2010...
soundtrack EP God of War: Blood & Metal
. Titled "Raw Dog", God (of) War reversed, the instrumental was sent to Roadrunner Records January 8, 2010. This marked the first time that the band has written and recorded an exclusive track for an outside project. "Raw Dog" includes the first ever commercially recorded
harpejjiThe harpejji is an electric stringed musical instrument developed in 2007 by Tim Meeks, founder of Marcodi Musical Products, and is a descendant of the StarrBoard. The instrument aims to bridge the gap in sound and technique between the guitar and the piano...
track, performed by
Jordan RudessJordan Rudess is an American keyboardist best known as a member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater and the progressive rock supergroup Liquid Tension Experiment.-Biography:...
, as well as Dream Theaters final recorded performance with
Mike PortnoyMichael Stephen "Mike" Portnoy is an American drummer primarily known as the former drummer, backing vocalist, and a co-founder of the progressive metal band Dream Theater, as well as the temporary drummer for the hard rock band Avenged Sevenfold. Known for his drumming prowess and technical...
on drums. In December 2009, during their
Black Clouds & Silver LiningsBlack Clouds & Silver Linings is the tenth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released on June 23, 2009 through Roadrunner Records. It is the band's last album to feature drummer and founding member Mike Portnoy before his departure on September 8, 2010. The album was...
tour whilst visiting Australia, Dream Theater appeared with one support act, Pain of Salvation. In March 2010, they toured South America with
BigelfBigelf is a progressive rock/progressive metal band formed in Los Angeles, CA in 1991. They have since released three studio albums.-Biography:...
. Afterwards, during the summer of 2010, Dream Theater supported
Iron MaidenIron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
on the US and Canadian legs of their
summer tourThe Final Frontier World Tour was a concert tour by Iron Maiden in support of the band's 15th album, The Final Frontier, which began on 9 June 2010 in Dallas, Texas and ended in London, England on 6 August 2011...
which were the last shows DT played during 2010.
On Wednesday, September 8, 2010, Mike Portnoy announced he had left Dream Theater.
In his official statement he said:
The rest of the band did not agree and decided to continue on without him. Because of this decision, Portnoy decided he will be leaving Dream Theater.
Portnoy, who had recently finished recording
Avenged SevenfoldAvenged Sevenfold is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California. Formed in 1999, the group consists of vocalist M. Shadows, lead guitarist Synyster Gates, rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance, bassist Johnny Christ....
's most recent studio album, "
NightmareNightmare is the fifth studio album by American rock band Avenged Sevenfold, released on July 27, 2010 through Warner Bros. Records. It was produced by Mike Elizondo and mixed in New York City by noted engineer Andy Wallace...
" in place of their late drummer
Jimmy "The Rev" SullivanJames Owen Sullivan , more commonly known by his stage name The Reverend Tholomew Plague, often shortened to The Rev, was an American musician, best known as the drummer for the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold...
, appeared to have an in with Avenged Sevenfold after his departure from Dream Theater. After the members of Avenged Sevenfold decided to continue on without Portnoy, he went back to the members of DT to try to reconcile. However, the band had already moved on and any chance of rekindling their working relationship had already passed. Portnoy wrote, “Just for the record, this is indeed true…Fairly recently, I reached out to the guys to try and make amends and offered to reconcile for the sake of having peace back in our lives…(plus I know how much it meant to a lot of the fans…),”. Portnoy also wrote online, “I figured it was still possible to try and save us, because they hadn’t made any announcements yet or begun any public activity with another drummer…but sadly, they declined my offer (well, actually their lawyer did…they didn’t even tell me themselves…)”.
The addition of Mike Mangini and A Dramatic Turn of Events (2011–present)
After Mike Portnoy's departure, auditions to find a new drummer were to begin in October. An interview with James LaBrie conducted on October 8, 2010 confirmed that there were seven world-class drummers lined up for auditions, which would be taking place through the rest of October. On January 3, John Petrucci stated on his
TwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
account that Dream Theater entered the studio to begin recording their eleventh album, but still had not revealed who the new drummer was. Two months later, Petrucci posted on his Facebook page that the band had finished writing the next album and would soon begin the tracking process.
On March 17, 2011, John Petrucci addressed on his forum page, since there was frustration among the fan base about who the new drummer was, he commented: "I appreciate everyone's patience regarding the announcement (or lack thereof!) of DT's new drummer. I know it has been very frustrating to have to wait for the news. Believe me, we are busting at the seams to tell everyone and rest assured that our decision will not disappoint on any level!".
On April 21, 2011, the band released a trailer for an upcoming documentary, entitled "The Spirit Carries On", in reference to a song from the album "Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory, about the search for their new drummer. This trailer revealed the seven drummers who auditioned;
Mike ManginiMike Mangini is an American drummer, and the current drummer for the progressive metal band Dream Theater. He has played for Annihilator, Extreme, James LaBrie, and Steve Vai, among others. He lectured at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and is also known for his work as a session musician...
,
Virgil DonatiVirgil Donati is an Australian drummer, frequent drum clinician and a producer. He is currently playing with the band Planet X and Seven the Hardway among other projects. Virgil is perhaps most well known for his fast, highly technical drumming skills...
,
Marco MinnemannMarco Minnemann is a German-born drummer, composer and multi-instrumentalist. He lives in Lake Elsinore, California.-Biography:...
,
Peter WildoerKarl Peter Wildoer is a Swedish drummer in the bands Darkane, Electrocution 250 & Grimmark. He has also drummed for the bands Armageddon, Majestic, Pestilence, Silver Seraph, Arch Enemy, Time Requiem, Gardens of Obscurity and Dawn of Oblivion amongst others. He has been tagged to perform sessions...
,
Thomas LangThomas Lang is an Austrian drummer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and record producer. He is the founding member of the Los Angeles-based progressive/avant garde metal trio, stOrk.Lang took up drumming at the age of 5...
,
Derek RoddyDerek Roddy is an American drummer and snake breeder, originally from South Carolina. His ability to record entire drum tracks in one or two takes earned him the nickname "One Take"....
and
Aquiles PriesterAquiles Priester is the drummer of the Brazilian power metal band Hangar. In 2006, Aquiles participated in Fábio Laguna's Freakeys project. He is a former member of Angra.-Biography:Aquiles Priester was born in Otjo, South Africa...
. On Friday April 29, 2011, Dream Theater revealed over YouTube, in the third and final episode of the documentary, that they chose Mike Mangini as Portnoy's replacement.
On May 24, 2011, John Petrucci announced that they would be working with legendary producer
Andy WallaceAndy Wallace is a Grammy Award-winning music studio engineer with a long track record of successful productions, beginning with the 1986 production of the Run-DMC/Aerosmith collaboration on "Walk This Way" with Rick Rubin...
for mixing the album. On June 7, 2011, John Petrucci revealed over Facebook and Twitter that the title of the band's upcoming album would be
A Dramatic Turn of EventsA Dramatic Turn of Events is the 11th studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released on September 13, 2011 through Roadrunner Records...
. A track listing of the new album was revealed on June 8, 2011. On June 28, 2011 Mixing and mastering of the album had been completed, and on the following day released their first single from the album, "On the Backs of Angels"On the Backs of Angels" is a song by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, featured on their 11th studio album A Dramatic Turn of Events. The song was written by the band's guitarist and producer John Petrucci, keyboardist Jordan Rudess and bassist John Myung...
".
After it first week of release, it sold 36,000 copies to land at No. 8 on the Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
charts, 2 positions lower than their previous release Black Clouds & Silver LiningsBlack Clouds & Silver Linings is the tenth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released on June 23, 2009 through Roadrunner Records. It is the band's last album to feature drummer and founding member Mike Portnoy before his departure on September 8, 2010. The album was...
, which debuted at No. 6.
Logo and imagery
Despite the band's being forced to change their name, Dream Theater adopted a custom logoA logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
(known as the Majesty symbol
) and wordmark which has appeared on the vast majority of their promotional material and on the front cover of almost every Dream Theater studio album. The Majesty symbol is derived from Mary, Queen of Scots' mark, which was re-worked by Charlie DominiciCharlie Dominici is a singer for progressive metal band Dominici.Perhaps he is best known as the second vocalist for the progressive metal band Dream Theater, having replaced Chris Collins and later being replaced by James LaBrie.-Biography:Dominici originally came into prominence as a member of...
for use on the album artwork for When Dream and Day Unite-The Killing Hand:The lyrics of the song describe a man who wakes up unaware of where he is. He looks around to see walls covered in names of people who have died. He wants to find out why, and travels back in time to find out...
.
In September 2010, a fan of Dream Theater discovered that all of the letters of "DOMINICI" fit together perfectly into the Majesty symbol. When Charlie discovered this, he laughed and mentioned that "it only took them 25 years to figure out the 'Dominici Code!'" This has earlier also been discovered as shown on the comment section of DTFAQ and in the DTNorway Podcast Episode 2 from 2008, with Charlie Dominici.
Musical style
Dream Theater is well noted for being one of the early progenitors of the
progressive metalProgressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
genre. The original two members, John Petrucci and John Myung have strong influences from bands such as
RushRush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
,
YesYes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
,
Iron MaidenIron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
,
Pink FloydPink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, various
speed metalSpeed metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from NWOBHM and hardcore punk roots. It is described by Allmusic as "extremely fast, abrasive, and technically demanding" music....
bands, and even the hair metal of the day. This synthesis created a unique metal that was not traditional of the day: it had distorted guitars and fast riffing, but the music focused more on technical proficiency and precise execution than on heavy metal riffs. The band's music has focused on three main elements: metal, melody, and progressive roots.
Live performances
Throughout their career, Dream Theater's live shows have gradually become bigger, longer, and more diverse. The most obvious example of this is their rotational set list policy. That is, every single night of every tour has had its set list devised by Portnoy using a meticulous process that ensures its uniqueness. Factors such as set lists from previous cities are taken into account to ensure that people who see Dream Theater multiple times within the same area will not see the same songs performed twice, and even the set list from the last time the band was in a particular city is taken into account for the benefit of fans who see the band on successive tours. Whether or not this practice will continue following Portnoy's departure remains to be seen.
For this to be possible, the band prepared to play the majority of its catalogue at any performance, depending on what Portnoy decided to program for that night. This process also required the employment of a complex lighting system to load pre-configured lighting cues based on the individual songs.
Some of Dream Theater's more notable touring partners include
Porcupine TreePorcupine Tree is a progressive rock band formed by Steven Wilson in 1987 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. Their music is difficult to categorise, being associated with both psychedelic rock and progressive rock, yet having been influenced by trance, krautrock and ambient due to Steven...
,
Symphony XSymphony X is an American progressive metal band from Middletown, New Jersey.Founded in 1994 by guitarist Michael Romeo, their albums The Divine Wings of Tragedy and V: The New Mythology Suite have given the band considerable attention within the progressive metal community...
,
Between The Buried And MeBetween the Buried and Me is an American heavy metal band from Raleigh, North Carolina. They have released a total of five studio albums, as well as a cover album, an EP and a live DVD/CD...
,
Deep PurpleDeep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
,
Emerson, Lake & PalmerEmerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
,
Iron MaidenIron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, The Dixie Dregs,
Joe SatrianiJoseph "Joe" Satriani is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, with multiple Grammy Award nominations...
,
King's XKing's X is an American hard rock band that combines progressive metal, funk and soul with vocal arrangements influenced by gospel, blues, and British Invasion rock groups. The band's lyrics are largely based on the members' struggles with religion and self-acceptance...
,
MarillionMarillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, England in 1979. Their recorded studio output comprises sixteen albums generally regarded in two distinct eras, delineated by the departure of original vocalist & frontman Fish in late 1988, and the subsequent arrival of replacement Steve...
,
MegadethMegadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
,
In FlamesIn Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. Since the band's inception in 1993, they have released ten studio albums and one live DVD...
,
Pain of SalvationPain of Salvation is a Swedish progressive rock band featuring Daniel Gildenlöw, who is the lyricist, chief composer, guitarist, and lead vocalist. Their sound is characterised by powerful, accentuated guitar work, broad vocal range, abrupt switching between heavy and calm passages, intense...
,
OpethOpeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. Though the group has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force throughout the years...
,
Queensrÿchethumb|250px|right|Queensrÿche's classic line-up performing at the [[Sauna Open Air Metal Festival]] 2011 in [[Tampere]], [[Finland]]. Left to right: bass Eddie Jackson, lead vocals Geoff Tate, drums Scott Rockenfield and guitars Michael Wilton....
,
RiversideRiverside is a progressive rock band from Warsaw, Poland. It was founded in 2001 by friends Mariusz Duda, Piotr Grudziński, Piotr Kozieradzki and Jacek Melnicki, who shared a love for progressive rock and heavy metal...
,
Spock's BeardSpock's Beard is a progressive rock band formed in 1992 in Los Angeles by brothers Neal and Alan Morse. Neal played keyboards and was the lead vocalist, as well as being the primary songwriter before leaving the band in 2002 to pursue a solo career. Alan plays electric guitar...
,
Fear FactoryFear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...
,
EnchantEnchant is an American neo-progressive rock band, formed in 1989. Their music is characterized by ambitious lyrics and melodies along with harmonic experimentation.-History:...
,
33, also known as Three, is an American hybrid band formed in Woodstock, New York in the early 90s.-History:...
,
YesYes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
and
Zappa Plays ZappaZappa Plays Zappa is an American tribute act led by Dweezil Zappa, the eldest son of the late American composer and musician Frank Zappa, devoted to performing the music of Frank Zappa.- History :...
. In 2005, Dream Theater toured North America with the
GigantourGigantour is the name of a sporadically organised traveling heavy metal music festival organized by Megadeth's Dave Mustaine. The tour was founded in 2005 with dates across North America, and the 2006 and 2007 line-ups also traveled to Australia...
festival, co-headlining with Megadeth, and have played with Megadeth and Iron Maiden physically on stage.
The band's full world tours, since Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
, have predominantly been so-called "Evening with..." tours, in which the band performs for at least three hours with an intermission and no opening act. The show that was recorded for Live Scenes From New York was nearly four hours in length, and resulted in Portnoy almost being hospitalized after acquiring severe food poisoning from the food he ate before the show.
There is also a significant amount of humor, casualness, and improvisation attached to a Dream Theater concert. In the midst of "A Change of Seasons" it is quite common for themes such as those for
Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
and
The SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
to be quoted, and Rudess routinely modifies his solo section in the song and others, often playing the ragtimeRagtime is an original musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918. Its main characteristic trait is its syncopated, or "ragged," rhythm. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of American cities such as St. Louis and New Orleans years before being published...
section of "When the Water Breaks" from Liquid Tension Experiment 2Liquid Tension Experiment 2 is the second album by the band Liquid Tension Experiment. The tracks were largely improvised with little rehearsal, and there are no vocals.-Track listing:-Personnel:*John Petrucci - guitars...
. Several songs included on Once in a LIVETime include snippets of others' pieces, such as
Lynyrd SkynyrdLynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...
's "Free Bird" and Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee." Other quotations include "Mary Had a Little Lamb" during "Endless Sacrifice" on the Gigantour, a calliope-inspired break between verses of "Under a Glass Moon", a quote of "
Don't Cry for Me, Argentina"Don't Cry for Me Argentina" is a song from the 1978 musical Evita with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Sung by the title character Eva Perón, it was titled “It's Only Your Lover Returning” before Rice settled on the eventual name...
"'s main melody played by Petrucci while performing the intro solo of "Through Her Eyes" in
Buenos AiresBuenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, the Turkish March at a concert in
IstanbulIstanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, and the opening riff of
RushRush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
's "
A Passage to Bangkok"A Passage to Bangkok" is the second song on Rush's album, 2112. Released in 1976, the song follows the album's title song 2112. The song opens with a driving guitar riff...
" at a show in
BangkokBangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
,
ThailandThailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. On the "20th Anniversary World Tour" Rudess has even thrown in a short "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" theme in a break during "Endless Sacrifice", and during a concert in Israel he started a spontaneous "Hava-Nagilla" later accompanied by the rest of the band.
Occasionally, a member of the audience is picked at random to perform on stage, an example of which can be seen during Portnoy's drum solo on the Live at Budokan DVD. There have also been many impromptu renditions of "Happy Birthday" when a member of the band or crew has a birthday corresponding to a tour date, which normally results in a birthday cake being thrown at the subject.
Perhaps the best example of Dream Theater's unpredictable concert structure is that during Derek Sherinian's time with the band. At selected shows the band members all
swapped instrumentsInstrument-switching is a practice of live musicians in which musicians trade their instruments and perform with an instrument with which they are usually not associated...
and performed an encore as the fictitious band dubbed
Nightmare CinemaNightmare Cinema was a spoof rock band whose lineup comprised members of Dream Theater playing instruments other than their usual instrument of choice. During concert encores, starting on November 1, 1997 at the House of Blues in Chicago, Nightmare Cinema began their tradition of jamming on one...
. They usually performed a cover of
Deep PurpleDeep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
's "Perfect Strangers", and, on one occasion,
Ozzy OsbourneJohn Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
's "Suicide Solution". At some shows, Sherinian, Petrucci and Portnoy would take the stage together under the name "Nicky Lemons and the Migraine Brothers". Sherinian, wearing a feather boa and novelty sunglasses, would perform a pop-punk song entitled "I Don't Like You" with Petrucci and Portnoy backing. In Chaos in Motion tour, in several concerts before "Trial of Tears", Portnoy and Petrucci would change positions and play.
Dream Theater's largest audience as a headlining act was 20,000 in
Santiago, ChileSantiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
on December 6, 2005. This was during their first tour of South American countries other than Brazil (which they had visited in 1997 and 1998). The show was released on DVD through Portnoy's YtseJam Records.
In the Score
and Chaos in Motion DVDs, an animation has accompanied certain parts of the songs, showing the band playing along to the music as cartoon characters. On the Score DVD, during the song
OctavariumOctavarium is a song by progressive metal band Dream Theater, from the album of the same name.The song starts with Jordan Rudess using his Haken Continuum and his lap steel guitar, drawing references from Pink Floyd's "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", Tangerine Dream, Marty Friedman's Scenes, and...
, the band is seen performing in an octagonal shaped maze. As the animation continues Jordan Rudess spontaneously turns into
Santa ClausSanta Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
and John Petrucci catches fire. In "
The Dark Eternal NightSystematic Chaos is the ninth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater. Released on June 4, 2007 in the United Kingdom and June 5, 2007 in the United States, Systematic Chaos was the band's first release through Roadrunner Records, which was sold to their previous label...
" from the Chaos in Motion DVD, the band battles against a monster by shooting fireballs from guitars, throwing drum sticks, and screaming.
In 2007, after their show in Salt Lake City on July 30, Governor
Jon Huntsman, Jr.Jon Meade Huntsman, Jr. is an American politician and diplomat who served as the 16th Governor of Utah. He also served in the administrations of four United States presidents and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.Huntsman worked as a White House staff assistant for...
signed a proclamation officially marking July 30, 2007 as Dream Theater Day in the state of Utah.
In 2008 Dream Theater started the "Progressive Nation '08" tour, along with
OpethOpeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. Though the group has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force throughout the years...
,
Between the Buried and MeBetween the Buried and Me is an American heavy metal band from Raleigh, North Carolina. They have released a total of five studio albums, as well as a cover album, an EP and a live DVD/CD...
, and
33, also known as Three, is an American hybrid band formed in Woodstock, New York in the early 90s.-History:...
. The tour is the brainchild of Mike Portnoy, who stated, "I've been wanting to assemble a package tour like this for many years now. With all of the festivals and package tours that go through America, I've been talking with our manager and agent for over 10 years now about doing something that focuses on the more progressive, musician-oriented side of hard rock and metal. I decided it was time to stop talking the talk, lace up and finally walk the walk."
On February 13, 2009, Dream Theater announced the official line up for their Progressive Nation 2009 tour. The tour was originally set to feature bands including Swedish bands
BeardfishBeardfish is a Swedish progressive rock band formed in 2001. Their style resembles progressive rock bands from the 1970s, such as Yes and Genesis. The band was signed by InsideOut Music after releasing two albums independently; they have since released three more albums.In 2008, the band toured...
and
Pain of SalvationPain of Salvation is a Swedish progressive rock band featuring Daniel Gildenlöw, who is the lyricist, chief composer, guitarist, and lead vocalist. Their sound is characterised by powerful, accentuated guitar work, broad vocal range, abrupt switching between heavy and calm passages, intense...
, as well as
Zappa plays ZappaZappa Plays Zappa is an American tribute act led by Dweezil Zappa, the eldest son of the late American composer and musician Frank Zappa, devoted to performing the music of Frank Zappa.- History :...
. On June 22, 2009, Mike Portnoy announced that Pain of Salvation and Beardfish would not be touring the North American leg of the Progressive Nation 2009 tour because of record label complications. In the same announcement, Portnoy stated that the bands
Scale the SummitScale the Summit is an American instrumental metal band based out of Houston, Texas. It formed in 2004 and signed to Prosthetic Records.The band draws influences from other progressive acts such as Cynic and Dream Theater. However, unlike most other progressive metal bands, they have no vocalist...
and
BigelfBigelf is a progressive rock/progressive metal band formed in Los Angeles, CA in 1991. They have since released three studio albums.-Biography:...
would replace Pain of Salvation and Beardfish on the tour. This lineup change has put
BigelfBigelf is a progressive rock/progressive metal band formed in Los Angeles, CA in 1991. They have since released three studio albums.-Biography:...
on both the North American and European legs of the Progressive Nation 2009 tour. The tour's North American leg ran throughout July and August 2009. On March 26, 2009 it was announced that Dream Theater would take the Progressive Nation tour to Europe for the first time alongside
OpethOpeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. Though the group has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force throughout the years...
,
BigelfBigelf is a progressive rock/progressive metal band formed in Los Angeles, CA in 1991. They have since released three studio albums.-Biography:...
and
UnexpectUnexpect is an avant-garde extreme metal band from Montreal, Canada featuring a unique amalgamation of different styles of music, including black metal, death metal, thrash metal, progressive metal, melodic heavy metal, classical music, dark cabaret, opera, medieval music, jazz, funk, electro,...
. The tour ran throughout September and October 2009.
In June/July 2010 Dream Theater were the opening band for Iron Maiden during the first leg of their
Final Frontier TourThe Final Frontier World Tour was a concert tour by Iron Maiden in support of the band's 15th album, The Final Frontier, which began on 9 June 2010 in Dallas, Texas and ended in London, England on 6 August 2011...
which included
Madison Square GardenMadison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
as one of the many venues. On December 7, 2010, Dream Theater announced on their website that they would be headlining the High Voltage Festival alongside Judas Priest in 2011. In July 2011 they started
a new tourA Dramatic Turn of Events Tour, also colloquially referred to as A Dramatic Tour Of Events, is a current tour by the progressive metal band Dream Theater promoting their 11th studio album of the same name. It's their first tour with new drummer Mike Mangini, who replaced Mike Portnoy after his...
to promote their newest release.
Cover songs
Dream Theater has covered other artists' work throughout their career. During the promotional tour for Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
, during shows in BarcelonaBarcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and New York City, they covered MetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
's Master of Puppets-Personnel:Metallica* James Hetfield – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar on track 1, first solo on tracks 2 and 7* Cliff Burton – bass, backing vocals* Lars Ulrich – drums* Kirk Hammett – lead guitarProduction...
album in its entirety after a full set of Dream Theater material.
On the next leg of the tour they covered Iron MaidenIron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
's The Number of the BeastThe Number of the Beast is the third studio album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 29 March 1982 through EMI and on its sister label Capitol the US. The 1998 re-issue was released by EMI and Sanctuary/Columbia in the US...
and received a similar reaction to Master of Puppets, although it was already known that a cover was to be performed that night because the tour itinerary included two successive gigs in a single city. On October 11, 2005, Dream Theater covered. Dream Theater's official webpage stated that the second sets of the second nights in Amsterdam, London, Buenos Aires, São Paulo and Tokyo (October 11, October 25, December 4, December 11 and January 13 respectively), and also the second set of the January 15 show in Osaka, would be a classic album covered in its entirety.
The Dark Side of the MoonThe Dark Side of the Moon is the eighth studio album by English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released in March 1973. It built on ideas explored in the band's earlier recordings and live shows, but lacks the extended instrumental excursions that characterised their work following the departure...
was played again on October 25 in London. However, in Buenos Aires (December 4) and São Paulo (December 11) the 'classic album' played was Dream Theater's own Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a MemoryMetropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory is the fifth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released in 1999. It is a concept album that deals with the story of a man named Nicholas and the discovery of his past life, which involves love, murder, and infidelity as Victoria Page...
, to make up for not having visited Argentina and Brazil in their Metropolis 2000
tour. On January 13, 2006 (Tokyo) and on the 15th (Osaka), Dream Theater covered Deep PurpleDeep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
's live album Made in JapanMade in Japan is a double live album by English rock band Deep Purple, recorded during their first tour of Japan in August 1972. It was originally released in December 1972, with a U.S...
. Portnoy said that he had planned one more cover show, but refused to reveal when it would occur, or what album would be covered.
Under Mike Portnoy's drum solo under the instrumental track, Ytse Jam, from the Images and Words: Live in TokyoImages and Words: Live in Tokyo is the first home video release from American progressive metal band Dream Theater. It contains most of the band's performance from their August 26, 1993 show at Nakano Sun Plaza in Tokyo, Japan...
DVDA DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, he covered the beginning of
PanteraPantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
's "By Demons Be Driven" from their sixth album,
Vulgar Display of PowerVulgar Display of Power is the sixth studio album by heavy metal band Pantera. It was released through Atco Records, on February 25, 1992. It is the last album where Darrell Abbott is credited as "Diamond Darrell". One of the most influential groove metal albums of the 1990s, Vulgar Display of...
.
During Gigantour 2005, Dream Theater did a cover of
PanteraPantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
's "
Cemetery Gates"Cemetery Gates" is a song by heavy metal band Pantera. The song is the fifth track from Cowboys from Hell, the band's fifth album and second with lead singer Phil Anselmo...
" as a tribute to
"Dimebag" Darrel Lance AbbottDarrell Lance Abbott , also known as Diamond Darrell and Dimebag Darrell, was an American guitarist. He was best known as a founding member of the heavy metal bands Pantera and Damageplan. Abbott also contributed to the album Rebel Meets Rebel, a collaboration between Pantera and David Allan Coe...
. As an added bonus, they had
Burton C. BellBurton Christopher Bell is an American musician. Bell is best known as the frontman of the metal band Fear Factory where he is the only consistent member. His singing style mixes clean vocals with death growls.-Fear Factory:...
of
Fear FactoryFear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...
, and
Russell AllenRussell Allen is the singer of the American progressive metal band Symphony X.-Biography:Before working with a rock band, he was a jouster at a Medieval Times Dinner Theater. He was introduced to the band Symphony X by former singer Rod Tyler...
of
Symphony XSymphony X is an American progressive metal band from Middletown, New Jersey.Founded in 1994 by guitarist Michael Romeo, their albums The Divine Wings of Tragedy and V: The New Mythology Suite have given the band considerable attention within the progressive metal community...
do guest vocals and
Dave MustaineDavid Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
of
MegadethMegadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
, do the main solo for the song.
In March 2006, Dream Theater played the Rush song "Jacob's Ladder" at a show in Toronto. John Petrucci said a few days later in Asbury Park, New Jersey, prior to the night's show, that "Rush wouldn't play it, so we thought we'd play it for them."
In addition, Dream Theater performed several live cover songs on their EP
A Change of Seasons-Credits:* James LaBrie – Vocals* John Myung – bass* John Petrucci – guitars* Mike Portnoy – drums* Derek Sherinian – keyboards-Chart performance:Billboard 200:* A Change of Seasons – #58UK Albums Chart...
, including songs from Elton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, Deep PurpleDeep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
, Led ZeppelinLed Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
, Pink FloydPink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, KansasKansas is an American rock band that became popular in the 1970s initially on Album-Oriented Rock charts, and later with hit singles such as "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind"...
, QueenQueen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
, JourneyJourney is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...
, Dixie DregsThe Dixie Dregs are an American band formed in the 1970s. Their mostly instrumental music fuses jazz, southern rock, bluegrass and classical forms in an often unique style.-Formation and early years:...
, and GenesisGenesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
.
In 2008, they recorded a version of Iron MaidenIron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
's "To Tame a Land" for a Kerrang magazine compilation entitled Maiden Heaven
. This song was later included on the special edition of Black Clouds and Silver Linings
.
Also in 2007/2008, they performed portions of "Sugar MiceSugar Mice is the second single from Marillion's fourth studio album, Clutching at Straws. Released on 13 July 1987, it peaked at number 22 in the UK Singles Chart, becoming the band's 8th top-thirty hit in a row. Outside the UK, it was released in France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, West...
" by MarillionMarillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, England in 1979. Their recorded studio output comprises sixteen albums generally regarded in two distinct eras, delineated by the departure of original vocalist & frontman Fish in late 1988, and the subsequent arrival of replacement Steve...
at various live shows, including in SeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, KoreaKorea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
.
Dream Theater also recorded a number of cover songs for their 2009 album Black Clouds & Silver LiningsBlack Clouds & Silver Linings is the tenth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released on June 23, 2009 through Roadrunner Records. It is the band's last album to feature drummer and founding member Mike Portnoy before his departure on September 8, 2010. The album was...
. The songs came as a bonus disc in the special editions version of the album.
Dream Theater played "Hava Nagila"Hava Nagila" is a Hebrew folk song that has become a staple of band performers at Jewish weddings and Bar/Bat Mitzvahs.-History:...
", the traditional Jewish song, during "Metropolis Pt. 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper" at a sold-out concert in Tel AvivTel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, IsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
on June 16, 2009.
On August 14, 2009 during a Toronto show, Dream Theater played the Rush song "The Camera Eye", which was originally released on Rush's Moving Pictures- Personnel :* Geddy Lee - Bass guitar; Minimoog; Oberheim 8-voice synthesizer; OB-X, Moog Taurus bass pedals, vocals* Alex Lifeson - Electric and acoustic guitars, Moog Taurus...
album.
Dream Theater also performed "Comfortably Numb" by Pink FloydPink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
eight times during their 'Escape The Studio' Tour, accompanied by Queensrÿchethumb|250px|right|Queensrÿche's classic line-up performing at the [[Sauna Open Air Metal Festival]] 2011 in [[Tampere]], [[Finland]]. Left to right: bass Eddie Jackson, lead vocals Geoff Tate, drums Scott Rockenfield and guitars Michael Wilton....
from July 12 - August 2, 2003.
Bootleg culture
Dream Theater have released a series of official bootlegs, demos and other rarities through YtseJam Records, headed by Portnoy.
Demo series
The
Majesty Demos- Ytsejam Records re-release track listing :- Personnel :* Chris Collins – vocals on tracks 18-23* Kevin Moore – keyboards on tracks 18-23* John Myung – bass* John Petrucci – guitars* Mike Portnoy – drums; keyboards on track 6...
1985–1986
When Dream and Day Unite Demos 1987–1989
Images and Words Demos 1989–1991
Awake Demos
Falling Into Infinity Demos
Train of Thought Instrumental Demos 2003
Studio series
The Making of Falling Into Infinity
The Making of Scenes From a Memory
Live series
New York City – 3/4/93
Tokyo, Japan – 10/28/95
Old Bridge, New Jersey – 12/14/96
Los Angeles, California – 5/18/98
Bucharest, Romania – 7/4/02
When Dream and Day Reunite – 5/6/04
CD/DVD
Cover series
Master of Puppets-Personnel:Metallica* James Hetfield – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar on track 1, first solo on tracks 2 and 7* Cliff Burton – bass, backing vocals* Lars Ulrich – drums* Kirk Hammett – lead guitarProduction...
(CDThe Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
)
The Number of the BeastThe Number of the Beast is the third studio album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 29 March 1982 through EMI and on its sister label Capitol the US. The 1998 re-issue was released by EMI and Sanctuary/Columbia in the US...
(CD)
Made in JapanMade in Japan is a double live album by English rock band Deep Purple, recorded during their first tour of Japan in August 1972. It was originally released in December 1972, with a U.S...
(CD)
Uncovered 2003–2005
(CD)
The Dark Side of the MoonThe Dark Side of the Moon is the eighth studio album by English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released in March 1973. It built on ideas explored in the band's earlier recordings and live shows, but lacks the extended instrumental excursions that characterised their work following the departure...
(CD/DVDA DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
)
Studio albums
When Dream and Day Unite-The Killing Hand:The lyrics of the song describe a man who wakes up unaware of where he is. He looks around to see walls covered in names of people who have died. He wants to find out why, and travels back in time to find out...
(1989)
Images and WordsImages and Words is currently ranked #2 on Digital Dream Door's list of the top 100 progressive metal albums of all time. Music critic Piero Scaruffi includes the album at number 8, just after Fear Factory's Demanufacture and before Sepultura's Roots, in his classification of the best metal albums...
(1992)
AwakeAwake is the third studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released on October 4, 1994 by East West Records. It was the last Dream Theater album to feature keyboardist Kevin Moore, who announced his decision to leave the band during the recording of the album.Much of the...
(1994)
A Change of Seasons (EP)-Credits:* James LaBrie – Vocals* John Myung – bass* John Petrucci – guitars* Mike Portnoy – drums* Derek Sherinian – keyboards-Chart performance:Billboard 200:* A Change of Seasons – #58UK Albums Chart...
(1995)
Falling into Infinity-Personnel:* James LaBrie – vocals* John Myung – bass, Chapman Stick* John Petrucci – guitars, backing vocals* Mike Portnoy – drums, backing vocals* Derek Sherinian – keyboards, backing vocals-Chart performance:Billboard 200:* Falling Into Infinity - #52...
(1997)
Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a MemoryMetropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory is the fifth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released in 1999. It is a concept album that deals with the story of a man named Nicholas and the discovery of his past life, which involves love, murder, and infidelity as Victoria Page...
(1999)
Six Degrees of Inner TurbulenceSix Degrees of Inner Turbulence is the sixth full-length studio album by progressive metal band Dream Theater. It was released as a double-disc album on January 29, 2002 by Elektra Records...
(2002)
Train of Thought-Chart performance:* Billboard 200: Train of Thought - #53* Billboard Top Internet Albums: Train of Thought - #53* UK Album Charts: Train of Thought - #146* Norwegian Album Charts: Train of Thought - #9-Personnel:* James LaBrie – lead vocals...
(2003)
OctavariumOctavarium is the eighth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater. Released on June 7, 2005, it was the band's final release with Atlantic Records. Recorded between September 2004 and February 2005, the album holds the distinction of being the last album ever recorded at The...
(2005)
Systematic ChaosSystematic Chaos is the ninth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater. Released on June 4, 2007 in the United Kingdom and June 5, 2007 in the United States, Systematic Chaos was the band's first release through Roadrunner Records, which was sold to their previous label...
(2007)
Black Clouds & Silver LiningsBlack Clouds & Silver Linings is the tenth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released on June 23, 2009 through Roadrunner Records. It is the band's last album to feature drummer and founding member Mike Portnoy before his departure on September 8, 2010. The album was...
(2009)
A Dramatic Turn of EventsA Dramatic Turn of Events is the 11th studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released on September 13, 2011 through Roadrunner Records...
(2011)
Tours
- Majesty Shows (1986–1988)
- Early Dream Theater Shows (1989)
- When Dream and Tour Unite (1989)
- Pre-Images and Words Shows (1990–1992)
- Images and Tour
The Images and Tour was the first major tour undertaken by Dream Theater after signing a seven album deal with Atlantic Records. It started on September 27, 1992 and finished on November 28, 1993.-Images and Tour:*Metropolis pt 1*A Fortune in Lies...
(1992-1993)
- Music in Progress Tour (1993)
- Pre-Awake Shows (1994)
- Waking Up the World Tour
The Waking up the World Tour was a tour by Dream Theater in support of their third album Awake. It was their first tour with keyboard player Derek Sherinian who replaced the departing Kevin Moore....
(1994–1995)
- A Change of Seasons Tour
Dream Theater's A Change of Seasons Tour was three shows in Japan. It included numerous cover songs from various artists. This was one of the first tours that the new version of A Change of Seasons was performed...
(1995)
- Home for the Holidays (1995)
- The Fix for '96 (1996)
- An Evening of New Music (1997)
- Touring into Infinity
Touring into Infinity was a tour by Dream Theater in support of their Falling into Infinity album. It was their second and last tour to feature Derek Sherinian on keyboards...
(1997–1998)
- Deep Purple/ELP/Dream Theater Tour (1998)
- An Intimate Evening with Dream Theater (1998)
- Pre-Scenes From a Memory (1999)
- Scenes From a Memory Tour (1999)
- Metropolis 2000 (2000)
- World Tourbulence
The World Turbulence Tour was a tour undertaken by Dream Theater in support of Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. It started on January 15 and ended on November 8, 2002.* Jan 25, 2002 Manchester, UK - Apollo...
(2002)
- Escape From the Studio (2003)
- Train of Thought Tour (2004)
- Octavarium Tour (2005–2006)
- Gigantour 2005 (2005)
- Chaos in Motion Tour (2007–2008)
- Progressive Nation 2008 (2008)
- Black Clouds & Silver Linings Tour (2009–2010)
- Progressive Nation 2009
Progressive Nation 2009 was a North American and European tour headlined by the progressive metal band Dream Theater. The tour's concept was created by the drummer Mike Portnoy. The first leg of the tour began on July 24, 2009 in Miami and ended on August 29, 2009 in Los Angeles...
(2009)
- The Final Frontier World Tour
The Final Frontier World Tour was a concert tour by Iron Maiden in support of the band's 15th album, The Final Frontier, which began on 9 June 2010 in Dallas, Texas and ended in London, England on 6 August 2011...
(2010)
- A Dramatic Tour of Events (2011)
Band members
Current members
- John Petrucci
John Peter Petrucci is an American guitarist and songwriter best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. Along with his former bandmate Mike Portnoy, he has produced all Dream Theater albums since their 1999 release, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory...
– guitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, backing vocals (1985-present)
- John Myung
John Ro Myung is an American bassist, Chapman Stick player and a founding member of the progressive metal group Dream Theater. He is considered a virtuoso player who is widely recognized for his technical proficiency....
– bass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, chapman stickThe Chapman Stick is an electric musical instrument devised by Emmett Chapman in the early 1970s. A member of the guitar family, the Chapman Stick usually has ten or twelve individually tuned strings and has been used on music recordings to play bass lines, melody lines, chords or textures...
(1985-present)
- James LaBrie
Kevin James LaBrie is a Canadian vocalist who is best known as the lead singer of the American progressive metal band Dream Theater.-Early life:...
– lead vocals (1991-present)
- Jordan Rudess
Jordan Rudess is an American keyboardist best known as a member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater and the progressive rock supergroup Liquid Tension Experiment.-Biography:...
– keyboardsA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, continuumThe Continuum Fingerboard or Haken Continuum is a music performance controller developed by Lippold Haken, a professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois, and sold by Haken Audio, located in Champaign, Illinois....
(1999-present)
- Mike Mangini
Mike Mangini is an American drummer, and the current drummer for the progressive metal band Dream Theater. He has played for Annihilator, Extreme, James LaBrie, and Steve Vai, among others. He lectured at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and is also known for his work as a session musician...
– drumsA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
(2010-present)
Former members
- Mike Portnoy
Michael Stephen "Mike" Portnoy is an American drummer primarily known as the former drummer, backing vocalist, and a co-founder of the progressive metal band Dream Theater, as well as the temporary drummer for the hard rock band Avenged Sevenfold. Known for his drumming prowess and technical...
– drums, percussion, backing vocals (1985-2010)
- Kevin Moore
For the blues singer, see Keb' Mo'.Kevin Moore is a keyboardist, vocalist and composer and founder of the Chroma Key music project. He is also a former member of the American progressive metal band Dream Theater, co-founder of the progressive rock supergroup O.S.I. and has composed film soundtracks...
– keyboards (1986-1994)
- Chris Collins
Chris Collins is an American guitarist and songwriter best known as the first vocalist of the progressive metal band "Majesty" that later became Dream Theater.-The Majesty Days:...
– vocals (1986)
- Charlie Dominici
Charlie Dominici is a singer for progressive metal band Dominici.Perhaps he is best known as the second vocalist for the progressive metal band Dream Theater, having replaced Chris Collins and later being replaced by James LaBrie.-Biography:Dominici originally came into prominence as a member of...
– vocals (1987-1989)
- Derek Sherinian
Derek Sherinian is a rock keyboardist who has toured and recorded for Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, Yngwie Malmsteen, Kiss, and Alice In Chains. He was also a member of Dream Theater and is the founder of the instrumental metal-fusion band Planet X...
– keyboards (1994-1999)
Awards and certificates
RIAA gold and platinum certifications
- Images and Words (Gold) – February 2, 1995
- Metropolis 2000: Live Scenes From New York (Gold) – November 8, 2002
- Live at Budokan (DVD) (Platinum) – January 26, 2005
- Live in Tokyo/5 Years in a Livetime (Platinum) – March 22, 2006
- Score (DVD) (Platinum) – October 11, 2006
- Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory (Gold) – 2010
Keyboard
magazine
Jordan Rudess was awarded the following Keyboard Magazine Reader's Poll award:
Best New Talent (1994)
Burrn!Burrn! is a monthly Japanese magazine, published since 1984, for fans of heavy metal music. It is published by Shinko Music in Tokyo. The magazine's content is in Japanese, but the covers are predominantly in English.-References:* Japanavision...
magazine
Jordan Rudess was awarded:
-
Best keyboards player of the year (2007)
Guitar World
The album
Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a MemoryMetropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory is the fifth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released in 1999. It is a concept album that deals with the story of a man named Nicholas and the discovery of his past life, which involves love, murder, and infidelity as Victoria Page...
was ranked #95 on the magazine's list of the
100 Greatest Guitar Albums of All Time.
Total Guitar Paul Gillard
John Petrucci won
Guitarist of the year award (2007)
Ultimate Guitar ArchiveUltimate Guitar Archive, also known as Ultimate-Guitar.com or simply UG, is a large guitarist community website known for its large amount of guitar and bass tablature, reviews of music and equipment, interviews with notable musicians, online written and video lessons, and forums...
In 2009, Dream Theater were placed on the Top 10 in Ultimate Guitar's
The Greatest Metal Bands of the Decade.
Classic RockClassic Rock is a British magazine dedicated to the radio format of classic rock, published by Future Publishing, who are also responsible for its "sister" publication Metal Hammer. Although firmly focusing on key bands from the 1960s through early 1990s, it also includes articles and reviews of...
magazine
Dream Theater won
The Spirit of Prog Award at the
Classic RockClassic Rock is a British magazine dedicated to the radio format of classic rock, published by Future Publishing, who are also responsible for its "sister" publication Metal Hammer. Although firmly focusing on key bands from the 1960s through early 1990s, it also includes articles and reviews of...
Roll of Honour 2009 in London. They were also nominated for the
Album of the Year Award for their album,
Black Clouds & Silver LiningsBlack Clouds & Silver Linings is the tenth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released on June 23, 2009 through Roadrunner Records. It is the band's last album to feature drummer and founding member Mike Portnoy before his departure on September 8, 2010. The album was...
in 2009, but lost to
AC/DCAC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
's
Black IceBlack Ice is the 15th Australian and 14th international studio album by the Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It was produced by Brendan O'Brien and released internationally on 17 October 2008. Guitarists Angus Young and Malcolm Young got together in London in 2003 to start composing tracks...
.
Rolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
In July 25th, 2011, Dream Theater were placed on the list
"The Best Prog Rock Bands of All Time", chosen by the Rolling Stone Magazine's readers poll.
MusicRadarMusicRadar is a website for musicians. It covers information pertaining to artists and music, special features, product news and reviews, music lessons and a social network service in the style of Facebook and Myspace...
The MusicRadar readers poll placed them amongst
"The 30 greatest live acts in the world today" (as of 2010). They peaked #5 on the list, placed over artists like
MetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
,
MuseMuse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
,
U2U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
and
ColdplayColdplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
.
John Myung, from August through September 2010, was voted the greatest bassist of all time. In the same time frame, Mike Portnoy was voted the second best drummer ever, losing out to
Joey JordisonJoey Jordison , is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known for his work as the drummer for the nu metal band Slipknot. He grew up in Waukee, Iowa with his parents and two sisters, and was given his first drum kit at the age of 8...
. In December 2010, James LaBrie was voted the 15th best frontman of all time (with
Axl RoseW. Axl Rose is an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is the lead vocalist and only remaining original member of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he enjoyed great success and recognition in the late 1980s and early 1990s, before disappearing from the public eye for several years...
coming first and
Freddie MercuryFreddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...
in second). Jordan Rudess was voted the best keyboardist of all time in a poll conducted from June to July this year, with John Petrucci coming second in a shred-guitarist poll conducted in May this year (losing out to
Al Di MeolaAl Di Meola is an acclaimed American jazz fusion and Latin guitarist, composer, and record producer of Italian origin. With a musical career that has spanned more than three decades, he has become respected as one of the most influential guitarists in jazz to date...
.
Other recognitions
- At Dream Theater's Salt Lake City show, Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr.
Jon Meade Huntsman, Jr. is an American politician and diplomat who served as the 16th Governor of Utah. He also served in the administrations of four United States presidents and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.Huntsman worked as a White House staff assistant for...
signed a proclamation making July 30, 2007, "Dream Theater Day".
- Dream Theater played twice on Xbox 360s Game With Fame event. They played Halo 3
Halo 3 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie for the Xbox 360 console. The third installment in the Halo franchise, the game concludes the story arc begun in Halo: Combat Evolved and continued in Halo 2...
in December 2007 and Call of Duty: World at WarCall of Duty: World at War is a first-person shooter video game developed by Treyarch and published by Activision for PC, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360. It is generally considered to be the fifth mainstream game of the Call of Duty series and returns the setting to World War II. The game was...
in June 2009.
- On November 2010, Dream Theater was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame
The Long Island Music Hall of Fame is an organization whose office is located in Port Jefferson, New York. It was incorporated in July 2005 under the New York State Board of Regents as a non profit organization and holds a provisional charter to operate as a museum in the state of New York...
.
Further reading
- Bredius, Mark. Dream Theater - The official site. (Retrieved February–April 2005.)
- Dixon, Brad et al. Official Dream Theater FAQ. (Retrieved February–April 2005, moved c. 2007.)
- Hansen, Scott & Portnoy, Mike. Dream Theater Tourography. (Retrieved February–April 2005.)
- King, Brian. (2003). "JaM Progductions! Interview with John Petrucci and Mike Portnoy". Theater of Dreams 29, pp. 14–20.
- Hansen, Scott. (2003). "James LaBrie: As this man thinks". Theater of Dreams 27/28, pp. 26–30.
External links