Dream Theater
Parasomnia
Inside Out Music
Progressive music these days is mainly just a label for a particular part of the music spectrum. Few acts within that catchment are actually truly progressive. Step up then Dream Theater, one of the handful that truly still are, and one of the originators of ‘prog’. They’ve also got Mike Portnoy back behind the tubs too, a return many have waited fifteen years for. So is Parasomnia any good? Damn right it is! There’s a familiarity with the sound. The way the music flows, the timing and the sheer grandeur is all signature Dream Theater. The use of synths is nothing short of inventively spectacular, while the guitar work is free and imaginative. The production is clean but also organic with none of the stiffness you often find with this sort of work. Above all, right through 71 engrossing minutes your attention is kept keen by the way this fine album is written. Fans will love it while people new to the band (yes there must be some) will find it a pleasingly easy listen. ‘Parasomnia’ is a set of songs worthy of the word progressive.
Review by Gary Trueman