The classic Dream Theater lineup is back in action with legendary drummer Mike Portnoy returning back to the American progressive metal giants. The reunion was announced in a statement released by the band on their official website and social media. The band is set to hit the studio to begin working on their 16th studio album. The news has left fans rejoicing and buzzing with excitement with Portnoy’s return to the band after more than a decade.
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Portnoy, known for his virtuoso drumming, left the band in 2010, to be replaced by Mike Mangini after a long audition process. Over the years, Portnoy has been part of groups like Sons of Apollo, Metal Allegiance, Transatlantic, Flying Colors, and The Winery Dogs. These and other projects had him form supergroups and collaborate with former and current members of acts like Avenged Sevenfold, Guns N’ Roses, Megadeth, Twisted Studio, and ex-Dream Theater.
Ultimately, the allure of returning to the band that helped shape his identity proved too strong to resist. Mike Portnoy announced his excitement to present the classic lineup to a whole new generation of fans, “I am overwhelmed with joy to be returning home and reuniting with my brothers! I absolutely cannot wait to hit the road!”. Portnoy has also been collaborating with Dream Theater bandmates such as on Petrucci’s solo album in 2020 and revived Liquid Tension Experiment with Rudess. He was also on drums for Petrucci’s 2022 solo tour.
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Guitarist John Petrucci expressed, “We are thrilled to welcome Mike back into the Dream Theater family. His unique style and undeniable talent are an integral part of our musical identity, and we can’t wait to create magic together once again.”
Departing drummer Mike Mangini said, “From Day 1, my place was not to fill all the roles that Mike held in the band. I was to play the drums in order to help the band carry on. Thankfully, I got to experience playing music with these iconic musicians”. The band won their first Grammy award in 2022 for best metal performance with Mangini on drums for the song “The Alien” from 2021’s A View From the Top of the World. Band members keyboardist Jordan Rudess, vocalist James Labrie, and bassist John Myung acknowledged with gratitude the body of work of the Mangini era while welcoming Mike Portnoy back.
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James LaBrie highlighted that this lineup is here to stay, “I can say with absolute confidence this will be the final incarnation of DT with many chapters still to be written well into our future. Onward and upward guys!! Welcome back MP”.
Dream Theater, known for their technical prowess and intricate compositions, was formed in 1985 at Berklee College of Music and quickly gained a dedicated fanbase. Their discography includes iconic albums such as “Images and Words,” “Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory,” and “Train of Thought”. The band has been known for pushing boundaries and challenging musical while being flagbearers of the progressive metal genre.
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