Tag: Dream Theater

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Parasomnia (Instrumental)

One official day listening to Dream Theater album number 16: “Parasomnia”.

“Parasomnia” Deluxe Edition comes with CD of the album, CD contains instrumental version of the album, and Blu-ray contains Dolby Atmos & 5.1 Surround Sound, High-Resolution Stereo Mixes, animated visualizers for each song.

“Parasomnia” Deluxe Edition: CD, Instrumental CD, Blu-ray

The best part of “Parasomnia” Deluxe Edition is the Instrumental version of the CD. I’ve acquired Dream Theater’s album releases with Instrumental mixes whenever they were made available. My personal collections of Dream Theater releases with Instrumental mixes:

  • Black Clouds & Silver Linings (2009)
  • A Dramatic Turns of Events (2011)
  • Distance Over Time (2019)
  • A View from the Top of the World (2021)
  • Parasomnia (2025)

Parasomnia tracklist:

  • In The Arms Of Morpheus (Overture)
  • Night Terror
  • A Broken Man
  • Dead Asleep
  • Midnight Messiah
  • Are We Dreaming? (Interlude)
  • Bend The Clock
  • The Shadow Man Incident
In the Arms of Morpheus – Overture
Are We Dreaming? – Interlude

Right if the bat, the record contains 2 Instrumental tracks out of 8. That leaves 6 other tracks that have the different Instrumental mixes. Still worth getting the Deluxe Edition of the record.

On another note, the artworks in the Deluxe Edition are underwhelming. Blame that on the overused Computer Generated Slops, also known as AI Generated Slops.

I both like and feeling underwhelmed by this record. Probably I’ve become jaded when it comes to Dream Theater’s music.

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Parasomnia

It is February 7, 2025 and Dream Theater new record “Parasomnia” is officially released. It is the first record by the band since their founding member and drummer who left in 2010, rejoined the band in 2023.

“There you go, Mike’s back replacing Mike who replaced the first Mike in the first place.”

With return of Portnoy in the band, this record is highly anticipated by fans. Three songs from the record were previously released:

  • Night Terror
  • A Broken Man
  • Midnight Messiah

The first single, Night Terror, showed a glimpsed of the reunion; which seemed to miss none of the beat in the last 14 years. The second and third single reaffirmed that sentiment.

Now the record is finally released, fans get to listen to the rest of the songs. For diehard Dream Theater fans, I recommend listening to the instrumental versions of the record, which is available in the Deluxe edition.

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Ruin an Album Title: Dream Theater – Images and Swords

Dream Theater - Images and Swords

Add one letter to “ruin” an album title.

Dream Theater – Images and Swords

Dream Theater - Images and Swords

Images and Words was released on July 7, 1992. It is the second album by Dream Theater and the first to feature James LaBrie on vocals.

The song “Pull Me Under” was the first single off the album and became a surprise hit, garnering airplay on radios and MTV.

ATCO, the band’s label at that time sent out two-track CD Promo for “Take the Time” with a note: “Play the unabridged version!”
(Editor’s note: we have that package somewhere, finding it is a different matter.)

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Now Playing: Dream Theater – Distance Over Time

Dream Theater’s fourteenth studio album “Distance Over Time” is officially released on Friday, February 22, 2019.

The album clocks in under 1 hour, without bonus track “Viper King”.

“Room 137” lyric was written by Mike Mangini , which is a first for Dream Theater.

After the first listen of the album in its entirety, not counting the first three songs (“Untethered Angel”, Paralyzed”, and “Fall into the Light”) which were made available prior to the album release; “At Wit’s End” and “Viper King” stand out.

I need to listen to this album a lot more time to form any further opinion.

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Dream Theater: “Fall into the Light”

The second single off Dream Theater’s upcoming “Distance Over Time” record is now available for listening.

It is also available for purchase from among other, iTunes.

Dream Theater – Fall into the Light

“Distance Over Time” track list:

  1. Untethered Angel 06:14
  2. Paralyzed 04:17
  3. Fall Into The Light 07:04
  4. Barstool Warrior 06:43
  5. Room 137 04:23
  6. S2N 06:21
  7. At Wit’s End 09:20
  8. Out Of Reach 04:04
  9. Pale Blue Dot 08:25
  10. Viper King (Bonus Track) 04:00

“Distance Over Time” is due on February 22, 2019.

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The Astonishing NOMAC

The Astonishing NOMAC

I pre-ordered Dream Theater “The Astonishing” Box Set Bundle back in January 2016. The Box Set Bundle includes:

  • The Astonishing Limited Edition Deluxe Box Set
  • The Astonishing 2CD Set
  • The Astonishing Digital Album
  • The Astonishing Digital FLAC Album
  • The Astonishing Gift
  • The Gift of Music Digital Single

Throughtout the year, Roadrunner Records shipped parts of the Box Set Bundle while the Deluxe Box Set was delyaed numerous times.

I finally received The Astonishing Limited Edition Deluxe Box Set on August 3, 2016. It is a nice collectible for Dream Theater Fans and  Collectors.

 

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Ernie Ball Music Man Majesty

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I tried out Ernie Ball Music Man John Petrucci Signature Guitar Majesty some few months ago at a local guitar store and I really liked it. I have been a fan of Dream Theater and John Petrucci since my radio days in the 1990’s.

My first choice was the Polar Noir model (black). I always like guitars in neutral colors such as black. Then I saw the Iced Crimson model (red); I like it too. Why not add bold colors to my seemingly all-black gears.

Fast forwards a few months, I finally saw the Arctic Dream model (as pictured above) in person. The color-shifting paint-job is amazing. Under certain lighting and viewing angle it is radiating the color green, purple and sometimes black.

For a brief moment, I thought that I should get a 7-string model; as it would have been the first in my arsenal. I then decided to get the 6-string model.

Just a few days ago, an Arctic Dream Ernie Ball Music Man Majesty was delivered to my office. It will take me sone times to get familiar with this San Luis Obispo, USA-made instrument.

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